Development Therapist - Pediatrics

Friendship Community Care; Bryant (AR); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Friendship Community Care in Bryant, AR seeks an Early Intervention professional to provide instruction, observe and evaluate a child’s performance, and create individualized care plans with an interdisciplinary team.

The role includes completing comprehensive developmental evaluations, developing ITP/IFSP plans, and collaborating with families and therapists to support optimal child outcomes and kindergarten readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (BA) in Early Childhood Special Education or ALP in ECSPED, or 4‑year degree in related areas with experience with children and families.
• Specific knowledge of developmental disabilities and ECE classroom experience required.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business materials.
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts; basic algebra and geometry.
• Ability to solve practical problems and interpret a variety of instructions.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrates mastery of each child’s curriculum outcomes and communicates them to staff and families.
• Contributes to ongoing curriculum development to achieve care outcomes and readiness indicators.
• Maintain a classroom climate conducive to learning and engagement.
• Plan learning activities that address diverse needs and skills for participation.
• Develop collaborative relationships with children, colleagues, and administration.

Skills

Language skills

Mathematical skills

Reasoning ability

Reading comprehension

Education

Bachelor’s degree in EC education or related field

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: FPS Bryant - Bryant, AR 72089

Position Type: Full Time

Job Shift: Day

Job Category: Pediatrics

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Pay: TBD

Education Level: Bachelor's Degree; see Education/Experience below.

Summary

To provide instruction, observe and evaluate a child’s performance while creating a classroom environment or natural environment that encourages learning and builds positive relationships with the children, families, and staff. To complete comprehensive developmental evaluations, create individual plans of care and ensure their implementation by an interdisciplinary team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Demonstrates a mastery level of each child’s curriculum outcomes and is able to articulate these to teacher assistants and families.
• Actively contributes to the continuing development of improved curriculum to achieve plan of care outcomes, child growth and development and kindergarten readiness indicators.
• Maintain a classroom climate conducive to learning and active engagement in activities.
• Continuously plan learning activities that recognize the different needs, abilities, and skills necessary for effective participation of children.
• Continually develop a cooperative, energetic, flexible, and creative working relationship with children, colleagues, and administration.
• Provide for appropriate child participation in developing and achieving classroom mastery level concepts.
• Provide continuous monitoring and recording of child mastery level concepts commensurate with the child’s plan of care.
• Prepare and complete all plans of care for each child on caseload. Actively participate in conferences to include Enrollment, Annual Review, and Dismissal.
• Responsible for implementation of Individual Treatment Plan (ITP) and/or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). Sets up, implements, and monitors Behavior Management Systems, and individualized behavior intervention plans as needed.
• Report child progress to parents accurately and professionally.
• Collaborate with therapists, nursing staff, and parents to create ITP/IFSP.
• Work collaboratively with therapists in classroom setting to ensure best outcomes for children.
• Conduct face‑to‑face interdisciplinary enrollment conference including families for all DD children and annually thereafter, more frequently if needed. When requested, responsible for referrals and eligibility evaluations after referral. Presents and interprets evaluations to parents at conferences. Conducts evaluations once qualified.
• Conduct developmental screenings as scheduled or requested.
• Facilitate smooth transition to public school by scheduling conferences with the families and appropriate school districts in the spring of each year. Will contact the school district, set up appointment times, and complete all required paperwork.
• Review and approve day habilitation notes in Credible for accuracy each day.
• Demonstrate the ability to disaggregate test data and determine areas to provide instruction for each child on caseload.
• Other duties as assigned.

Classroom Duties and Responsibilities

• Demonstrate effective use and proper care of materials and supplies.
• Responsible for developing and posting lesson plans using approved curriculum and written clearly enabling substitutes to follow in teacher’s absence.
• Creates/gathers curriculum materials one week in advance and actively teaches skill lessons in groups and/or individually based on plan of care.
• Directly supervises, engages with, and teaches all children in classrooms throughout the day.
• Responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing classroom schedules.
• Creates and maintains an environment based on ITERS/ECERS standards, sustaining a rating of 4 or higher in DD classrooms and a 5 in ABC/ABCSS classrooms.
• Uses positive behavior guidance and classroom management techniques according to DHS/DDS regulations and FCC guidelines.
• Assures Quality Standards of Care for Early Childhood programs are met.
• Assures room ready for children’s arrival each morning by preparing the day’s activities and gathering needed supplies.
• Ensure classrooms are always in ratio. Communicate effectively with program administrator and teacher assistants to ensure compliance.
• Plan and organize parent/family involvement events.
• Creates and maintains regular communications with parents including monthly calendars, daily notes, newsletters, etc.
• Reports on children’s record updates to office staff, as needed.
• Responsible for the timely completion of required documentation.
• Follows FCC Policy/Procedures manual and minimum licensing requirements for childcare centers.
• Works safely by following OSHA/Infection Control guidelines.
• Will assist with nursing duties like medication administration and medical procedures after being trained.
• Identity assigned teacher assistants strengths and weaknesses, coaching staff to improve performance when necessary.
• Will conduct annual evaluations of assigned teacher assistants.
• Demonstrate and model continuous professional growth and apply learning to classroom activities.
• Perform duties as needed when assigned as back‑up Lead Teacher.
• Report any abuse/neglect signs to the appropriate person as soon as possible after discovery. Conduct regular staff meetings for no less than 30 minutes to review children’s goals & objectives, review FCC procedures, as well as provide staff development for classroom planning purposes.
• Completes weekly productivity report.
• Other duties as assigned.

First Connections / Early Intervention Responsibilities

• Respond to all FC referrals in a timely manner.
• Cooperate with service coordinator in such a manner that encourages participation.
• Participate in Part C due process requirements.
• Enter data in FC Stands as required.
• Complete and maintain FC Core Competency training.

Professional Development Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist/attend in‑house staff meetings, training, workshops, conferences, parent functions and extracurricular activities which may require out‑of‑town or overnight travel.
• Participate in weekly, monthly, and annual staff meetings as arranged by Program Administrator. Develop and conduct monthly staff training as needed.
• Attend all training activities as required by Administration, licensing units, and/or Staff Trainer.
• Takes responsibility to obtain required professional development hours yearly to maintain compliance.
• This is a safety‑sensitive position.

Qualifications

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (BA) in Early Childhood Special Education or ALP in ECSPED, or 4‑year degree in related areas with experience in working with children and families or meeting the minimum requirements for Developmental Therapist as set forth by First Connections standards.
• Specific knowledge of the field of developmental disabilities and previous experience ECE (Early Care and Education) classroom experience required.

Language Skills

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or government relations.
• Ability to draft reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of Program Administrators, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills

• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.
• Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Physical Demands

The employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.