SCHOOL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTThe Shirley Aninias School | New York, NY | Full-Time, 12-Month | $80,000–$95,000ABOUT THE ROLEThe Shirley Aninias School (SAS) is a private, 12-month, behavior-based elementary program serving neurodiverse students ages 4–13. We're seeking a dedicated School Occupational Therapist (OT) to join our multidisciplinary team. The OT helps students develop the fine motor, sensory, and adaptive skills they need to access their education and participate fully in the school day, through direct therapy, staff collaboration, classroom accommodations, and student support planning.RESPONSIBILITIESAssessment & Planning
- Conduct comprehensive OT evaluations of students' motor, sensory, self-care, and environmental needs
- Collaborate with IEP teams to develop, review, and revise OT goals and objectives
- Develop individualized treatment plans that support success across academic and functional settings
Therapeutic Interventions
- Provide direct OT services in individual or small-group settings per student IEPs
- Design interventions for fine motor coordination, visual-motor integration, sensory processing, and daily living skills
- Recommend adaptive strategies, modifications, and tools that support engagement and independence
Data Collection & Reporting
- Maintain accurate, timely documentation of assessments, interventions, and progress monitoring
- Track and report student progress to the IEP team, staff, and families
- Conduct periodic re-evaluations to adjust therapy plans and support ongoing IEP development
Collaboration & Communication
- Integrate OT goals into daily routines with teachers, staff, and related service providers
- Participate in IEP and multidisciplinary team meetings
- Communicate with families on progress, goals, and home practice
- Train and consult staff on sensory tools, motor strategies, and adaptive techniques
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Physically support students with motor needs (kneeling, bending, floor-level work)
- Engage in active play, transitions, and movement-based classroom tasks
- Lift and manage therapy equipment/adaptive materials (up to 35 lbs)
- Maintain visual/auditory supervision and travel between classrooms and therapy spaces
- Current First Aid/CPR certification, or willingness to obtain
QUALIFICATIONSRequired
- Master's degree or higher in Occupational Therapy
- Current NYS OT license in good standing
- Minimum of two years of experience in a school or clinical setting
- Strong organizational, documentation, communication, and interpersonal skills
Desired
- Experience working with neurodiverse student populations
- Flexible, compassionate, and committed to student-centered, inclusive practices
- Engaged in ongoing professional development and current with best practices in school-based OT
WHAT WE OFFER$80,000–$95,000 commensurate with experience, plus matching 401(k), health/dental/vision, long-term disability, commuter benefits, generous leave, and ongoing training.The Shirley Aninias School is an equal opportunity employer.
MISSION
Our mission is to partner with families and our community to capitalize on the strengths of our neurodiverse students. We do this through an individualized teaching model to ensure academic, language, behavioral, and social-emotional success.
We celebrate variations of how they think, learn, and process information. Every student’s learning style is respected to foster self-confidence, resilience and autonomy. We have created a school community experience that works effectively for all.
We celebrate our students for who they are by:
- Embracing their uniqueness, talents, and passions
- Bridging the gap of all neurotypes
- Teaching self-advocacy skills and encouraging autonomy
- Committing to their success in a welcoming community that embraces diversity and inclusion
Philosophy
The Shirley Aninias School is a developmentally oriented program committed to our unique learners. Our Whole Child Approach prioritizes the full scope of a child’s developmental needs (cognitive, social-emotional, behavioral, fine, gross motor, and health development) to ensure that every child reaches their full potential.
We emphasize social, language, and behaviorally rich learning experiences in and out of school for each child. We value relationship-centered learning environments in the areas of academics, social, emotional, speech-language, for deeper learning that provides an integrated student support to ensure progress.