Classification: Ancillary                                                                                                   Location: Assigned School

Reports to: Director of Exceptional Programs                                                            FLSA Status: Exempt

Bargaining Unit: Ancillary (182 working days)

Position Summary:

Public School Speech-Language pathologists are communication specialists who work with students with significant language delays and/or disorders, articulation deficits, dysfluencies, and voice disorders.

Supervision:

The Speech Language Pathologist works with a high level of independence and professional discretion under the general supervision of a designated school administrator. The Speech Language Pathologist work is governed, controlled, and evaluated by acceptable professional practice, school and district policies and regulations, provisions of Taos Municipal Schools district policies and procedures, direction of the supervisor, and performance standards and expectations as set forth in the collective bargaining agreement. Supervises students and Speech Language Assistants, as assigned.

Duties and Responsibilities listed may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Demonstrates knowledge of techniques to screen and assess student’s needs appropriate to age level in speech and language development.
• Coordinates student schedules for therapy services.
• Refers to agencies and staff.
• Describes normal speech, language process and their development, including:

1. Language and speech development including semantics, syntax, morphology and phonology, fluency, and voice
2. Physiology, anatomy, and neurology of speech and language
3. Social and cultural aspects of speech and language development
4. Acoustics and psychoacoustics
5. Speech and language production and perception
6. Communicative process, i.e., pragmatics, pre-verbal, verbal, and co-verbal

• Evaluate speech and language delays and disorders including:

1. Select, administer, and interpret appropriate tests of speech, language, hearing and cognitive
2. Listen discriminately to the individual’s speech and language
3. Transcribe speech and language samples accurately and completely
4. Examine and evaluate oral peripheral structure and function
5. Perceive and record other behavioral cues
6. Gather pertinent information about the individual
7. Differentiate bilingual bicultural patterns from language delays and disorders
8. Request additional diagnostic assistance
9. Analyze and interpret finding for sue in diagnosis and recommendations
10. Reports results to appropriate staff and family members

• Conduct and interpret otologic pure-tome screenings and impedance audiometry screenings as needed.
• Plan the therapeutic Program by developing criteria for case load selection and by selecting designing and/or modifying specialized approaches and curricula for the communicatively impaired.
• Develop and implement IEP’s for assigned students
• Participates in Medicaid in the school billing process
• Shall work 182 days at 6.5 hours daily.
• Shall be entitles to all fringe benefits as accrued by all nine-month employees.
• Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES REQUIRED: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory to instructional programs
• Ability to plan and implement lessons based on division and school objectives and the needs and abilities of students who assigned.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, peers, parents, and community.
• Ability to speak clear and concisely in written or oral communication.
• Ability to demonstrate a positive attitude and collaboration in all work-related activities.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervises students and Speech Language Assistants, as assigned

LANGUAGE SKILLS: 

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the public

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: 

• Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry.
• Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

REASONING ABILITY: 

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusion.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: 

Minimum of MA Degree from accredited college or university with current New Mexico Public Education Department Certificate and License.  Bilingual Person Preferred.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: 

New Mexico Licensure Certification as a Speech Pathologist (NM Speech/Language, Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensary Licensure Board)

Physical and Environmental Requirements of the Position:

• The physical demand and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The employee must lift and/or move 25 to 50 pounds, and may assist, move, or restrain students with greater weight when required to intervene in student safety issues.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, lift, carry, move about, hear, and speak. The Speech Language Pathologist may require performing extensive work at a computer display terminal.
• May be required to break up fights
• While performing the duties of this job, the Speech Language Pathologist may occasionally work in outside weather conditions and be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, temperature fluctuations, fumes, or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals commonly used in instruction and/or cleaning. It may be expected that the individual could be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials during their duties. The teacher may be exposed to infectious disease as carried by students.
• The teacher may be required to travel in school owned or leased vehicles while supervising and assisting students.

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.