Director of Behavior Support

Lee Montessori Public Charter School•Washington, DC

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Lee Montessori is seeking a Director of Behavior Support to lead behavior and student wellness at its East End campus in Ward 8, serving children in grades Pre-K3 through 6. The Director is a member of the campus leadership team, reports to the Principal, supervises the campus behavior and related services team, and works closely with the Campus Director of Special Education and families to help ensure students feel safe, regulated, and ready to learn. This is a 12-month position beginning as soon as possible. The Director leads campus behavioral and social-emotional supports, including the campus behavior system across Tiers 1–3, aligned with Lee Montessori’s Montessori and Anti-Bias/Anti-Racist commitments. The role includes coaching and training staff, conducting FBAs, developing and monitoring BIPs, reviewing student data, and providing direct counseling or behavior support when needed, including IEP services. The Director also responds to behavioral and mental health emergencies, leads post-incident debriefs, partners with families, supports attendance efforts, oversees McKinney-Vento supports in partnership with the social worker, and manages referrals to outside services. The position requires a master’s or doctoral degree in a relevant field and a current qualifying license or certification. Candidates must have at least five years of experience in school settings, experience with IEPs, FBAs, and BIPs, and crisis-intervention training or willingness to complete approved training. The salary range is $95,000–$115,000, based on experience. Lee Montessori PCS offers a competitive compensation and benefits package.

Requirements

Master’s or doctoral degree in social work, counseling, school psychology, applied behavior analysis, or a related field.
Current, valid license or certification as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), certified School Psychologist, or Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
At least five years of experience working in school settings.
Experience working with IEPs, including developing and implementing IEP goals and services.
Experience conducting Functional Behavior Assessments and writing Behavior Intervention Plans.
Training in crisis intervention, including physical restraint, or willingness to complete approved training.
Ability to stay calm and make sound decisions in high-stress situations.
Ability to build trusting relationships with students, families, and staff, and communicate effectively across a multidisciplinary team.
Commitment to meeting the needs of a diverse student population and to ongoing personal learning.
Excellent time-management skills, flexibility, and ability to work independently and problem-solve.
Adherence to high professional and ethical standards.
Commitment to Lee Montessori’s mission and vision.
Ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods throughout classrooms and the school building.
Ability to lift up to 45 pounds at a time.
Ability to respond quickly to student emergencies anywhere on campus and safely perform physical restraint when necessary, following approved training.
Ability to sit and stand on the floor throughout the day and bend, kneel, or squat to be at eye level with children.

Nice To Haves

Experience supervising adults.
Montessori school experience; training will be provided.
Experience with trauma-informed and restorative practices.

Responsibilities

Serve as a member of the East End campus leadership team, report to the Principal, and contribute to campus-wide decisions about culture, safety, and student support.
Supervise, coach, and evaluate the campus student wellness team, including the behavior interventionist, ABA therapists, social worker, and other assigned team members; coordinate with other team members.
Direct the day-to-day work of the Department of Behavioral Health contract school-based clinician on campus in coordination with the outside contractor, which retains clinical supervision.
Ensure related services required by students’ IEPs are scheduled and delivered, and that providers document services accurately and on time.
Coordinate with the Campus Director of Special Education on evaluations, services, and supports for students with disabilities.
Lead the campus behavior system across Tiers 1–3 in alignment with Lee Montessori’s Montessori and Anti-Bias/Anti-Racist commitments.
Coach staff on classroom-level behavior support, including prepared-environment strategies, co-regulation, and de-escalation.
Train staff on the FAIR Behavior Intervention Plan framework, ABC data collection, and crisis prevention.
Conduct Functional Behavior Assessments and develop, monitor, and revise Behavior Intervention Plans for students with and without IEPs.
Use behavior, incident, and attendance data to identify students needing support, monitor progress, and adjust interventions.
Provide direct counseling or behavior support to students as needed, including IEP services.
Respond to student behavioral and mental health emergencies, lead de-escalation, and coordinate with campus leadership, families, and outside responders as needed.
Perform physical restraint only as a last resort to prevent imminent harm, in accordance with school policy, approved training, and applicable law; ensure required documentation and family notification are completed.
Lead post-incident debriefs with staff after significant incidents, document follow-up actions, and ensure those actions are completed.
Partner with families on student wellness through family meetings, strategies for home, and connections to community resources.
Collaborate on team efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism.
Oversee McKinney-Vento supports for students and families experiencing housing instability, in partnership with the social worker.
Manage referrals to outside mental health, medical, and social services, and follow up to ensure families are connected.
Perform other duties as assigned.