Special Programs Specialist

Company: Lutheran Social Services of the South
Location: Galveston
Posted on: November 22, 2022

Job Description:

About Upbring

At Upbring, we are servants on a mission to break the cycle of child abuse. We are warriors, brave as the thousands of Texas Children and families we serve. We stand up for those who can't speak for themselves. We are a family who values innovation, empathy, patience, understanding and trustworthiness.

What You'll Do

Special Programs Specialists refer children with suspected disabilities to ECI agencies or LEAs; and develop, implement, and monitor individualized action plans With the help of administrative, instructional, and non-instructional staff, the SPS will reduce re-traumatization, foster resilience, and enhance positive academic and non-academic outcomes In addition to providing training and coaching to Head Start teachers, staff, leadership, mental health consultants, and families, the SPS will also monitor the annual review dates of IFSPs and IEPs for children with maladaptive behaviors in the classroom

Our Upbring staff members are servant-leaders on the pursuit of breaking the cycle of child abuse and empowering others to do the same through example while embodying our core values: We are Warriors We are Servants We are Family

This position is year-round and scheduled accordingly

We Are Warriors - We Set the Standards for Child Education

Work Standards

+ Develop and maintain strong working relationships with ISD and ECI staff to guarantee children and family's needs and program goals and objectives are being met

+ Reviews service logs of Early Childhood Intervention agencies and ISD related services providers to ensure children are receiving their service minutes according to what's documented in their IFSP or IEP

+ Staff must not use/impose corporal punishment or other forms of child maltreatment as a method to discipline children

+ Comply with the company code of conduct and other applicable regulations and requirements, including Licensing Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS), Upbring policies, and procedures, Child Care Minimum Standards, and other federal, state, and local regulatory requirements

+ Models specific strategies andprovides technical consultation for Family Engagement Advocates, Center Directors, Education Coaches, and all teaching staff to use to support the needs of students who have a suspected or confirmed disability

+ Create and monitor IAPs for students with suspected disabilities based on data and screener

+ Always ensure the health and safety of each child in care and support the overall well-being of children

+ Provides status reports to director inclusive of progress and developments for students in the program

+ Actively participate and attend Admission, Revision, and Dismissal (ARD) meetings

+ Maintain up to date documentation by utilizing forms authorized by the Special Program Director and uploading all applicable documents related to students with a suspected or confirmed disability in the online database system in a timely manner

+ Enter progress notes on students with identified and suspected disabilities.

+ Follows the Office Head Start CLASS Methodology

+ Follows the Conscious Discipline model

+ Fulfill role as mandated reporter as stated in Child Abuse and Neglect Policy

+ Attend all professional development

+ Perform other activities and duties as assigned

Communication

+ Immediately communicate with supervisor all concerns related to child health and safety

+ Orient families to the program according to the established special programs plan and develop and coordinate a continuing evaluation of the family needs

+ Make parent contact/follow-up for children whose is pending referral or evaluation services

+ Document all activities that relate to contact with families and specific program objectives

+ Completion of documentation and recordkeeping in a timely and accurate manner and maintained as required by all applicable regulations

+ Completes student observations and provides feedback to appropriate staff in a timely manner

+ Works with ISD leadership staff to ensure that school-based services area being utilized via school counselor or social worker for children with reported maladaptive behaviors.

+ Actively participate in two-way communication among co-workers to ensure all staff is informed of pertinent information as it pertains to special programs activities

We Are Servants- We Help Others

Teamwork

+ Models specific strategies andprovides technical consultation for Family Engagement Advocates, Center Directors, Education Coaches, and all teaching staff to use to support the needs of students who have a suspected or confirmed disability.

+ Completes student observations and provides feedback to teachers, Family Advocates, Center Director, Education Coach, and Special Program Director.

