About AppleTree

AppleTrees mission is to close the achievement gap before students get to kindergarten. To accomplish this mission, we focus exclusively on Preschool and Pre-K education. We provide free, full-day public charter school programming for three- and four-year olds in 12 locations across Washington, DC, employing our innovative and award winning instructional model, calledEvery Child Ready (ECR){target="_blank"}. This instructional model provides educators with tools and resources for What to Teach, How to Teach and How to Measure Success. Our instructional model is also used with partners across the nation. We continuously test and improve this model through feedback from AppleTree educators, partners and other stakeholders to ensure that children are learning and exploring through play and appropriate instruction.

Position Summary

The Speech-Language Pathologist supports teachers, administrators, and staff in ensuring that AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School (AELPCS) provides optimal support to all children, especially those who need extra support in speech and language development. The School Speech-Language Pathologist brings to the educational process an in-depth knowledge of the nature of speech, language, hearing, and communication disorders and differences and swallowing disorders, including the etiologies, characteristics, anatomical/physiological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates, in order to provide effective research-based interventions to children and to help regular education teachers and families integrate these strategies into their daily interactions with children.

The Speech-Language Pathologist possesses knowledge of the principles and methods of prevention, assessment, and intervention for children with communication and swallowing disorders, including consideration of anatomical/physiological, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates of the disorders.

Specific knowledge is evident in the areas of: articulation; fluency; voice and resonance, including respiration and phonation; receptive and expressive language (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics); hearing, including the impact on speech and language; swallowing (oral, pharyngeal, esophageal, and related functions, including oral function for feeding; orofacial myofunction); cognitive aspects of communication (attention, memory, sequencing, problem-solving, executive functioning); social aspects of communication (including challenging behavior, ineffective social skills, lack of communication opportunities); communication modalities (including oral, manual, augmentative, and alternative communication techniques and assistive technologies)

What youll do

Support Achievement for All Students

• Maximize student achievement, especially those identified for special education and those at-risk of being identified for special education, by implementing a response to intervention instructional model.
• Use information and data from a variety of sources to understand childrens instructional needs and to improve teaching and learning for young children.
• Develop an understanding of the schools mission, culture, response to intervention instructional model and behavior management plan.
• Provide specialized consultation to instructional staff to support language instruction.
• Participate in school processes designed to help children in need of extra support, including the Student Support Team and the Multidisciplinary Team.
• Demonstrate the ability to integrate information pertaining to normal and abnormal development including basic communication processes and the impact of cultural and linguistic diversity on communication.
• Identify and refer clients for services as appropriate.
• Participate in all professional development for instructional s aff.

Acts as a Resource for Families and the AELPCS Community

• Provide professional development on areas of expertise to school personnel.
• Establish cooperative partnerships with parents.
• Communicate effectively, recognizing the needs, values, preferred mode of communication, and cultural/linguistic background of the child, family, caregivers, and relevant others.
• Collaborate with other professionals in case management, including the School Principal, the Special Education Manager and the Special Education coordinators..
• Demonstrate comprehension of the principles of basic and applied research and research design in order to access sources of research information and ensure the ongoing integration of research principles into evidence-based clinical practice.
• Manage the Tier 2 screening process for articulation through professional development, data review, and consultation with Principals and teachers.

Provides Direct Services to Children

Work with children on a one-to-one basis, in small groups and/or directly in a classroom, to overcome difficulties involved with specific disorders.

Write and implement IEP goals.

Complete all necessary areas of IEP as pertains to Speech.

Maintain accurate special education records and monitor the documentation of special education services provided as required by laws, AELPCS policies, and administrative regulations.

Demonstrate the ability to integrate information about prevention, assessment, and intervention over the range of differences and disorders.

Maintain awareness of campus special education services and IEP meetings, including adherence to required timelines.

Assist with the development of AELPCS special education program, as needed or required, for the purpose of ensuring program consistency and compliance with state and federal rules in all locations.