DESCRIPTION

Educational and guidance duties with children referred from the Division of Mental Health Services with home and school adjustments problems. An employee in this class is responsible for establishing liaison between the community schools, homes and the Mental Health program. This includes locating behavioral and adjustment problems, as well as the needs of exceptional or handicapped children and slow learners; and recommending ways of meeting their problems and needs. Work is performed in accordance with professional standards and procedures, and under supervision of a Psychiatrist or the Director of Mental Health Services, but an employee is allowed considerable latitude in applying  acquired training and experience to assigned duties. Work is reviewed primarily through conferences  and review of reports for compliance with departmental policies, and for adherence to standards and accepted techniques and procedures of the profession

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (NOT ALL INCLUSIVE)

• Prepares course objectives and outlines for course of study following the curriculum and guidelines and requirement of the territory and school;
• Prepares materials and classroom for class activities;
• Keeps attendance records and maintain accurate and complete student records as required by law, district policies and administrative regulation;
• Completes IEP progress reports for each student;
• Maintains discipline in classroom and enforces all administration policies and rules governing students;
• Meets with parents/ guardians to discuss their children’s progress and to determine priorities and resource needs for their children;
• Adapts teaching methods and instructional materials to meet student’s varying needs and interests;
• Selects, stores, orders, issues, and inventories classroom equipment, materials and supplies;
• Attends staff meetings and serves on committees as required;
• Administers educational tests to children and adults; scores and analyzes such tests, and reports to supervisors on the results;
• Gives instruction and supervision to teachers in the area of education of the exceptional child;
• Provides special instructions for handicapped children as one method of relieving emotional stress;
• Leads discussion groups for professional and laypersons on various child guidance subjects;
• Conducts study groups for parents of exceptional children;
• Interviews clients, interprets, and reports results to the mental health team;
• Serves as educational consultant to the mental health division and to other community agencies upon request;
• Serves as consultant to the Courts and other community agencies concerned with developing methods and techniques for the prevention of juvenile delinquency;
• Performs task and assumes duties as required by the school principal or designee.

• Knowledge of the theory, principles and techniques of child psychology and psychometrics;
• Knowledge of a variety of instructional strategies;
• Knowledge of education laws, policies, rules and regulations of the United States Virgin Islands;
• Knowledge of the principles of teaching and classroom control;
• Ability to isolate behavioral and adjustment problems and to recommend methods of helping to solve the problems;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all persons contacted during the course of the work;
• Ability to plan lessons, coordinate resources, and manage time on task;
• Ability to create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning and appropriate to the maturity and interests of the students;
• Ability to cooperate and share professionally with members of the administration and other staff
• Ability to maintain confidentiality about students in accordance with state and federal laws;
• Skill in administering and scoring educational and psychological tests, analyzing the test results, and to prepare technical reports of the results.

FACTOR II: SUPERVISORY CONTROLS

• Works under the direct supervision or assignment of a Principal, Assistant Principal, or designee assigned by the principal;
• Work is controlled by routine review and reporting to or consultation of a supervisor;
• Work is reviewed through class visits, reports and achievement of objectives.

FACTOR III: GUIDELINES

• Federal safety and privacy laws, including HIPPA and Departmental policies, guidelines and procedures must be followed.

FACTOR IV: COMPLEXITY

• Work requires advanced judgment and ingenuity: Plans and performs complex work whack involves new or changing conditions; Involved in strategic planning to carry out Department policies, objectives and programs for teaching and learning. Makes decisions that involve a great deal of responsibility.

FACTOR V: SCOPE AND EFFECT

• Is responsible for the planning and implementation of instructional programs so that students achieve individual maximum potential to redound to benefit of the student and community.

FACTOR VI, VII: PERSONAL CONTACTS AND PURPOISE OF CONTACTS

• Personal contact is made with students, fellow employees, supervisors, administrators, and parents/guardians for the purpose of obtaining, clarifying, or giving facts or information to aid in accomplishing daily tasks and long term objectives for students and the Department.

FACTOR VIII: PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing duties of the job, the employee is required to:

• Stand for long periods of time with intermittent walking, standing, sitting, and bending;
• Talk and hear with normal range;
• Reach with hands and arms;
• See to read fine print;
• Lift/push/pull up to 70 pounds.