At the Kennedy Day School, we have earned a reputation for excellence and innovation in special education. Our classrooms and activity areas encourage curiosity, with creativity and assistive technology that promote meaningful communication and active engagement. We share our campus with Franciscan Children’s, a renowned provider of health services for children with complex needs.  Compassion and enthusiasm empower a lively learning community. 

The Behavioral Specialist provides relevant orientation and ongoing comprehensive training to school and home service providers, as well as thoughtful and collaborative support to students’ family members. The Behavioral Specialist provides direct and consultative services in applied behavior analysis, and guides practice to reflect interdisciplinary endeavors to enhance quality of life for students with multiple and complex special educational needs and challenges.  This position works within the Kennedy Day School.

For more information about the Kennedy Day School please visit: https://franciscanchildrens.org/education/kennedy-day-school/

• Provides leadership in designing, implementing and coordinating comprehensive ABA services for students, ages three through twenty-one, using proven methods and interventions to support positive learning outcomes.


• Designs and implements individualized programs to build success and promote independence in   communication, interaction, personal care and safety in school, home, community, work and leisure environments.  


• Employs an array of scientifically validated, behavior analytic teaching procedures, including but not limited to discrete trial instruction, modeling, incidental teaching, pivotal response and other “naturalistic” teaching methods, activity-embedded instruction, task analysis and chaining.


• Incorporates a full array of techniques for skill-building, including prompting, maximizing learning opportunities, effective reinforcement and motivation techniques,  establishment of stimulus control and discrimination, preference assessments and choice procedures


• Uses ABA methods in one-to-one instruction, in small and large group instruction, and in transitions across environments.


• Plans for skill acquisition and skill generalization over time and across people, settings, situations, and materials.


• Modifies instructional programs based on frequent, systematic evaluation of direct observational data.


• Conducts functional assessments, including functional behavior analyses of challenging/interfering behaviors and selects the specific assessment methods that are best suited to the behavior and context.


• Designs and implements responsive methodologies to diminish challenging or interfering behaviors, based on systematic analysis of the variables, antecedents and consequences, that occasion and maintain obstacles to positive outcomes, matching methodologies to the specific functions of observable behaviors.


• Incorporates a full array of differential reinforcement procedures into student-based skill development plans.


• Utilizes direct observational data to modify and enhance student-centered plans.


• Provides specific and ongoing training in ABA methods and other relevant support services to faculty members and families of enrolled students.


• Provides classroom-based student observation, specific skill modeling and faculty supervision relative to specific needs and methodologies to support positive student outcomes.


• Collaborates effectively with professionals from other disciplines, as well as family members to promote consistent interventions and plans that maximize positive outcomes, utilizing thoughtful, scientifically validated methodologies and data-informed decision making.


• Utilizes scientific evidence about the characteristics of autism and other disorders to design and implement educational and treatment programs that incorporate considerations of home, family and community impact. 


• Utilizes knowledge of developmental and adaptive curriculum, relative to scope and sequence of skills, skill clustering, corresponding behavior analytic methodology, systems of data recording and tracking and related assessment tools.


• Collaboratively assesses and builds vocal-verbal and nonverbal communication repertoires, consistent with the principles and practices of both behavior analysis and augmentative/alternative communication, reflective of the unique needs and skills of the individual learner.


• Communicates student skills, instructional profile, challenges and achievements in a constructive and meaningful manner. Communicates effectively, both verbally and in print, with professional colleagues, students and their families, demonstrating supportive listening; communicates constructive and critical information in a professional and timely manner. 

For more information about the Kennedy Day School please visit: https://franciscanchildrens.org/education/kennedy-day-school/

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE  

Completion of an advanced degree in behavior analysis or a closely related field. Relevant experience in special education.

CERTIFICATION, REGISTRATION, OR LICENSURE REQUIRED BY THE JOB

Board Certification in Applied Behavior Analysis or equivalent. Fulfills continuing education requirements that may pertain to the position, whether mandated by regulation or instituted by Kennedy Day School Policies.