Behavior Specialist

Position Overview

As an integral member of our team, your role as a Behavior Specialist is to lead, by example, guiding and empowering staff in reflective behavior support. You will play a pivotal role in creating and sustaining a culturally sensitive, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate learning environment for both children and co-workers. The position involves a mix of direct support for children, collaboration with staff and families, assessment and intervention planning, and professional development.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Read the full description here: Behavior Specialist

• Provides hands-on support for children with behaviors that interfere with their ability to participate comfortably and appropriately in classroom routines and special events or pose a safety or health risk to themselves or others, as identified by the Special Needs Manager.
• Support teaching staff in the planning and implementation of The Pyramid Model Framework.
• Collaborate with staff facing challenges to ensure classroom-based practices are being implemented to fidelity.
• Promotes staff mental wellness by providing reflective supervision to staff.
• Play a key role in supporting site staff, children and families throughout the multi-level tiered system of support.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, education, child development, or closely related field, with course work in early childhood development required.
• A minimum of two years direct experience with children (age 0-5) experiencing mental health/behavioral difficulties.
• Knowledge of and experience with Head Start Performance Standards and State of Michigan Child Care Licensing Rules preferred.
• Must obtain and maintain CPR /First Aide within 90 days.
• Proficient skills in the use of Microsoft Office

Base Pay

• $27.03 – $29.20

Hours & Location

• Mon-Fri
  • Hours may vary, but should be similar to:
    Mon-Thurs [7:30am-5:00pm] & Fri [7:30am-11:30am]
• Site Determined in Interview

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Dental insurance
• 401(k)
• Vision insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Tuition reimbursement
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan
• Referral program
• Flexible spending account
• Health savings account
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Employee assistance program

Perks

At Head Start for Kent County, we strive to care for our employees and their families as much as our employees care for the children and families in our community. We offer an excellent benefits package with health insurance that starts after just 30 days of employment–several benefits are at little-to-no-cost to the employee. We provide generous time-off and paid holiday policies that start on your very first day. Wear jeans on Mondays, work half-days on Fridays, and take advantage of our Employee Assistance Programs, which provide corporate discounts and wellness programs for physical and mental health (including free counseling sessions). We offer retention and attendance incentives (some of which are monetary), professional development opportunities, and tuition reimbursement including paid-in-full CDAs and assistance with Associates degrees and above. Find out more about how we invest in our employees at https://hs4kc.org/employee-perks!