Temporary Physical Therapist
Oklahoma City Public Schools•Oklahoma City, OK
•Onsite
About The Position
Provides educationally necessary intervention in motor skill development to prevent or reduce the effects of disability or dysfunction in children and promote learning within their educational programs. Services are provided in school settings ranging from preschool through high school. The position assesses students’ motor development, provides direct and consultative services, collaborates with educational teams and families, and maintains required records and compliance with special education regulations. The therapist may travel to district schools to serve students on their caseload and may be assigned an alternative work site if schools or offices close during a health crisis or disruptive situation.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in physical therapy or a related field from a national accrediting body recognized by the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision.
- Current physical therapy license awarded by the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision.
- Oklahoma teaching certification in Physical Therapy or an approved alternative teaching certification from the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
- Reliable transportation to travel to different school sites.
- Knowledge of adaptive equipment and assistive technology that may address access needs of children with disabilities.
- Ability to develop and implement instructional plans related to motor development in a school setting.
- Ability to communicate effectively with other professionals.
- Ability to be flexible and adapt to students’ changing needs.
- Knowledge of District, State, and Federal special education regulations related to motor development services.
- Ability to sit and/or stand for extended periods.
- Manual dexterity to enter data into a computer.
- Ability to see and read computer screens and printed materials, with or without vision aids.
- Ability to hear and understand speech at normal classroom levels, outdoors, and on the telephone.
- Ability to speak audibly so others can understand in classrooms, outdoors, and on the telephone.
- Physical agility to bend, stoop, sit on the floor, climb stairs, walk, and reach.
- Ability to lift, push, and pull up to 50 pounds.
Responsibilities
- Assess motor skill development with a focus on educational functioning.
- Participate in multidisciplinary teams that develop educational plans for students with disabilities.
- Provide direct and consultative instructional services to students regarding motor skill development, supporting reasonable educational benefit in the least restrictive environment.
- Collaborate and consult with school staff, parents, and outside agencies to address motor skill development needs in the school setting.
- Promote independent functioning in activities of daily living, including wheelchair transfers and movement transitions.
- Consult with physical education staff to support students with disabilities in participating as fully as possible in physical education programs.
- Administer evaluations and reevaluations as part of the identification process to help determine the need for physical therapy as a related service.
- Develop and maintain appropriate physical therapy records, including documentation, schedules, progress notes, IEPs, and monthly reports.
- Implement District, State, and Federal special education regulations related to motor skill development.
- Supervise and evaluate physical therapy assistants.
- Travel to various schools as needed to provide services to students on the caseload.
- Attend meetings, in-services, and workshops related to best practices in school-based physical therapy.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Work at an alternative site when necessary to ensure continuity of services during qualifying school or office closures, subject to the superintendent’s determination and supervisor-provided expectations and guidelines.
