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Job Description

About Us:

We are starting a new, scholarship-based school dedicated to providing specialized education

for neurodivergent children, particularly those with moderate to severe Autism Spectrum

Disorder. Our school’s first class will initially include up to five kindergarten-aged students (5-7

years old) supported by a collaborative, interdisciplinary team comprised of:

• Head Teacher

• Assistant Teachers

• Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)

• Occupational Therapist (OT; current open position)

• Head of School

• Clinical Care Coordinator

Our school is founded on a commitment to providing individualized, high-quality education and

support for neurodivergent children. We are aiming to foster a nurturing, inclusive learning

environment with a 1:1 student-to-adult ratio so that we may best serve our students' individual

needs. Although we will not be accredited in our first year, we are dedicated to establishing a

strong foundation for future accreditation and long-term growth.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a highly motivated and dedicated Occupational Therapist (OT) to join our team.

The successful candidate will be responsible for assessing, planning, and implementing

therapeutic interventions that enhance the functional independence and participation of our

minimally verbal autistic students across all school environments. The OT will address a wide

range of developmental and sensory processing needs to support students' ability to learn, play,

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socialize, and perform daily living activities. Our goal is to create a nurturing and supportive

environment that provides individualized treatment and education for our students.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct comprehensive occupational therapy evaluations using standardized and

non-standardized assessments to identify students' strengths and challenges related

to fine motor skills, gross motor skills, visual-motor integration, sensory processing,

self-regulation, daily living skills (ADLs/IADLs), and play skills.

• Interpret assessment results and develop data-driven, individualized treatment plans

aligned with students' individualized education plans.

• Regularly monitor student progress and adjust treatment plans as needed.

• Design and implement individualized and group occupational therapy interventions

that are evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, and sensitive to the unique

needs of minimally verbal children with autism.

• Address sensory processing differences by implementing sensory diets,

environmental modifications, and regulation strategies to improve focus, participation,

and self-regulation.

• Facilitate the development of fine motor skills for activities such as writing, cutting,

manipulating objects, and self-care.

• Promote gross motor development, coordination, and motor planning for participation

in play, physical education, and navigating the school environment.

• Support the development of daily living skills (e.g., dressing, feeding, hygiene) and

instrumental daily living skills relevant to the school setting.

• Collaborate with the speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and other team members

to integrate communication goals into OT interventions, utilizing AAC devices and

strategies as appropriate.

• Integrate visual supports, routines, and predictable structures into therapy sessions.

• Adapt and modify tasks and environments to promote student success and

engagement.

• Work collaboratively with Clinical Care Coordinator, Head Teacher, Assistant Teacher,

Aides, SLPs, behavior analysts, parents, and other team members to create a

cohesive and integrated approach to student support.

• Provide consultation and training to school staff on sensory strategies, adaptive

equipment, fine motor development, and environmental modifications to support

student learning and behavior in the classroom.

• Actively participate in individualized student meetings, providing expert input on

student goals, progress, and recommendations.

• Communicate regularly with parents and caregivers regarding student progress, home

programming, and strategies for carryover.

• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential documentation of student assessments,

treatment plans, progress notes, and communication.

• Ensure all services are provided in compliance with state and federal regulations

(IDEA), school policies, and professional ethical guidelines.

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• Remain current with best practices, research, and advancements in occupational

therapy, autism spectrum disorder, sensory integration, and AAC.

• Participate in ongoing professional development opportunities

We are a company committed to creating diverse and inclusive environments where people can bring their full, authentic selves to work every day. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer that believes everyone matters. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, genetic factors, age, disability, protected veteran status, military or uniformed service member status, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to [email protected] learn more about how we collect, keep, and process your private information, please review Insight Global's Workforce Privacy Policy: https://insightglobal.com/workforce-privacy-policy/.

Skills and Requirements

:

• Master's or Doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program.

• Current and valid state licensure as an Occupational Therapist in California.

• NBCOT certification required.

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience working as an Occupational Therapist, with

significant experience in a school setting and/or with children with autism spectrum

disorder.

• Demonstrated expertise and passion for working with minimally verbal or

non-speaking children with autism.

• Strong understanding of sensory processing challenges and evidence-based sensory

integration strategies.

• Familiarity with various assessment tools relevant to the school-aged population with

autism.

• Experience with and knowledge of augmentative and alternative communication

(AAC) systems and strategies (e.g., PECS, core vocabulary communication boards,

high-tech AAC devices).

• Patience, empathy, creativity, and a genuine desire to make a positive impact on the

lives of children with autism.

• Experience or knowledge in assessing and treating feeding/swallowing disorders.

• Ability to conduct thorough assessments for students with ASD, utilizing both

standardized and criterion-referenced tools, as well as informal observations and

parent/teacher interviews.

• Proficiency in collecting and analyzing data to monitor student progress, adjust

intervention strategies, and report on outcomes.

• Ability to respond calmly and effectively in crisis situations with appropriate training.

• Exceptional ability to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, including educators,

SLPs, behavioral specialists, clinical care coordinators, psychologists, and

administrators.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to build rapport with parents and

caregivers, provide training, and involve families in the therapeutic process.

• Strong advocate for the communication needs of children with severe ASD.

• Commitment to ongoing professional development.

• Ability to perform physical activities such as sitting, standing, walking, running,

reaching, lifting, climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing,

and pulling.