The School District of Philadelphia
Office of Human Resources
440 North Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Interpreter for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing

Salary

(10-month)      Minimum             Maximum
                        $42,992              $60,516

Summary

Under the direction of the school principal, the Interpreter for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing provides sign language interpreting for "signing" hard of hearing or deaf students who are mainstreamed into regular classes.  Using American Sign Language, and/or manually coded English, the Interpreter facilitates communication between deaf/hard of hearing students and their teachers, their hearing peers, and other personnel within the School District by relaying information to and from the deaf/hard of hearing student.

In addition, the interpreter confers and consults with regular and special education staff regarding deaf/hard of hearing students' needs and progress; reviews and studies curriculum material; participates in staff development, sensitivity awareness, and in-service training with other school staff; serves as interpreter for both deaf/hard of hearing students and their parents at special assemblies and meetings; and performs related duties as required.

Position Requirements

Examination Entrance Requirements
Each applicant must have: 

1. have completed an associate's degree program in Interpreter Education/Preparation; AND 2. have three years paid experience as an educational interpreter; In order to be considered for this position, you must provide details of such experience on your application/resume.

AND EITHER

3a. possess a valid certificate as a Sign Language Interpreter with the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. This certificate must be current.  We cannot accept provisional certificates.   OR   b.  possess a valid Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) report with a score of 3.5 (75% or better) issued under the auspices of the Educational Interpreter Training Project.   (For information regarding EIPA, contact the Eastern Instructional Support Center at 1-800-441-3215). In order to be considered for this position, you must include your certification or EIPA score on your resume.  You will be required to submit a copy of your registry of interpeters for the Deaf Certificate or EIPA Report to your email once you apply.

Hiring Requirement

All Candidates must present, at the time of hiring, A Valid Pennsylvania Criminal Record Check, a completed Pennsylvania Child Abuse Check, FBI Clearance, an approved physical.  Please refer to our website address for the link to FBI Clearance www.pa.cogentid.com

These documents are valid for one year after the date of issuance. 

Candidates failing to present these documents will not be appointed.

In the event this position is reannounced or put on continuous filing, candidates who wish to retake the examination may file a new application. However, they will not be allowed to retake the examination until at least 90 days after the date on which they took or had a review of the examination. (We will use the latest date in calculating the 90 days.)

Individuals with disabilities who require assistance in filling out the application should contact the Teacher Welcome Center.

Scope of  the Examination
Part I: Oral Examination                                                                           Weight: 50%

An oral examination is designed to measure the candidate’s knowledge of current principals, practices, and trends in the field of hearing disorders, as well as the effects of hearing handicaps on the psychological development of students, and the ability to establish effective working relationships with students, parents, teachers and associates.                                           Minimum Required score: 80.00

Part II: Written Examination                                                                      Weight: 50%

The written portion of the examination will consist of a qualifying essay that will be evaluated on the basis of content, clarity of expression and Standard English usage.                Minimum Required score:  80.00  

PART III: Sign Language Evaluation

Qualified applicants will participate in a Sign Language Skills Evaluation.  Candidates expressive and receptive skills will be evaluated.  Those candidates whose skills are evaluated as unacceptable will not be considered for this position.                                             Minimum Required score:  PASS

 

Condition of School District Employment

New employees must show proof of American Citizenship or proof of legal residence in the United States as a condition of employment with the School District Of Philadelphia.

If you are hired as a provisional employee, you must successfully complete the examination process in order to continue your employment with the district and to accrue proper seniority.

Please note that an employee's attendance, punctuality and performance are important factors to be considered in the selection procedure.  Applicants who have been subjected to disciplinary action or who have documented records of unsatisfactory work performance may not be appointed from the eligible list established as a result of this examination.

Section 8-301

Section 8-301 of the City Home Rule Charter states that:

"Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, no person shall hold more than one office or position of profit, whether elective or appointive, under the City and no such person shall hold such office or position while holding any other office or position of profit in or under the government of the United States, of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or any ex office held by virtue of another office or position."

 

Application Procedure

Qualified applicants should email a current resume and cover letter detailing the extent to which they meet the above criteria, you must include your certification or EIPA score on your resume.  You will be required to submit a copy of your registry of interpeters for the Deaf Certificate or EIPA Report to:

Office of Talent Acquisition — Girna Mendez-Adkins gmendezadkins@philasd.org

* If you are invited in for an interview, be prepared to submit the application included below you with a copy of your Registry of Interpeters for the Deaf Certificate or EIPA Report to your application. Please review and download application.

Application Deadline

Continuous