Speech-Language Pathologist

Assabet Valley Collaborative is seeking a Speech-Language Pathologist for our

Therapeutic Day School, Orchard Street Academy

NOTE : Before you read on, please read the Commitments to Educational Equity that AVC strives to adopt across our organization. We seek to add employees to our team who can help us make these commitments a reality and influence how we lead, learn, innovate, design, collaborate, and serve our students, families, partners, and communities. Within this role, examples of how we strive for Educational Equity includes ongoing, in depth examination of individual and interpersonal beliefs and how they impact our work within micro and macro systems. Still interested? See below:

Who We Are:

Assabet Valley Collaborative (AVC) is an educational service agency in Metrowest/Central Massachusetts. Our services include school programs, wraparound services, transportation services, professional development, cooperative purchasing and consulting.

AVC's Orchard Street Academy (OSA) is a small public therapeutic school serving grades 6th- 12th.

We are looking for a Speech and Language Pathologist who serves as a leader and as a learner; a team member who is flexible, resourceful, and thrives in a fast-paced, non-traditional, collaborative environment and who understands educational and human service institutions . This person demonstrates a learning mindset and ability to receive feedback, self-reflect, and adapt, as well as an ability to effectively facilitate the learning of others by pushing their thinking, building their skills, and sparking their self-reflection and curiosity. There is a significant focus on social communication and pragmatic language development at OSA.

Responsibilities:

• Implements service delivery with students through individualized and small-group sessions to students with IEPs focusing mainly on social-pragmatic language and social communication
• Collaborate with teachers, caregivers, and other school staff to integrate therapy goals into the classroom and home environments.
• Work with school teams to address the linguistic and metalinguistic foundations of the content/curriculum students are expected to learn and the implications for students with disabilities, as well as other learners who require additional assistance.
• Provide culturally proficient services that assist in distinguishing disorders/disabilities from other contributions/factors that inhibit language development.
• Initiative and engage in prevention activities, intervention, program design, data collection and analysis, and compliance.
• Complete evaluations per special education timelines - selects appropriate evaluation tools, evaluates students, interprets findings, and reports results
• Diagnose speech and language disorders and determine their impact on the student’s educational performance
• Develop and implement and progress monitor individualized IEP goals
• Participate in IEP meetings, providing input on social communication goals and progress
• Lead social pragmatics groups
• Maintain accurate and confidential records, including session notes, progress reports, and compliance documentation.
• Maintain oral and written communication with districts, families, and community agencies regarding students.
• This can include, but is not limited to progress notes, IEPs, collaborative 3-year evaluations, calls, year-end reports, informal notes, virtual conferencing, home programs and medicaid documentation
• Ensure therapy and documentation adhere to relevant regulations (e.g., IDEA) and school policies
• Engage in ongoing professional development to stay updated on the latest research and best practices in social communication and pragmatic language interventions
• Attends scheduled meetings for staff development and training and collaboration
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications :

• Ability to provide and receive feedback and engage in honest and authentic conversations with peers/staff
• Flexible and versatile - able to support many different components of our school community
• Identifies problems as well as opportunities and take initiative to find the best path forward
• Collaborates with others and plans for effective outcomes
• Has demonstrated a commitment to educational equity
• A reflective learner through verbalizing self-awareness and seeking to learn and refine your skill set
• Uses a growth mindset to develop relationships with students, staff, and families that build on strengths and foster growth
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills.
• Masters Degree from CAA accredited program of Speech-Language Pathology or Communicative Sciences and Disorders and MA DESE licensure in Speech Language and Hearing Disorders.
• Massachusetts licensure/certification as Speech and Language Pathologist and/or CCC-SLP licensure

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Physical ability to execute job responsibilities that may include (depending upon assignment):

• Meet the physical requirements necessary to physically intervene in a crisis or emergency as trained and per AVC Physical Restraint protocol, policy and applicable regulations.
• Ability to report to work on time and fulfill contract days and hours

Competitive Benefits Include:

• 10 sick days; 3 personal days
• 75% health insurance premiums covered by AVC
• High deductible Health Insurance Plan + Health Savings Account (AVC contributes 50% of deductible into your HSA)
• Participation in MA State Retirement or Teachers Retirement pension systems
• Voluntary benefits: Health Savings Account, Life, Short-term, Long-term Insurance and Dental Insurance