Speech-Language Pathologist

Purpose of the Job: The Speech Language Pathologist assesses, diagnoses, treats, and helps to prevent disorders related to speech, language, cognitive-communication, voice, swallowing, and fluency. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students that strengthen connections between home and school.

Minimum Requirements:

Education: Master’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology

Experience: Minimum of 5 years in education preferred

Licenses/Certificates: Must hold a valid Colorado Special Services License properly endorsed for proposed assignment or be willing to enroll and complete an approved program from an accepted institution of higher education. Must hold a valid Colorado Driver’s License.

Other Criteria:

• Ability to work cooperatively in a school atmosphere with staff members, students and the public.
• Ability to effectively read, write, speak and listen to comply with directions and instructions to complete tasks and establish priorities.
• Integrity, trust and work ethic to be able to work with little supervision.
• Competent understanding of technology to perform the job.
• Must pass pre-employment physical
• Ability to perform light lifting and moving of product (up to 50lbs)
• Implements appropriate physical and technical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of district data.
• Maintains good security practices with passwords and accounts to the various district systems and applications.
• Reports actual or suspected breaches in the confidentiality, integrity or availability of district data to appropriate district personnel.
• Follows all board policies for acceptable use of district technology.
• Model the District's Mission and Belief Statements.
• Other duties as assigned

Essential Duties of the Job:
Special Services Providers (SSPs) are held to high expectations for their performance to ensure the success of the individual and the District in serving students and the community. SSPs are held to the District’s Licensed Personnel Performance Evaluation System that consists of the State’s Quality Standards, elements, and performance indicators which point to fulfillment of the SSP responsibility. A special service provider demonstrated effectiveness is based on the following standards:

Quality Standard I: Special Services Providers demonstrate mastery of and expertise in the domain for which they are responsible
Quality Standard II: Special Services Providers support or establish safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environments for a diverse population of students.

Quality Standard III: Special Services Providers plan and deliver effective services in an environment that facilitates learning for their students.

Quality Standard IV: Special Services Providers demonstrate professionalism through ethical conduct, reflection, and leadership.

In addition, as a member of the Special Services team, the Speech Language Pathologist provides more specific services for students with disabilities:

1. Diagnosis/Planning – selecting and administering appropriate tools for evaluation of students, effectively completing and summarizing evaluations, assisting in programming for students with disabilities, planning effective use of time, and effectively prioritizing and scheduling time to fulfill responsibilities.

1. Direct Service/Interventions – assisting in the development of appropriate annual goals and objectives, providing ongoing consultation to regular education and special education teachers, utilizing intervention methods appropriate for individual students and groups, using a variety of materials and individual strategies, using direct and community resources to meet student needs, communicating effectively with students, parents, and teachers, communicating students’ progress effectively, and providing service to parents when family crisis impacts student performance.

1. Professional Responsibility – participating in professional growth, accepting and fulfilling identified responsibilities and duties in a prompt and effective manner, being involved in resolution of staff building issues in a positive manner, participating in and promoting district/school priorities, goals, and unity, participating in community interagency efforts and activities, serving as a resource person for in-service activities at both building and district levels, and recognizing problems and actively contributing to their resolution.

1. Rules & Regulations – following Board policies and procedures, adhering to codes of ethics, following special education rules and regulations as established at federal, state, and local levels.

Skills, Knowledge, Equipment & Other: As listed in the State Evaluation rubric

Supervisory Responsibilities: Paraeducators when assigned

Requirements for Essential Functions of the Job:

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, talk, or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; feel or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds from floor to waist, waist to overhead, waist to floor and overhead to floor. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Employee must have the ability to speak clearly, enunciate and formulate mouth positions in a manner that allows the students to grasp what is being taught.

Work Environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to work in a school setting. Travel from site to site may occasionally; be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; outdoor weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment ranges is generally quiet with occasional increase when working events or with equipment. Must be able to work in person.

Mental Functions: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to analyze and compute. Frequently required to compare, communicate, coordinate, instruct, evaluate, use interpersonal skills and compile. Occasionally required to copy, synthesize and negotiate.

This description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the principal job elements essential for making compensation decisions. This job description is subject to change in accordance with the needs of the District.