Join Our Team
As an independent special needs school, Otto Specht serves a diverse community of students who bring their unique strengths, questions, and curiosities to every experience. Here, education is not confined to the classroom—it’s an immersive, hands-on journey rooted in Waldorf principles and brought to life through the arts, outdoor education, and experiential learning.
Our faculty and staff work collaboratively to foster meaningful relationships and create a warm, therapeutic learning environment that helps each student grow in confidence and independence. If you’re drawn to purposeful work, inspired by holistic education, and thrive in a collaborative and dynamic setting, we invite you to explore opportunities to join our team.
Equal Opportunity Employment
The Otto Specht School is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team furthering our mission to create a learning community in which all students belong, shine, learn, and thrive - and our staff does too. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds.
It is the policy of The Otto Specht School to provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement to qualified individuals with regard to all terms and conditions of employment. Otto Specht School complies with all applicable local, state, and federal laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, disability, veteran status, age, or any other status protected by law. In the event that protections are removed from local, state, or federal laws, the Otto Specht School will continue to respect and protect the rights of these individuals in alignment with our values and mission.
Current Job Openings
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The Otto Specht School is a small, community based Waldorf kindergarten, elementary, and high school located in Chestnut Ridge, New York. We serve a very diverse population of students with learning challenges, sensory dysregulation, and/or developmental delays. Our students engage in experiential learning, in and beyond the classroom. Our campus includes a biodynamic farm with dairy cows, horses, and more, and our programming includes many movement based activities, practical and fine arts, vocational and life skills. We work with the Waldorf curriculum using many adaptive methods to facilitate meaningful learning for each student.
Our paraprofessional staff works with the individual needs of each student to help them access all of our campus resources and the content of our curriculum. They also provide support with sensory regulation and ensure the safety of the student for which they are responsible.
Specific duties may include:
Walking student safely throughout campus
Collaboratively creating and implementing social-emotional and executive functioning goals
Monitoring student’s health
Monitoring student’s sensory load
Assisting in academic tasks
Assisting in physical tasks and projects
Assisting in activities of daily living
Helping engage student in classes
Qualifications:
Experience working with special needs students
Familiarity with relevant developmental disorders and learning disabilities including but not limited to Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pathological Demand Avoidance Disorder, ADHD, etc.
Communication skills
Open to colleagueship and the development of strong, collaborative professional relationships
Willingness to learn about the Waldorf curriculum and Waldorf methods.
This position is ideal for individuals who are interested in becoming Waldorf teachers and/or entering the field of Special Education. The right candidate will be caring, insightful, and a team player who takes interest in understanding each child and working with the team of teachers and therapists to support their growth and development.
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The Otto Specht School is a small, community based Waldorf elementary and high school located in Chestnut Ridge, New York. We serve a very diverse population of students with learning challenges, sensory dysregulation, and/or developmental delays. Our students engage in experiential learning, in and beyond the classroom. Our campus includes a biodynamic farm with dairy cows, horses, and more, and our programming includes many movement based activities, practical and fine arts, vocational and life skills. We work with the Waldorf curriculum using many adaptive methods to facilitate meaningful learning for each student.
POSITION: Speech Language Pathologist
REPORTS TO: Director and Pedagogical Administrator
Provide quality school-based speech and language / communication therapy services, which includes but is not limited to assessment/evaluation, intervention/treatment, Student Learning Plan/ IEP planning, implementation and district meetings, related documentation, and communication between teachers, one on one staff, related service providers, and families. 3 - 4 days/week working with students in the classroom, individually, and in related programming. Candidates must be willing to work within a team based therapeutic-educational approach.
QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate will have the following:
● Successful completion of master's degree or higher from a university accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). and completion all fieldwork requirements.
● NY State licensure in Speech and Language Pathology
● 1-2 years of experience as a SLP in school settings or other pediatric setting.
● Current TSSH/TSSLD certification.
● Demonstrate an advanced understanding of strategies for students with autism, developmental delays, specific learning disabilities, and behavior disorders. FEEDING THERAPY A PLUS!
● Be a strong classroom support.
● Demonstrate strong skills in partnering with faculty
● Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse group of colleagues, parents, families, and community members.
● Be committed to meeting the needs of a diverse student population.
● Be committed to their own learning.
● Have excellent time-management skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently.
● Adhere to a high level of professional and ethical standards.
RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
● Maintaining knowledge of Speech and Language Pathology and communication therapy theories, models of practice, principles, and evidence based practice
● Ability to articulate the role of the SLP in the evaluation, intervention planning, and intervention process.
● Ability to recognize performance deficits in the areas of student linguistic abilities, interactive skills, processing skills, play, community integration, and pragmatic communication
● Skill in gathering screening and evaluation data
● Effective oral and written communication
● Ability to maintain safe environments, equipment, and materials
● Ability to prepare and maintain accurate records and progress notes
● Willingness to be educated and trained for specific program implementation
● Initiative, strong work ethic, and the ability to positively interact and collaborate in a team environment
● Complete thorough evaluation in all areas of communication.
● Educate and demonstrate (verbally or written) therapy techniques to faculty, staff, and parents that can be incorporated at school and in the home
● Develop and implement Student Learning Plan /IEP to meet the individual needs of the child.
● Attend staff meetings, in-service training, and continuing education courses as appropriate or required.
● Attend training in foundations of Waldorf Education
● Assess and make recommendations regarding the use of adaptive equipment or technology as needed and provide written justification.
● Responsible for timely documentation of evaluation results, progress reports, discharge reports, daily notes, service tracker notes.
● Maintain professional clinical competency by attending certified CEU
in-services and workshops.
● Other duties as assigned.
Salary
Salary or hourly rate commensurate with experience.
How To Apply
Please email a cover letter including references and resume to ccrane@ottospecht.org