Speech Language Pathologist Assistant @ West Valley School District (3 Positions)

West Valley School District #208

Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant (SLPA)

Starting in 2024-2025 School Year

Primary Responsibility:

The Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant is to assist the Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) in the delivery of intervention programs to students with communication disabilities.

Directly Responsible To: Supervising SLP, Building Principal, and Special Education Administration.

Responsibilities:

• Adhere to all applicable state laws and rules regulating the practice of speech-language pathology.

• Perform tasks approved by supervising SLP.

• Provide culturally responsive services while communicating and collaborating with students, the supervising SLP, colleagues, families, and other stakeholders.

• Administer and score screenings to be interpreted by the SLP.

• Assist the SLP during assessment of students:

• Setting up testing environments.

• Gathering and preparing materials.

• Taking notes as advised by SLP.

• Administer and score progress monitoring tools for interpretation by SLP>

• Implement Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP) as developed and directed by supervising SLP.

• Provide direct therapy services addressing treatment goals developed by the supervising SLP to meet the needs of the student.

• Adjust and document the amount and type of support or scaffolding provided to the student in therapy to facilitate progress.

• Develop and implement activities and materials for teaching and practice of skills to address the goals of the student per the plan developed by the supervising SLP.

• Provide therapy through a variety of service delivery models (e.g., individual, group, classroom-based) as directed by the supervising SLP.

• Provide services via telepractice to students, patients, and clients who are selected by the supervising SLP.

• Document student, patient, or client performance (e.g., collecting data and calculating percentages for the SLP to use; preparing charts, records, and graphs) and report this information to the supervising SLP in a timely manner.

• Share objective information (e.g., accuracy in speech and language skills addressed, participation in treatment, response to treatment) regarding student performance to students, families and other service providers without interpretation or recommendations as directed by the SLP.

• Program augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices.

• Provide training and technical assistance to students, patients, clients, and families in the use of AAC devices.

• Develop low-tech AAC materials for students, patients, and clients.

• Participate in team planning to meet the communication/education needs of students.

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Washington State Speech-Language Pathology Assistant License.

Bilingual Preferred

Working Relationships:

Communicates regularly with students, parents/guardians, and teaching staff. Required to deal with a wide

range of student behaviors; required to deal with a wide range of physical and emotional disabilities; may

occasionally deal with distraught or difficult students.

Working Conditions:

The daily work is performed in an office and setting. May be exposed to biting, spitting, and hitting behavior; may need to take precautions to avoid exposure to student bodily fluids and cleaning or disinfecting compounds; required to work in non-routine positions for extended periods.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

SKILLS are required to perform multiple tasks with a potential need to upgrade skills in order to meet

changing job conditions. Specific skills required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job include:

tutoring individual and/or groups of students; following a structured teaching and learning plan; operating

standard office equipment and maintaining accurate records.

KNOWLEDGE is required to assure proper conduct of students; maintain record keeping systems, utilize

technology equipment; perform high school level math, read a variety of manuals; present information to

others; understand complex, multi-step written and oral instructions. Specific knowledge required to

satisfactorily perform the functions of the job includes: concepts of grammar and punctuation; stages of child development and learning styles.

ABILITY is required to identify and adjust to individual student's needs; be innovative and improvise to meet

changing situations; understand and communicate effectively; understand and carry out oral and written

instructions; be flexible to accommodate changing schedules; ability to squat, bend, and walk without

limitations; schedule activities; collate data, and use basic, job-related equipment. Flexibility is required to

work with others in a variety of circumstances; operate equipment using standardized methods; work with a

wide diversity of individuals; Specific abilities required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job

include: communicating with diverse groups; maintaining confidentiality; setting priorities; and working as

part of a team.

Personal Qualities:

Must be able to work with children and adults, be punctual, dependable and accountable to task completion

requirements. Be self-initiating and self-confident, show enthusiasm and friendliness, and possess

organizational ability.

Working Environment:

The usual and customary methods of performing the job's functions require the following physical demands: occasional lifting (able to lift 50 pounds and assisting in lifting over 50 pounds), carrying, pushing, and/or pulling; some stooping, kneeling, crouching, and/or crawling; and significant fine finger dexterity. Generally the job requires 34% sitting, 33% walking, and 33% standing. The job related is performed under a generally hazard free environment and in a clean atmosphere.

Healthcare Benefits (SEBB): (All Employees who work 630 hours per school year are eligible.)

• Medical Insurance

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Life Insurance

• Long Term Disability

Additional Benefits:

• Washington State Retirement (PERS, SERS & TERS)

• Paid Leave:

• Paid Holiday

• Sick Leave

• Personal Leave

• Vacation (260-day employees only)

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Work Schedule:

7.5 hours per day/5 days a week/185 days + 11 Holidays

$35.50 an hour with 1-5 yrs experience as SLPA.

$37.00 an hour with 6-10 yrs experience as SLPA.

$38.50 an hour with 10+ yrs experience as SLPA.