The Art Therapist provides regular art therapy experiences to all students.
As a key member of the multidisciplinary team, the Art Therapist provides direct art counseling services to students as directed by an individualized student program.
Job Objective/Purpose:
- Provide high-quality art therapy experiences to all students.
- Provide high-quality mental health therapy services to students based on their IEP.
- Serve on the TCS Related Services team and the Individual Education Plan (IEP) team for all assigned students, implementing and overseeing all aspects of the student’s affirmed IEP.
- The Art Therapist represents expertise in art therapy, expressive/process-oriented therapy, social-emotional development, coping & social skills development, mental and emotional disorders, relationship dynamics, trauma-informed therapy, ethical considerations for treatment, family systems/dynamics, and related domains.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
Design, implement, and manage an exemplary art therapy program for the students of TCS.
- Teach/support students learning necessary coping, social-emotional, and communication skills appropriate to their age and ability level that will provide a solid foundation for an active, positive, healthy, and independent adulthood.
- Teach and promote the development of healthy relationships, adaptive behavior, and social-emotional skills to all students. Develop individualized mental health therapy goals for each student as part of their IEP, as needed.
- Work with parents, family members, other care providers, and the home support staff to promote healthy relationships and social-emotional goals outside of school.
Assess, write, and implement Individual Education Plans (IEP) and triennial assessments:
- Write, develop, edit, and implement IEPs; complete and edit Progress Reports; develop and/or complete assessments and other documents as assigned within the time frames as assigned.
- Coordinate with the Principal, Teachers, Program Specialist, and Related Service providers to ensure all parts to IEP documents are complete, aligned, and included.
- Follow IEP recommendations, Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP), sensory integration plans, communication plans, and other individual student plans consistently and with fidelity and oversee that Teaching Assistants do the same.
- Fulfill all required direct therapy sessions and consultation hours per the student’s IEP within the required time frames or provide makeup services within 30 days of the original service date.
- Ensure files, documents,, and paperwork are updated as needed, confidential, and comply with all regulations set forth by the CDE.
Support the social-emotional development, health, and well-being of students at all times:
- Utilize developmentally based, research-supported techniques and therapies such as The Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-based (DIR®/Floortime™) Model and Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBI).
- Support students using least restrictive prompts and scaffolds so as to maximize independent skill development.
- Continually work to build a positive relationship and rapport with each assigned student by engaging in child-led activities with the student, pairing with student-preference activities and items, and striving to establish a developmentally appropriate relationship where meaningful back-and-forth social interaction may occur.
- Restrictive practices such as restraint, seclusion, escape extinction, and planned punishment should be used only as a last resort or as part of an IEP team-approved, data-driven, and supervised intervention.
Participate in a multi-disciplinary team:
- Actively participate in school-level planning, meetings/committees and other school system groups.
- Work with administration, teachers, and classroom staff to facilitate a school program that allows students to meet IEP goals, developmental milestones, and personal fulfillment.
- On a multi-disciplinary team, represent expertise in art therapy, expressive/process oriented therapy, social-emotional development, coping & social skills development, mental and emotional disorders, relationship dynamics, trauma informed therapy, ethical considerations for treatment, family systems/dynamics and related domains.
- Communicate effectively and respectfully with all parents, care providers, students, other staff members, administrative staff, the board of Directors, district officials, and community members.
- When needed, present problems, issues or concerns to the Principal, Executive Director or colleagues in a respectful, proactive, and solutions-focused manner. Receive feedback and concerns in an equally respectful, proactive, and solutions-focused manner.
Act as a leader on campus and support the overall mission and philosophy of TCS:
- Be active in maintaining the efficacy and integrity of the organization within the goals/philosophy of the organization; strive to maintain the philosophy, and mission of the program to the highest capacity.
Manage all aspects of the art therapy program including: budget, materials, equipment, and shared use of therapy spaces:
- Manage an annual budget and comply with all budget reporting requirements.
- Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and effective therapy space and school environment; regularly collaborate with other staff members to create and maintain this.
- Manage time and resources effectively and appropriately.
Cooperate with all employee protocols and school policies:
- Maintain the confidentiality of all students and families at all times.
- Work with the Principal, Executive Director, Teachers and Related Services to ensure the school program/classroom is adhering to all laws, regulations, and standards set forth by the California Department of Education.
