Occupational Therapist

Empowerment Academy Charter School is hiring an Occupational Therapist to work at our Elementary School this year (covering a Maternity Leave). But, this could pivot into a full-time role NEXT year being an OT at our Middle School and High School as well!!! This is a full-time position from 7:45-4:15 Monday-Friday. Ideally, the candidate can begin in March.

Base Salary SY25/26: $69,000-89,000

Competitive Raises  year to year, many BONUS and Stipend opportunities.

Position Type: 10-month Employee (with some stipend summer work) 

OUR SCHOOL

Empowerment Academy is a dynamic and successful charter school that truly supports its teachers and staff. Empowerment has three of its own campuses (Elementary, Middle, High School), and BelovED is our “sister school.” We serve a mix of students that are among the most diverse in America while enjoying the cultural vibrance of Jersey City, Hoboken and New York City. Our staff is a dedicated group of individuals passionate about closing the achievement gap and providing a quality educational program. 

Requirements

Qualifications: 

• Possession of a NJDOE certificate and NJ License as an Occupational Therapist
• Willingness to travel between schools
• Effective written and verbal communication
• Knowledge of IEPs and 504 Accommodations Plan

Key Responsibilities:

• Conducting evaluations
• Planning and implementing IEP goals and objectives
• Recommending assistive devices for students who require alternate means to accomplish educationally related tasks
• Providing adaptive positioning and seating strategies
• Providing strategies to facilitate a student’s participation in an activity
• Working effectively with students, parents, paraprofessionals, and school staff

In addition, our Occupational Therapists will be expected to work effectively with:

• Students to improve their performance in the school environment
• Parents to help them support their child’s learning and participation in school
• Paraprofessionals to support and uphold safety within the school environment
• School staff to provide proper training with transfers and adaptive equipment

The Occupational Therapist will be responsible for providing OT services mandated in scholar IEPs, conducting evaluations and/or screenings related to scholar needs for OT services, and implementing or coordinating the implementation of OT strategies aimed at reducing barriers to scholars’ successful participation in the school environment, including but not limited to:

• Sitting within the classroom
• Participation on the playground
• Use of classroom materials
• Bathroom skills
• Self-feeding, managing food setup and utensils
• Behavior
• Sensory integration and processing
• Dressing and undressing
• Managing adaptive equipment
• Negotiating the school environment
• Fine motor skills
• Social participation
• Play

Benefits

Charter schools ARE public schools. Our teachers are part of the New Jersey Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF), same as teachers at traditional public schools, and can transfer their pension credits from a traditional public school to our school and vice versa. Additional benefits include:

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Training & Development

As an equal opportunity employer, Empowerment Academy hires without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability.

INDCRITICAL