Board Certified Behavioral Analyst, Gengras Center School

This position supports the Gengras Center by assisting the Director and Associate Director in servicing the needs of The Gengras Center while adhering to the State of Connecticut guidelines for special needs students. The BCBA must be knowledgeable in the areas of behavioral assessment and intervention including functional assessment/analysis, antecedent intervention, reinforcement-based strategies, instructional procedures (e.g., Direct Instruction, precision teaching, discrete trial instruction, and task analysis) for students with a variety of significant disabilities. This position will develop specialized programs for individuals with cognitive disabilities, autism, challenging behaviors or learning differences. Train teachers and teacher assistants for specialized program details and data collection. Lead or assist in Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans across the Gengras Center. As a lab school, the Gengras Center provides supervision hours to students in the ABA program and the candidate must be able to provide supervision according to the BACB requirements. This person must be able to communicate effectively with staff, students, parents and the University of Saint Joseph community and maintain the professional standards required to fulfill the position responsibilities.

CURRICULUM-INSTRUCTION-ASSESSMENT:

• Provide direct service and indirect service to students based on IEP service delivery hours.
• Provide social skills groups, skill acquisition support, and individual treatment as needed and based on IEP goals, objectives, and service delivery hours.
• Provide or assist with training in life skills, post-secondary education and transition skills, sex education, and other pertinent areas based on student needs.
• Assist in the development of curriculum guidelines and update curriculum model and evaluation system to align with Common Core State Standards as needed.
• Assist with testing materials and implementation for all areas of the curriculum, and three-year reevaluations.
• Assist teachers in analyzing test results to determine student needs and evaluate student progress.
• Assist teachers in the development of data collection, narrative reports, I.E.P.s, and Progress Reports.
• Assist teachers in developing teaching strategies, which are appropriate for the students and are consistent with current educational research.
• Assist teachers in using a variety of developmentally appropriate teaching styles, strategies, and instructional materials, including appropriate modifications and accommodations, in developing individual programs to meet the needs of specific pupils.
• Assist teachers in utilizing community resources for applied and experiential learning.
• Ensure the use of behavioral strategies to meet student needs during instruction
• Analyze pupil and program needs and make program decisions based on information from data collected.
• Provide modeling of instructional method and team-teaching support through direct instruction to students as appropriate.
• Assist staff in maintaining appropriate student records (i.e., anecdotal records, parent contact sheet)
• Provide resources and substitute coverage as necessary.
• Assist the director in determining in-service needs with relationship to the student programs.

Program Organization/Management

• Assist in establishing policies, procedures, and schedules for program operation.
• Assist in developing and organizing programs to meet identified needs for the Gengras Center.
• Contribute to the identification and implementation of program goals and objectives.
• Develop and conduct workshops/in-services pertaining to staff development.
• Ensure the delivery of all required services to each student.
• Assist in the process of orienting new staff.
• Participate in Behavioral Intervention Plan meetings and referrals on an ongoing basis.
• Supervise BCBA candidates for requirement or hours needs towards certification and work with USJ faculty to provide course work in conjunction with supervision.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT, SUPERVISION AND EVALUATION:

• Assist with professional development activities and in-service training workshops to meet the needs of The Gengras Center School staff.
• Conduct periodic trainings, which are specifically focused at some aspect of the teaching and learning process.
• Model instructional techniques in the classroom, when appropriate.
• Assist teachers to increase their knowledge and improve their teaching competencies.
• Coordinate and conduct skills assessments of the program's staff utilizing competency-based performance measures.
• Assist with the process of professional development to the Center's certified and noncertified staff, to meet the requirements of the State Department of Education.

COMMUNICATION:

• Assist in planning and conducting meetings for the staff.
• Assist in the articulation of the academic instructional program, and facilitate inter-departmental communication to enhance the Center's transdisciplinary teaming model.
• Consult with the Director and the Associate Director about the Center's academic, behavioral and training needs and priorities.
• Provide for open communication with staff and members of the USJ community.
• Maintain a communication network for dissemination of student data and required state reports.

