Behavior Specialist

Job Description Position:Behavior Specialist Reports to:Principal, Special Education Coordinator, BCBA, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Evaluated by:BCBA Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Education or related area. Experience working with elementary age children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and/or social/emotional/ behavioral disabilities. Formal training in and practical knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis and intervention strategies, including social skills/ social thinking curriculum. Current/ active in-depth training/ certification in Crisis Prevention and Intervention Strategies. Good organization and communication skills; knowledge of Excel for data entry and graphing. Job Responsibilities: In collaboration with pertinent Team members and taking into consideration various disability impact features for individual students, to develop and write behavior intervention plans/ programs, including the collection methods/ frequency and provide specific strategies for school staff and parents to facilitate understanding and implementation. To collect, record and analyze data across multiple data points; to assist psychologists and BCBA in conducting and writing up findings of FBAs. To model various strategies and techniques to assist others in the implementation of behavior intervention plans and social skills facilitation across various school settings. To record and analyze data to provide feedback to school staff and parents regarding interventions success and/ or discuss changes to BIPs based on data and discussion. To provide crisis intervention, as needed, including but not limited to verbal discussion/ processing of events with students and staff, and the application of physical intervention methods to reduce risk of injury to students or staff. Specific Job Tasks: Participate in consultation meetings with program staff regarding specific students and behavior needs; to consider behaviors that should increase in frequency/ duration as well as those that should decrease. Develop data collection systems for use by school staff and parents. Record data collected into Excel spreadsheets and provide graphs to visually display student progress on multiple data points, accompanied by brief narrative reports synthesizing key information related to data. In conjunction with other school staff, is responsible to collect information for FBAs, analyze data, and make recommendations regarding strategies implementation/ changes. Communication with families regarding behavior intervention plans/ strategies/ and progress monitoring; both during interim progress meetings and annual IEP meetings, as directed by Principal or Special Education Coordinator. Observe students in school settings, consult with pertinent school staff to ensure coordination of strategies/goals and to facilitate communication between school and home regarding behavior intervention and support plans. Work directly with students to model strategies, provide direct teaching of various skills, and assess current performance and progress towards BIP/BSP and other goals targeted for data collection/ analysis/ progress monitoring. In conjunction with school staff, plan and implement social skills activities designed to target specific social skill deficit areas identified by students’ IEP teams. Prepare well-written reports as may be requested by special education/ administrative personnel and/or to reflect progress towards goals/objectives (at least 3 x annually per student.) Participate in Team meetings to offer insights into student progress and needs; may also be required to write/contribute to IEP development. Other duties/responsibilities related to the behavioral needs of students as may be assigned by Principal or Special Education Administrator/designee. FSLA Status: Non-Exempt Physical Requirements: 1. Mobility and Movement Standing and Walking: Ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods (up to 6-8 hours per day) to instruct students, circulate the classroom, monitor hallways, and supervise recess/lunch. Reaching and Lifting: Ability to reach overhead, above the shoulders, and horizontally to access and arrange teaching materials, whiteboards, or bulletin boards. Lifting and Carrying: Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds (e.g., boxes of books, educational supplies, or technology equipment) on an occasional basis. Bending and Kneeling: Ability to bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, or sit on the floor frequently to interact with students at their level, assist with classroom activities, and manage behavior. Repetitive Motion: Use of hands and fingers for keyboarding, writing, grading, and manipulating materials. 2. Sensory Requirements Visual Acuity: Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus (e.g., to read student work, observe students across a classroom, and monitor computer screens). Hearing Acuity: Ability to hear and understand spoken directions at a conversational level, as well as the ability to distinguish and interpret sounds (e.g., a whisper, fire alarm, or distress calls from students) in a noisy environment. Speaking/Verbal Communication: Ability to clearly articulate verbal information to students, parents, and colleagues, including the ability to project one's voice in a classroom or auditorium setting. 3. Stamina and Duration Sustained Energy: Ability to maintain a high level of energy and mental alertness throughout the entire school day, managing the physical and mental demands of teaching. Sitting: Ability to sit for moderate periods to complete administrative tasks, planning, grading, or conduct small group instruction. 4. Safety and Emergency Management Quick Response: Ability to physically respond quickly to emergencies, safety concerns, or unexpected physical demands (e.g., intervening in a student dispute, assisting an injured student, or performing emergency evacuation procedures). Pushing/Pulling: Ability to push or pull classroom furniture or equipment as needed. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement The Tri-Town School Union (Boxford, Middleton, and Topsfield Public Schools) is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to maintaining a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We do not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, limited English proficiency, disability, or any other protected class in its educational programs, activities, or employment policies. These protections extend to all applicants and employees. Applicants are informed that school systems are required to obtain all available criminal offender record information (CORI and SAFIS Background Check per 603 CMR51.00) from the criminal history systems board (CHSB) of any current or prospective employee of the school department. Revised 01/2026 Salary Range: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yn4uSgfkeNdnYGyypzGUMj5oTB8xyUiDquyvGEQb4A4/edit?usp=drive_link