+ Create and monitor IAPs for students with suspected disabilities based on data and screeners. Seek guidance and support from supervisor for mitigating concerns: inclusive but not limited to classroom management, behavior management, child health and safety, child development, and any other concerns requiring intervention

+ Works collaboratively with the mental health consultant, school instructional, and non-instructional staff to implement a comprehensive approach to address both preventative and responsive measures for children

+ Works with area leaders, service providers and school leadership staff to ensure that policies and procedures reflect an understanding of the role of trauma in student behaviors and to track progress of goals and objectives for children

+ Develop and maintain strong working relationships and partnerships with program leadership, management, and staff to ensure students and family's needs and program goals and objectives are being met

+ Develop and maintain strong working relationships and partnerships with ISD and ECI staff to guarantee children and family's needs and program goals and objectives are being met

+ Work closely with the Special Program Director, Mental Health Director, Regional Director, Ed Coaches, and Center Director to ensure Head Start regulations, licensing standards, and Agency policies and practices are managed and administered properly and efficiently and support the needs of Head Start

+ Engage in comprehensive, integrated planning with the management team such as Directors, Superintendent, Assistant Superintendents, and other Head Start leaders

+ Develops a working relationship with ISD special education evaluation team and ECI evaluation team and serves as a liaison to assure evaluation timelines are being followed and updating parents/guardians of the progress.

+ Develop and maintain strong working relationship with ISD to ensure RTI is implemented to determine the intensity and frequency of student support and following up with the campus staff and recommending the campus develops short-term goals and monitor progress to determine if a referral for special education evaluation is needed.

+ Works collaboratively with the mental health consultant, school instructional, and non-instructional staff to implement a comprehensive approach to address both preventative and responsive measures for children.

+ Works with ISD leadership staff to ensure the campus is making their school counselor or social worker available for children with reported maladaptive behaviors and that RTI is started todetermine the intensity and frequency of support the child needs and following up with the campus staff and recommending the campus develops short-term goals and monitor progress to determine if a referral for special education evaluation is needed.

+ Work closely with the Special Program Director, Mental Health Director, Regional Director, and Center Director to ensure Head Start regulations, licensing standards, and Agency policies and practices are managed and administered properly and efficiently and support the needs of Head Start.

+ Orient families to the program according to the established special programs plan and develop and coordinate a continuing evaluation of the family needs

+ Make parent contact/follow-up for children whose is pending referral or evaluation services

+ Document all activities that relate to contact with families and specific program objectives

+ Completion of documentation and recordkeeping in a timely and accurate manner and maintained as required by all applicable regulations

+ Completes student observations and provides feedback to appropriate staff in a timely manner

+ Works with ISD leadership staff to ensure that school-based services area being utilized via school counselor or social worker for children with reported maladaptive behaviors.

+ Actively participate in two-way communication among co-workers to ensure all staff is informed of pertinent information as it pertains to special programs activities

+ We Are Servants- We Help Others

Teamwork

+ Models specific strategies andprovides technical consultation for Family Engagement Advocates, Center Directors, Education Coaches, and all teaching staff to use to support the needs of students who have a suspected or confirmed disability.

+ Completes student observations and provides feedback to teachers, Family Advocates, Center Director, Education Coach, and Special Program Director.

+ Create and monitor IAPs for students with suspected disabilities based on data and screeners. Seek guidance and support from supervisor for mitigating concerns: inclusive but not limited to classroom management, behavior management, child health and safety, child development, and any other concerns requiring intervention

+ Works collaboratively with the mental health consultant, school instructional, and non-instructional staff to implement a comprehensive approach to address both preventative and responsive measures for children

+ Works with area leaders, service providers and school leadership staff to ensure that policies and procedures reflect an understanding of the role of trauma in student behaviors and to track progress of goals and objectives for children

+ Develop and maintain strong working relationships and partnerships with program leadership, management, and staff to ensure students and family's needs and program goals and objectives are being met

+ Develop and maintain strong working relationships and partnerships with ISD and ECI staff to guarantee children and family's needs and program goals and objectives are being met

+ Work closely with the Special Program Director, Mental Health Director, Regional Director, Ed Coaches, and Center Director to ensure Head Start regulations, licensing standards, and Agency policies and practices are managed and administered properly and efficiently and support the needs of Head Start

+ Engage in comprehensive, integrated planning with the management team such as Directors, Superintendent, Assistant Superintendents, and other Head Start leaders

+ Develops a working relationship with ISD special education evaluation team and ECI evaluation team and serves as a liaison to assure evaluation timelines are being followed and updating parents/guardians of the progress.

