Job Description

General Description:
Behavioral Specialists (K-12) provide comprehensive trauma-informed behavior intervention and support.  Specialists provide assistance with the development and implementation of prevention and intervention strategies for students who are exhibiting behavioral difficulties that impact social and academic progress, as well as support to school-based teams on best practices for school-wide strategies.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assesses and supports instructional and behavioral programs for students
• Provides staff development and works collaboratively with teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff to demonstrate best practices, strategies and techniques to enhance instruction for students with social, communication, behavioral and learning challenges
• Collaborates with staff division-wide to develop understanding of a variety of methods to improve student behavior
• Completes functional behavioral assessments and develops behavioral intervention plans using evidenced-based practices
• Assists with the design, implementation and follow up of behavioral management programs for students to remediate behavioral and social problems
• Provides individual and group counseling to targeted students to include socialization activities
• Plans, coaches and confers with classroom teachers concerning any behavioral, social or personal problems affecting the students
• Develops and conducts in-service activities regarding techniques for remediation of behavioral, social or personal problems of students
• Assists teachers with the development of safety plans; engages with families to plan for student success as needed
• Assists in developing and maintaining home-school relations in crisis situations with students
• Assists with the development and maintenance of program evaluation procedures
• Engages in weekly data collection, recording and analysis for effective planning
• Assists with case-management and team problem-solving with other behavioral specialists, agency personnel and other appropriate professionals on a regular basis
• Demonstrates patience, respect, a receptive attitude towards students of varied age groups and understanding of the specific situation; utilizes consulting skills to assure implementation and maintenance of intervention plans
• Assumes responsibility for own professional growth and development by keeping current with the literature and new research findings
• Performs other related duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in special education, psychology, behavior disorders, social work, and/or counseling required
• Virginia Postgraduate Professional License with endorsement in special education or counseling or Virginia Pupil Personnel Services License with endorsement as school social worker or school psychologist preferred
• Minimum five years of successful clinical or classroom experience working with students with challenging behaviors
• Knowledge of current trends and methodologies used to address the needs of children with behavioral challenges
• Extensive successful experience in analyzing, assessing behavior, developing, planning and implementation of behavioral interventions
• Experience in data collection, evaluation, development and implementation of positive behavior intervention plans; knowledge of tiered intervention frameworks; knowledge of current accepted best practices utilized in the full continuum of placement options for students with behavioral challenges
• Knowledge of data tracking and collection, record management and reporting methods
• Demonstrated understanding of differentiated instruction
• Expertise in developing and providing staff development activities for individual schools and/or division-wide
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication (verbal and written) skills 
• Strong problem solving and decision making skills
• Strong time management skills and ability to meet multiple deadlines; ability to work under pressure with minimal supervision
• Must have a valid driver’s license
• Bilingual/fluency in Spanish preferred