POSITION SUMMARY:
Under
the direction of the Assistant Supervisor for Department of Special Education,
the Behavior Specialist is responsible for providing the school community,
parents, student and teachers with an exemplary, ongoing professional student
behavior management program which includes behavioral and academic assessments
and interventions to improve the quality of life for children. The Behavior Specialist's work involves
program planning and development, interacting and articulating within the
school system, implementing a continuum of services that will focus on
providing an opportunity for optimal development of the "whole" child
and ensure the implementation of valued services by focusing on general health
as well as mental health/mental wellness.
Additionally, the Behavior Specialist will provide technical assistance
and professional development for the CEIS staff and teachers at selected
schools on evidence-based behavioral intervention strategies and positive
behavioral management techniques.
DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
Provides
training, both initial and ongoing, to CEIS and targeted school staff on the
implementation of various behavior models;
Guides
the teacher learning process toward working with student behavior and classroom
management in order to better implement the personal learning plans of
students;
Assists targeted teachers in developing class-wide systems of
reinforcement to promote a healthy classroom environment and effective planning, organization and
implementation of strategies for optimum behavior management;
Participates in and conducts Collaborative Team Meetings as
necessary that culminates in the development of intervention plans involving
instruction of expected behaviors;
Provides technical assistance to school teams in the
development of alternative intervention strategies for students with behavior
issues;
Assists school teams in the development and implementation
of Functional Behavioral Assessments and
Behavior Intervention Plans, as appropriate;
Plans and implements effective RtI professional development
opportunities focused on behavior;
Maintains required records and follows required procedures
and practices as directed by the CEIS grant; and
Performs
other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
Experience in implementing or
managing systems of positive behavior support in the classroom and consulting
using proven methods is strongly preferred;
Extensive knowledge of the school
system's curriculum, practices and trends;
Experience with school-based
accountability preferred, specifically, experience with school improvement
planning process, student tracking and documentation, including strategies to
define the problem(s) and offer specific solutions and experience in interpreting
and analyzing data, implementation of instructional practices, and curriculum
alignment;
Ability to use technology effectively
for instruction, research, record
keeping and other administrative tasks, and communications including Internet
research, MS Office and educational software to support the behavior program;
Possess a high caliber of expertise
in counseling and student and family support;
Ability to work on multiple projects
and respond to requests and deadlines in an accurate, timely manner;
Ability to make sound decisions
within the parameters of authority;
Be courteous, professional, and
tactful at all times;
Ability to exercise initiative and
sound judgment in resolving problems;
Ability to work productively with
diverse populations, teachers, parents, board members, and community members,
including demonstrated expertise in building and maintaining effective working
relationships;
Maintain a positive working
relationship with faculty, staff, board members, parents, students, and
community;
Ability to motivate and create a
shared vision within the school community;
Serve as a role model who
acknowledges through actions and behaviors the critical value of human
relationships in achieving personal and professional goals and organizational
purpose;
Demonstrated written and oral
communication skills; and
Excellent interpersonal/human
relations skills.
Familiarity with the PBIS program;
Thorough knowledge of the PGCPS
Response to Intervention (RtI) administrative procedure and the Students Rights
and Responsibilities Handbook; and
Technical experience working with
spreadsheets and databases.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
Bachelor’s degree from
an accredited college or university in education, social work, counseling or
related area required; Master’s degree preferred. Minimum of three (3) years of successful
experience working with students with challenging behaviors.
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Holds
or is eligible for a Professional Certificate appropriate to area of assignment
issued by the Maryland State Department of Education; Standard Professional
Certificate required; Advanced Professional Certificate preferred.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
No direct supervisory responsibilities.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands 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 frequently required to stand, talk, hear, walk, sit, and use fingers, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as to read handwritten or typed material, the ability to adjust focus, and depth perception. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally push or lift up to 25 lbs.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
None.