Severe Behavior Specialist 

JOB GOAL                              

Provide specialized care and support for individuals with severe behavior challenges.  The Severe Behavior Specialist will be an integral part of the Special Education team, providing assessments, interventions, and support to improve the lives of students.

QUALIFICATIONS

Holds a valid Tennessee teacher's license with appropriate endorsement; Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Psychology, Special Education, or a related field; Board Certification in Behavior Analysis (BCBA) or similar certification preferred; Previous experience working with individuals with severe behavior challenges; Strong communication and interpersonal skills; Empathy and patience when working with students and their families; Knowledge of ethical and professional standards in behavioral therapy.

REPORTS TO               Director of Special Education

FLSA STATUS              Exempt

SCHEDULE                   240 Day 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

•  Conduct thorough assessments and understand the root causes of severe behaviors and develop personalized intervention plans.
• Develop and implement evidence-based behavioral intervention strategies to address challenging behaviors effectively.
•  Create individualized behavior support plans that consider the unique needs, strengths, and preferences of the student.
• Collaborate with students’ families, caregivers, and other professionals to ensure a coordinated approach to behavior management.
• Continuously monitor and collect data to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and adjust plans as necessary.
• Provide training and guidance to support staff on behavioral strategies, crisis prevention, and de-escalation techniques.
• Provide immediate and effective crisis intervention in situations where student safety or the safety of others is at risk.  Implement de-escalation techniques and ensure a safe environment.
• Perform all case manager responsibilities as required with state and federal law, including the preparation of Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) documentation, scheduling/ orchestration of IEP meetings, and processing of required IEP paperwork to ensure compliance.
• Supervise all para-educators and other classified employees working in the classroom, including communication of individual student needs; monitoring of student-adult relationships; monitoring the implementation of appropriate behavioral and/or medical supports; coordination of curricular support and individual assistance; and collaboration for effective implementation of the classroom schedule.
• Maintain detailed records and prepare progress reports for students and their families.

TEMPERAMENT (Personal Traits)

• Adaptability to performing a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature without loss of efficiency or composure;
• Adaptability to accepting responsibility for the direction, control, and/or planning of an activity;
• Adaptability to working with people beyond giving and receiving instructions; and
• Adaptability to making generalizations, evaluations, or decisions based upon sensory or judgmental criteria.

CAPACITY AND ABILITY REQUIREMENTS

Specific capacities and abilities may be required of an individual in order to learn or perform adequately a task or job duty.

• Intelligence: The ability to understand instructions and underlying principles; the ability to reason and make judgments.
• Verbal: The ability to understand the meanings of words and the ideas associated with them.
• Numerical: The ability to perform arithmetic operations quickly and accurately.
• Data Perception: The ability to understand and interpret information presented in the forms of graphs, charts, or tables.
• Spatial: The ability to comprehend forms in space and understand relationships of plane and solid objects.
• Manual Dexterity: The ability to move the hands easily and manipulate small objects with the fingers rapidly and accurately.
• Color Discrimination: The ability to perceive or to recognize similarities or differences in colors or shades or other values of the same color.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This job may require lifting or carrying of objects that exceed fifty (50) pounds, with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to twenty-five (25) pounds. Other physical demands that may be required are as follows: pushing and/or pulling, stooping and/or kneeling, reaching and/or handling, talking, hearing, seeing, and climbing.

WORK CONDITIONS

Normal working environment.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position.  They are not intended to be a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills of personnel so assigned.

NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY

The Wilson County Board of Education does not discriminate because of age, race, color, gender, national origin, disability, religion, genetics, creed, or veteran status in the provision of services, in programs or activities, or in employment opportunities or benefits.  The Wilson County School System is an Equal Opportunity Employer and member of TN Drug-Free Workplace.  Employees or applicants who need reasonable accommodations should contact Human Resources for assistance.