Assistant Director, Therapeutic Day School Program

Summary of position: Under the direction of the Director of Residential and Educational Milieu Services, provide leadership and oversight of the daily operations of the educational milieu portion of Walker’s Res Ed program.  Must have excellent skills for working with children (grades K-8) who present with serious behavioral and mental health challenges.  Must have strong skills in behavioral support and in recreational programming.  Must have excellent communication, organization, and supervision skills.  Must be willing to work flexible schedule with weekend and evening hours as needed for events and to support campus safety. Must be committed to child centered, family focused culturally competent care and strength-based treatment. 

Education and Licensure 

Required: Bachelor’s degree in related field. 

Experience 

Required: Three years of child care experience, in a residential or special education setting. Two years of supervisory experience in similar setting. Strong skills in supervision and collaboration with adults, recreational programming, and crisis intervention. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong customer service skills. Experience with Department of Early Education and Care residential licensing standards. 

Preferred: Familiarity with DESE restraint reporting  

Abilities 

Required: Ability to be flexible and work collaboratively. Ability to respond to and lead in emergency situations quickly and safely. Ability to work in stressful and fast paced environment. Must understand child development, and the impact of emotional, behavioral, and learning disabilities. Must understand issues of confidentiality. Must be receptive to supervision and professional development. Ability to work and stand for extended periods of time. Job may require stooping, bending, stretching, and lifting. Job requires energy and stamina. Job requires the ability to perform therapeutic physical restraint as needed. 

Essential functions:  

1. Provide individual and team supervision for Direct Care Supervisors, and additional Special Education Support staff and relief staff as needed.  Hire, train and evaluate staff performance; oversee disciplinary action and terminations. Oversee payroll.   2.

2. Coordinate with the Director of Residential and Educational Milieu Services, Assistant Director of Residential Milieu Services and Residential Supervisors on a regular basis to ensure collaboration and continuity of best practices in programming  

3. As a member of the management team, participate in drafting and revising program policies and procedures, monitor the implementation of Walker policies and guidelines. Ensure that the ResEd schools operate within DESE approval standards at all times. 

4. Coordinate and provide training for staff members; ensure that all school staff regularly complete required trainings and training hours. 5.

5. Provide direct therapeutic care to the children and TCI crisis intervention as needed including the use of restraints; assume a leadership role in managing emergency situations 

6. Oversee assignment of Special Education Support Staff to classrooms, work with the leadership team to ensure adequate staffing each day, including coordination of undergraduate interns 

7. Manage school transportation for all day students, coordinating of vans, contact with transportation companies, implementation of search plans and confiscation of student’s electronic devices; ensure safe arrival to school every morning of all residential students 8.

8. Provide administrative on-call coverage for the campus on a rotating basis 

9. Review and sign off on all restraint incident reports; participate in the gathering of information for incidents as needed; responsible for debrief of incidents as required; responsible for DESE restraint reporting requirements. 

10. Participate in MDT (multi-disciplinary team meetings); develop and oversee implementation of behavior support system with Res Ed leadership team. Monitor the effectiveness of behavior support strategies and make recommendation for individualized support plans and incentives. 1.

11. Ensure a therapeutic environment on the mil