STUDENT-PARENT RELATIONSHIPS

• Serve as a liaison between the Gengras Center and parents.
• Recommend ways in which parents can support school efforts.
• Conduct informational workshops for parents, as needed.
• Assist parents in developing and implementing alternative ways for working with their children through home-school collaboration.
• Participate in parent-student activities sponsored by the school.

PERSONAL-PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Demonstrate ability and willingness to work effectively with people.
• Consistently establish and maintain rapport with others.
• Exhibit a high caliber in presentation of work, both in physical presentation and soundness of facts and concepts.
• Display respect for and encourage individuals to express their ideas, opinions, and viewpoints.
• Exhibit courtesy, self-control, patience, and discretion in dealing with others and the public.
• Maintain positive relations with all staff members.
• Show respect, concern, and warmth for others and empathetic understanding of individual problems.
• Support administrative design for shared involvement and interdisciplinary team approach.

JOB KNOWLEDGE:

• Demonstrate knowledge of child development, learning theory, and research-based instruction.
• Demonstrate knowledge of school curriculum and curriculum development, with a focus on Connecticut's Common Core State Standards.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various instructional strategies, and the Connecticut teaching competencies.
• Demonstrate knowledge of Career, Vocational and Transition programming for special needs youth.
• Demonstrate knowledge of speech/language, social work, psychology, OT, PT, and other related services.
• Demonstrate knowledge of State mandates for restraint and seclusion policies including communication of information to parents, guardians, LEAs, and the State Department of Education's online tracking system.

BEHAVIORAL EFFECTIVENESS:

• Know, understand, and respect pupils.
• Demonstrate understanding of student motivation strategies.
• Demonstrate flexibility in handling conflict and dissent among students.
• Support teachers in applying techniques of classroom management, data collection and interpretation, and development of behavioral intervention plans.
• Assist in the provision of crisis intervention resources to all teachers and teaching assistants.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Continue to grow professionally by participating in continuing professional development/in-service workshops and area professional organizations.
• Supervise or oversee school committees.
• Maintain standards of ethical conduct.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director or indicated with the Center's program development plan

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience

• Master's Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, Psychology or related field and BCBA, Licensed Behavior Analyst in the state of Connecticut.
• At least three years' experience in developing and supporting comprehensive educational programs for individuals with autism and related disabilities. Knowledge of staff training, Special Education/Vocational programming, and a functional analysis/assessment and behavioral programming with a concentration on children with autism and intellectual or multiple disabilities.
• Experience working with students with significant behavioral and learning challenges.

Other Qualifications

• Physical ability to perform essential requirements of the position, as noted below, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Able to function independently while operating effectively within a team environment
• Possess solid general computer skills, including ability to work in a Windows environment and with remote instruction. Proficiency with MS Teams and Office Suite, Internet, and other programs as needed (e.g., mail merge, data base management). Familiarity with specific applications used by the University/Department a plus.
• Excellent oral and written skills and ability to communicate comfortably with students, colleagues, and external constituents
• Flexible and able to multi-task
• Exhibits a high level of professionalism, leadership, creative problem solving, diplomacy, and the ability to manage complex projects with minimal supervision
• Professional, courteous demeanor and appearance; ability to work professionally with students/families, faculty, staff and administration and represent The Gengras Center and the University professionally to the public
• Commitment to the mission of The Gengras Center and the University of Saint Joseph

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements and description of the work environment are representative of what an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Activity

Approximate Percentage of Time Spent in this Activity

(Minimal, Some, Substantial)

• Bending

Some

• Climbing (e.g. stairs)

some

• Keyboarding

Substantial

• Kneeling

Minimal

• Lifting (indicate maximum weight)

Some, may need to transfer young adult on occasion

• Reaching

Minimal

• Sitting

Substantial

• Standing

Some

• Using Telephone

Substantial

• Walking

Some

• Other (please explain):

crisis intervention____

Ability to assist during crisis situations with physical intervention as needed.

Work Environment (a brief description)

Private special education school on the campus of University of Saint Joseph