Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)

The Exeter School District is seeking a dedicated and collaborative Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) to join the special education team at Main Street School, in Exeter, serving students in grades K2. The COTA will work under the supervision of a licensed Occupational Therapist to provide occupational therapy services and support students' participation and success within the school environment. The successful candidate will be comfortable working with young children and will bring a positive, flexible, and student-centered approach to supporting students with a variety of developmental, sensory, fine motor, visual-motor, self-regulation, and functional needs. The COTA will collaborate closely with occupational therapists, special educators, classroom teachers, related service providers, paraeducators, administrators, and families to help students access and participate meaningfully in their educational programs. Position under the supervision of Main Street School Principal and the Director and Assistant Director of Special Education. This individual will provide OT services based on the recommendations of a certified occupational therapist. Successful candidates must hold certification as an occupational therapy assistant. The individual should understand the special education process, possess strong writing and grammar skills, and be able to use word processing. Essential Job Functions Works with students individually or in small groups to provide direct instruction and conduct progress monitoring. Assists with record-keeping procedures to document students' abilities. Produces accurate progress reports based on clear data. Collaborates with related services staff and carries out services as ordered. Follows all applicable safety rules, procedures, and regulations governing the proper manner of working with students in an evaluation situation. Note: The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all inclusive of every task or responsibility. Equipment Use standard office equipment, such as personal computers, copiers, and AAC devices. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written or oral form. Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, and perform arithmetic operations as needed to complete duties Ability to understand, apply, and use personal computers and software applications (e.g., Word, Excel). Ability to work with a diverse group of staff and students. Ability to maintain confidentiality of information regarding students, employees, and others. Ability to establish a rapport with students in order to provide instruction and progress monitoring Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with students, staff, and others contacted in the course of work. Ability to report work orally or in writing to supervisor and IEP team members Effective writing and verbal communication skills. Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards Works in standard office and school building environments. Ability to observe student behavior/responses for the purpose of conducting academic evaluations and student observations. General writing abilities to create clear, concise, and grammatically correct reports Ability to use word processing to create assessment reports Ability to attend team meetings to verbally present results of evaluations.