+ Develop and maintain strong working relationship with ISD to ensure RTI is implemented to determine the intensity and frequency of student support and following up with the campus staff and recommending the campus develops short-term goals and monitor progress to determine if a referral for special education evaluation is needed.

+ Works collaboratively with the mental health consultant, school instructional, and non-instructional staff to implement a comprehensive approach to address both preventative and responsive measures for children.

+ Works with ISD leadership staff to ensure the campus is making their school counselor or social worker available for children with reported maladaptive behaviors and that RTI is started todetermine the intensity and frequency of support the child needs and following up with the campus staff and recommending the campus develops short-term goals and monitor progress to determine if a referral for special education evaluation is needed.

+ Work closely with the Special Program Director, Mental Health Director, Regional Director, and Center Director to ensure Head Start regulations, licensing standards, and Agency policies and practices are managed and administered properly and efficiently and support the needs of Head Start.

We Are Family- We Are Passionate & Compassionate

Building Relationships

+ Serves as liaison and technical consultant to schools, area office, agencies, advocates, parents, and students regarding facilitating trauma-informed practices

+ Serves as liaison between to ISD staff, ECI agencies, advocates, parents, and children regarding facilitating trauma-informed practices

+ Work as a team player and exhibit professional behavior and a positive attitude with both internal and external clients that reflects positively on the Agency and is consistent with Agency policies and practices

+ Actively participate in exhibiting cultural awareness and sensitivity when interacting with children, parent(s)/guardian(s), staff, and the community

+

+ Minimum Qualifications

+ Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in education, special education, psychology, counseling, or related field

+ One or more years of professional experience in counseling, special education, psychology, education, or related experience

+ Working knowledge of Special Education process and law (Child Find, FIE, REED, Procedural Safeguards, FAPE, etc.)

+ Experience in Early Childhood Education setting

+ Working knowledge in Special Education referral process and evaluation systems

+ Working knowledge of evidence-based trauma informed practices

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

+ Ability to use sound judgement and always maintain confidentially

+ Strong verbal communication and presentation skills with the ability to positively convey a message

+ Ability to adapt training techniques and adult learning theory to various groups (different learning styles)

+ Demonstrated knowledge of current social, educational, and economic issues as they relate to rural families

+ Demonstrated knowledge of behavioral and mental health services for children and families

+ Strong interpersonal and people skills with the ability to work independently within a team environment and with a diverse group of people

+ Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook

Preferred Qualifications

+ Master's degree from an accredited college or university in education, special education, psychology, counseling, or related field

+ Two or more years of professional experience organizing or implementing trauma-informed and evidence-based prevention and intervention services for children with disabilities.

+ Two or more years working as a special education teacher or paraprofessional.

+ Experience in Applied Behavioral Analysis

+ Physical Demands & Work Conditions

+ This position requires frequent standing, sitting, walking, and using a computer for long periods of time

+ Position works in a child facility and has constant exposure to children

+ Lift, push, pull, move up to 50 lbs.

The physical requirements for this position with or without reasonable accommodation are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this position successfully. While performing this position the employee with or without reasonable accommodation should have the ability to walk, stand, sit, kneel, speak, and hear with aid, see, read, reach with arms and hands, lift and/or move up to specified weight, and use equipment that is essential to performing the job, such as a computer, copier, fax machine, telephone, and automobile, if applicable. Specific vision requirements of this position may include color vision, seeing things close up, and the ability to adjust focus.

ID: 2022-5190

Shift/Hours: 1st Shift

External Company URL: http://www.Upbring.org/

Street: 5501 Ave S

Keywords: Lutheran Social Services of the South, Galveston , Special Programs Specialist, Other , Galveston, Texas