Behavioural Specialist

Edmonton Catholic Schools is a large urban school division whose mission is to provide a Catholic education that inspires students to learn and that prepares them to live fully and to serve God in one another. The Division is comprised of over 44,000 students and 5,000 employees in 95 schools plus other sites.

**Behavioural Specialist**:
**Position**: New

**Hours Per Week**: 35

**Department**: Behavioural Therapy

**FTE**: 1

**Position Status**: Permanent

**No Months Per Year**: 10

**Rate of Pay**: $56,594.00 - $70,753.00

**Employee Group**: OOS

**Posting Closing Date**: 11/30/22

The Behavioural Specialist is part of a multi-disciplinary team and provides school-based intervention services for students with severe behavioural and or emotional problems as they impact their ability to learn. The incumbent provides support to students, parents, principals, teachers, Learning Coaches, Educational Assistants, Therapeutic Assistants, Early Learning Facilitators, Social Workers and other professionals in providing strategies to work with severe behaviours in students.

The job develops and implements functional behaviour assessments and intervention plans and strategies. As part of the multi
- disciplinary team the incumbent contributes to the division’s support services provided to school aged children.

**Responsibilities**:

- Consult with educational team to identify students with severe behavioural and/or emotional needs;
- Explore underlying causes of severe behaviour and prepare functional assessments, utilizing Positive Behaviour Supports;
- Collect and analyze data;
- Conduct research to formulate strategies;
- Visit schools to link with educational teams in providing support for children;
- Assist teachers and learning coaches with development of and monitoring of Individual Program Plan (IPP) goals;
- Partner with teachers, Learning Coaches, Therapeutic Assistants, Educational Assistants, Early Learning Facilitators and school staff to model appropriate, positive behavioural strategies with the student;
- Monitor child’s progress using appropriate means of data collection and communicating the child’s progress to school team;
- Implement specialized programs (i.e. Behaviour Intervention Plans, applied behaviour analysis);
- Communicate plans and strategies to all who work with the student;
- Monitor and assess progress; make adjustments as required;
- Provide in-depth information regarding relevant diagnosis and applied behavioural analysis;
- Meet with individual family, school and division staff to provide and obtain information;
- Assist parents and school staff in formulating, implementing and monitoring plans for the student;
- Provide information about supports available through community agencies and organizations;
- Train staff, families, and other stakeholders focusing on assessment and intervention techniques and strategies;
- Support school staff and Social Workers in maintaining open communication with the family;
- Maintain documentation of observations, meetings, communications and contacts;
- Maintain accurate and detailed written documentation of evaluations and analysis, intervention plans, recommendations, IPP goals;
- Generate clear and concise reports that school staff and parents easily understand;
- Provide input into strategies, goals and objectives;
- Provide ‘at-the-elbow’ coaching and support to school staff within the natural school environments (classrooms, lunch, recess, playground, bus, field trips, etc.);
- Minimize pull-out types of services;
- Provide strategies and recommendations for whole-school and classroom support systems that will assist all students.

**Qualifications**:

- Degree in Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies or related area, plus three years of directly related experience;
- Adaptive Behaviour Analysis training or equivalent;
- Knowledge of Intervention, strategies, CPR/First Aid;
- Knowledge of psychological diagnoses and the impact that delays/disorders have on children;
- Knowledge of data collection and analysis techniques and principles;
- Knowledge of records management principles including Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Legislation;
- Knowledge of safe work environments including Occupational Health and Safety regulations and legislation;
- General knowledge of this multi-disciplinary setting, it is essential to be informed in all disciplines;
- General knowledge of the division/department operations, business, goals and objectives and an understanding of the curriculum;
- Advanced written and oral communication skills and the ability to relay complex information to non
- technical contacts;
- Skills to work positively, collaboratively with children, school staff, social worker, and parents and other professionals;
- Strong consultation and facilitation skills;
- Very strong assessment and problem-solving skills are required to identify and address behavioural and educational delays;
- Ability to