Physical Therapist

The Physical Therapist at Clarke School is part of a dynamic team of therapists who support deaf and hard of hearing children and their parents in a center based EI and Preschool program. The PT is responsible for planning, evaluating, organizing and conducting pediatric physical therapy sessions to facilitate growth in gross motor development. The PT also administers evaluations and assessments to determine a child’s level of gross motor function relative to age. The PT will develop a treatment plan and monitor progress for each child on his/her caseload. The PT also provides support in the classrooms to insure teachers, assistant teachers and other related service providers have the skill and information about strategies and needs to support all children in the development of healthy motor development. This position requires the use of clinical judgment, well developed communication skills, an understanding of Early Intervention Regulations and CPSE regulations and all related paperwork and reports and the ability to work well with coworkers and families of children. The PT reports to the Director of Clarke School-New York.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Maintain and address IEP and/or IFSP goals
• Provide appropriate therapy to children birth-5 in a school/center-based setting
• Document of intervention after each session following requirements for the program
• Complete progress reports as required by the CPSE or EI systems
• Conduct evaluations to determine eligibility to receive services, which include both standardized testing and structured clinical observations, typically requiring two to three hours of testing time, followed by scoring and clinical interpretation. A parent conference and a detailed assessment report are also provided for each evaluation.
• Determine areas of concern, identify goals, and develop treatment plans
• Demonstrate positive interaction with co-workers, clients and families, treating all with respect and responsiveness to their needs.
• Demonstrate adaptability to new people, procedures, and situations.
• Listen openly and apply suggestions made by supervisor
• Attend staff and in-service meetings, with the opportunity to occasionally lead a portion of the in-service training.
• Provide support to other related service providers and teachers/assistants in areas that impact a child’s functioning related to OT-emotional regulation, sensory processing, fine motor skill development, etc.
• Exhibit knowledge of health and safety for the children
• Follows accrediting body’s guidelines for ethical and high-quality job performance.
• Arrive to work promptly and demonstrate good time management skills.
• Identify own continuing education needs and pursue continuing education courses
• Perform related duties as assigned.
• Perform any other tasks as assigned by the director to support the functioning of the school
• Promote Clarke’s Mission and Goals

Meetings and Planning:

• Participate in meetings with educational team to discuss children’s progress
• Participate in staff meetings, weekly
• Participate in parent meetings as needed
• Participate in parent workshops or Clarke community events

Written Plans and Reports:

• Create treatment plans and keep notes on progress.
• Maintain daily session notes via Easytrac or EI required formats reflecting daily assessment of progress
• Communicate with parents through various modes such as phone, email, communication notebooks and school blog
• Prepare progress reports and IEP proposals

• NYS License in Physical Therapy
• Master’s or doctoral degree in Physical Therapy from an accredited school.
• Experience with age appropriate tests, testing techniques and test interpretation
• Excellent written /spoken English communication
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Commitment to parent involvement and communication
• Minimum Experience: One+ years of clinical experience in a pediatric therapy setting.
• Proficiency in conducting evaluations in pediatric clinic-based setting.
• Required skills include planning, administering, scoring and interpreting tests related to development in both sensory processing and motor coordination. Effective written and oral communication skills are also required throughout this process.
• Familiarity with tools of practice including: PDMS-2 and other pediatric standardized tools

Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech does not discriminate on the basis of sex in admission and administration of its educational programs or activities or employment. Clarke is required by Title IX and its implementing regulations at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 not to discrimination on the basis of sex in admission, administration of its educational programs or activities or employment. Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 to Clarke may be referred to Clarke’s Title IX Coordinator, Andrea Harkins, CHRO, 45 Round Hill Road, Northampton, MA 01060, aharkins@clarkeschools.org , 413.582.1155 or the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, at 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202, telephone number 800-421-3481.