Qualifications:
License/Credential/Certification
- Registered Art Therapist (ATR or ATR-BC
Education:
- Masters or PhD in Art Therapy or other related degree
Experience:
- 3 years experience working with those on the autism spectrum and/or working with students who are moderately to severely affected by a developmental disability in a professional setting
- 1 year experience collaborating with other professionals on a student’s IEP team
- 1 year experience completing and presenting lesson plans, formal and informal assessments, progress reports, and IEPs for students with special needs
Skills and Competencies:
Knowledge
- Extensive understanding of typical and atypical development of children, a variety of behavioral strategies/theories, how to work with those with severe sensory and communicative challenges, and the unique and individual learning styles of those with developmental disabilities.
Skills, and Abilities:
- Proficient in Google Suite. Working knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
- People Management Skills including managing employees and teams’ performance and providing feedback, delegation, and direction.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Flexibility and creativity to adapt and/or modify activities/curriculum to engage and teach each individual despite challenges.
- Be open to learning about and implementing new approaches used with children who have special needs through training, coaching sessions and conferences; be able to transfer new learning into practice.
- Experienced in collecting quantitative and qualitative data, describing progress in measurable terms, have the ability to review and analyze data, and make program adjustments based on available data.
- Have strong problem-solving skills with a solutions-focused approach to any issues as they arise with students, staff, parents, community members, etc.
- Have good judgment, tact, and ability to maintain the highest level of professionalism as a leader, a model to other staff members, and a representative of the organization.
- Have exemplary organizational skills, efficiency, and initiative in completing tasks within the timeframe as assigned while maintaining a high quality of work.
- Ability to exercise leadership and collaborative skills effectively by taking ownership of responsibilities, maintaining positive rapport with others, guiding or learning from others.
Additional:
- Maintain a calm and professional demeanor when dealing with difficult or emotional situations.
- Be self-reflective and objective for the ultimate benefit of the students and school program, and give and take feedback in a positive and supportive way.
- Must consistently demonstrate the ability to be a self-initiator, creative and flexible to meet the needs of the organization and the individual learning styles of the child.
Physical Requirements:
If applicable, working and playing with students at The Creekside School requires considerable strength and physical movement.
Employees must be able to perform the following physical movement functions as needed:
Regularly
- Sitting - Resting position in which the body weight is supported primarily by the buttocks in contact with the ground or a horizontal object such as a chair seat.
- EXERT- up to 20 lbs. of force to move objects, equipment, and to work/play with students.
- MOTOR SKILLS - Picking, pinching, or otherwise working primarily with fingers as in handling, typing, or writing.
Frequently
- STANDING - Remaining upright on the feet, particularly for sustained periods of time.
- WALKING/RUNNING - Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances for community outings or moving from one classroom/office to another. Running is required for potential emergency situations.
- REACHING - extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
- EXERT - up to 40 lbs. of force to move objects, equipment, and to work/play with students.
- HANDLING - Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with hand or hands.
Occasionally
- LIFTING - Up to 25 pounds. Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position to-position.
- EXERT - up to 80 lbs. of force to move objects, equipment, and to work/play with students.
- CLIMBING - Ascending or descending stairs, ramps, or hills using feet and legs
- BALANCING - Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling
- STOOPING - Bending body downward and forward.
- KNEELING - Bending legs at knees to come to rest on knee or knees.
- CROUCHING - Bending body downward and for-ward by bending legs and spine.
- CRAWLING - Moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet.
- PUSHING - Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
- PULLING - Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
Important: A Creekside School student may exhibit behaviors such as aggression (e.g. biting, kicking, hitting), property destruction, self-injurious behavior, screaming, etc.Due to the potential safety risk for staff and students associated with working with those who may engage in behaviors of concern, all staff are required to be certified by Safety-Care by QBS to handle potentially dangerous situations and work to prevent crisis situations and/or hazards associated with those who engage in behaviors that pose a safety risk. Staff will not be allowed to perform any type of physical management unless they have received the initial Safety-Care training/certification through The Creekside School.
In the event that a student requires physical management because he/she poses a serious, imminent safety risk to him/herself and/or others, Safety-Care will be used as a last resort. This involves using safe, non-harmful control and restraint positions to safely control an individual until he/she can regain control of his/her behavior.
Terms of Employment
Employment at The Creekside School is based on mutual consent, and both the employee and The Creekside School have the right to terminate employment “at-will”, with or without cause or advance notice.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $35.00 - $42.00 per hour
Expected hours: 40 per week
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
- No nights
- No weekends
Ability to Relocate:
- San Jose, CA 95123: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person