WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

JOB TITLE: Educational Sign Language

LOCATION: Various Schools within the Division

        Interpreter

JOB CATEGORY: Professional

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: 

Director of Special Services

FLSA: Exempt

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

High school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and completion of an educational interpreter preparation program or equivalent experience to two years in an educational setting required. Must hold and maintain one or more of the following certifications: Virginia Quality Assurance Screening (VQAS) Level III, Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (IEPA) 3.5, National Interpreter Certification (NIC), or Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Certification. Bachelor’s degree in Sign Language Interpreting or related college course work preferred. Cued speech transliteration experience preferred or any combination of experience and training that would provide the following knowledge, abilities, and skills:

• Ability to interpret/transliterate (expressive and voice) at a normal conversational rate in the mode required may include American Sign Language, Pidgin Sign English, Signing Exact English, or cued speech transliteration.
• Ability to establish and maintain appropriate interpersonal relationships, including those with teachers, students, supervisors, parents, fellow educational sign language interpreters, and others with whom there is work-related contact.
• Ability to be sensitive to needs of students, including the student’s need for independence.
• Ability to maintain rapport with people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Possess understanding or aptitude for understanding content in major curriculum areas.
• Proficiency in English, i.e., vocabulary, spelling, grammar, reading, writing, and literature.
• Awareness of salient features of the humanities, the sciences, and the arts, with attention to human development and language development.
• Awareness of vernacular expressions (English or sign) in vogue among students in the setting.
• Ability to incorporate the values and ethics appropriate to interpreting for children and adults in both educational and community settings.

STATE REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS:

Personnel providing educational sign language interpreting services for children using sign language shall have a valid VQAS Level III, or a passing score on the EIPA Written Test along with a minimum of Level 3.5 on the EIPA Performance Test, RID, NIC, or any other state qualification or national certification (excluding Certificate of Deaf Interpretation) recognized by the Virginia Department of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing as equivalent to or exceeding the VQAS Level III.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Specific hearing abilities required by this job include the ability to hear the spoken word at a normal volume and at 20 feet with back turned.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

BASIC FUNCTION/NATURE OF WORK:

The educational sign language interpreter facilitates communication in the school setting for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The educational sign language interpreter provides interpreting and other support services to students who are deaf or hard of hearing mainstreamed in the School Division. The educational sign language interpreter’s primary function is to facilitate communication among students who are deaf or hard of hearing and their hearing peers, the classroom teacher, and other personnel in the school. This work is performed under the general supervision of the Office of Special Education and the site-based school administration.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work collaboratively with all stakeholders in Providing a World-Class Education.
• Participate in educational team meetings as a related service provider, including the development and review of progress on the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) regarding communication.
• Provide interpreting services in order for students to access the curriculum in their classes in accordance with their IEP. During the school day, the interpreter accurately conveys all auditory, verbal, and environmental information to the students who are deaf or hard of hearing, including instructions, discussions, questions and answers, interruptions, and messages on public systems, movies, slides, student presentations, and other audio-visual presentations. The interpreter will voice-to-sign and sign-to-voice interpret/translate for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• May be required to provide cued speech transliteration in accordance with the student’s IEP.
• Interpret other activities during the school day to include assemblies, performances, announcements, field trips, and school-based meetings.
• May be asked to interpret other assignments outside the school day such as tutoring, club meetings, disciplinary actions, bus situations, sports, back-to-school nights, parent teacher meetings, summer school, field trips, etc.
• Provide information and support regarding communication to parents and families of students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and to staff, when appropriate.
• May be requested to interpret for students who are deaf or hard of hearing attending Warren County Public Schools (WCPS) parent conferences, back-to-school nights, and other related events.
• Prepare for interpreting assignments to ensure accurate information of the material presented.
• Provide in-service education and serve as a resource to teachers, school staff members, and administration on topics concerning sign language interpreting/translating and promote cultural understanding in the educational setting.
• Prepare written materials for the purpose of documenting activities, providing written reference, and/or conveying information.
• Mentor newly hired interpreters and students from Interpreter Training Programs.
• Follow EIPA Guidelines of Professional Conduct for Educational Interpreters.
• Serve as a role model and encourage self-advocacy and independence for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Follow the direction of the school administrator and adhere to all rules and procedures therein, including the school dress code.
• Follow the Standards of Professional Conduct for all Employees as established by WCPS.
• Participate as part of a school-based team to ensure all students receive appropriate educational services.
• Maintain professional growth and certification through participation in continuing education activities, as appropriate.
• Maintain regular attendance as an essential function of the position to provide continuity of service.
• Complete other duties as assigned.