Behavior Specialist

TITLE:                          Behavior Specialist 

QUALIFICATIONS - Required:

• Masters Degree with a major in psychology or a related field. 
• Successful experience with Applied Behavior Analysis. 
• Valid Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) professional certificate, or National School Psychologist Certificate.
• Experience working with teachers, students and parents. 
• Minimum experience of 3 years with proven success as a behavior specialist preferred. 
• Knowledge of laws and regulations governing special education. 
• Demonstrated ability to assess children’s behavioral needs and competence in the design of appropriate instructional strategies and educational programs.
• Preferred teaching experience in an elementary/Middle School setting in which the teaching of “at risk” and/or “behaviorally challenged” students was an important responsibility for the position.  
• Expert knowledge of function-based intervention planning for developing behavior change strategies that focuses on reducing problem behavior and increasing more appropriate behavior.  
• Expert knowledge of techniques needed to successfully complete effective Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA), function–based interventions (FBI), and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP).  
• Exceptional knowledge in the use of assessment and assessment data to inform instruction and prescribe work plans for individual students.  
• Expert knowledge in research based instructional strategies and ability to implement them effectively.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of various methods of data collection and subsequent analysis and interpretation for data to drive appropriate behavioral interventions. 
• Exceptional knowledge in the use of technology to support instruction.
• Demonstrate ability to plan and evaluate strategies for improving instruction.
• Ascribes to the philosophy that all children can succeed and demonstrates the commitment to do what is necessary to allow all children to reach self-actualization.  
• Demonstrates exceptional skill in the roles of a teacher leader: collaborator, action researcher, reflective practitioner, and learner advocate.
• Must be comfortable with coaching, informing, and demonstrating to colleagues best practice pertaining to behavioral management.
•  Strong interpersonal and communication skills with administration, colleagues, and parents; including but not limited to the sharing in presentations pertaining to ABA, social and emotional learning, ACES, and practices and techniques associated with behaviors.
• Must possess instructional knowledge of crisis intervention strategies, ability to apply a gradually progressive system of verbal and non-verbal strategies to effectively deescalate potentially dangerous situations. Must possess an understanding of 40 Developmental Assets and support of intentional asset building in students. 
• Demonstrate knowledge of applied behavioral analysis, behavioral principles and strategies. 
• Ability to conduct and interpret functional behavioral assessments in the development of effective behavior intervention plans. 
• Must be able to maintain frequent, meaningful parental communication and develop proactive partnerships between the student/parent and school district to support academic achievement and pro-social behaviors. 
• Act as a positive role model for students and model professional and ethical standards. 
• Work in a collegial and collaborative manner with peers, school personnel and the school community to promote and support the mission and goals of the district and abide by all district policies and procedures. 
• Required criminal history background check, pre-employment sexual misconduct/child abuse disclosure and proof of United States citizenship or legal resident alien status.

REPORTS TO: Director of Special Services and Curriculum

JOB GOAL: The Behavior Specialist provides continuous support to the overall educational environment by utilizing effective behavioral strategies to address student behaviors. Provide ongoing behavior intervention strategies for all students in all aspects of the educational environment (assisting within the classrooms, hallways, gymnasium, and extracurricular activities, including student arrival and dismissal). The Behavior Specialist will also work directly with administrators to provide outlets and avenues for students to communicate with staff in the building, to empower students and develop skills in leadership and building healthy relationships. 

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Effectively support student acquisition of NJSLS identified by the State of New Jersey and Absecon School District. 
• Assist staff in: defining and measuring behavior; understanding principles of reinforcement; teaching new behavior; implementing strategies for weakening behavior; and identifying antecedents.  
• Facilitate team meetings with the identified student’s teachers and parents for the purpose of completing a Functional Behavioral Assessment.  
• Facilitate team meetings that: design Behavior Interventions Plans; address classroom organization, effective instruction, social skills instruction, and ethical issues; School-wide Positive Behavioral Support; and factors that affect effectiveness including social validity and treatment integrity.  
• Work with individual teachers, groups of teachers and/or the entire staff on issues such as: crisis intervention, learning and collaboration issues, and factors that can affect development and implementation of interventions.  
• Promote highly specialized positive behavior interventions in which “at risk” students thrive: behavior instruction that is explicit, intensive, accelerated and provides ample practice.  
• Use ongoing assessments to maintain a record of student progress.  
• Develop a repertoire of assessment strategies consistent with instructional goals, teaching methods, and individual student’s needs to more accurately assess student behavior skills and understandings.  
• Regard assessment as a joint venture through which both student and teacher understanding is enhanced.
• Create fair and equitable assessments to assess higher-order thinking and problem solving as well as individual skills, knowledge, and understandings.
• Model good assessment processes that assist students in assessing their own work and behavior.  
• Provide recognition of a variety of student accomplishments and positive behaviors.  
• Work cooperatively with building administrators to promote positive student behavior by providing professional development that targets research, strategies and modeling of instructional practices to support teachers in their implementation of positive behavior support in their classrooms.  
• Continually supervise students to ensure a safe, non-threatening, nurturing environment where students can thrive.  
• Engage in on-going professional development to increase knowledge and skills of positive student behavior support for all students, targeted students and students who represent sub-group populations.  
• Engage parents in the “student behavior intervention plan” process and empower parents by providing them with skills and techniques to support the positive behavior development of their child.  
• Consult with schools’ counselors, teachers, and the Child Study Team.   
• Organize and schedule time commitments to meet demands of the job  
• Comply with all safety policies, practices and procedures; report all unsafe activities to supervisor and or administrator.
• Participate in proactive team efforts to achieve District, building, departmental and/or grade level goals.
• Provide leadership to others through example and sharing of knowledge/skill.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Work year and salary as stated in the negotiated contract.

EVALUATION:          

• Performance of this job will be evaluated annually in accordance with State law and the provisions of the Board’s policy on evaluation of certified personnel through the Danielson Model of evaluation.