Behavior Support Educator

apollo-after-school; Washington; On-site; USD 34,000 - 49,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

$30/hour

Monday–Friday afternoon schedule

Professional development

Training and ongoing support

Supportive team environment

Work-life balance

Job summary

Apollo After School is seeking a compassionate Behavior Support Educator to provide individualized help for school-age children, including those who are neurodivergent. The role focuses on positive, strength-based approaches in a safe after-school setting in Washington DC.

You will work with the team to support participation in activities, routines, transitions, and social interactions, applying de-escalation, visual supports, and co-regulation techniques as needed.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and at least 18 years old.
• At least 1 year of experience working with school-age children.
• Experience supporting neurodivergent children strongly preferred.
• Experience with autism, ADHD, developmental or sensory needs preferred.
• Background in special education, behavioral support, or related fields is a plus.
• Familiarity with positive behavior support and de-escalation techniques.

Responsibilities

• Provide individualized behavioral, emotional, social, or sensory support.
• Assist neurodivergent children to participate in after-school activities and routines.
• Support transitions, group activities, and peer interactions.
• Recognize signs of dysregulation and respond proactively with strategies.
• Utilize positive behavior support, co-regulation, and visual supports.
• Help children build self-regulation, communication, and social-emotional skills.
• Support children in communicating needs and preferences.
• Provide calm, consistent support during challenging moments.
• Reinforce positive behaviors and celebrate progress.
• Adapt activities or environment to enable participation.
• Maintain a safe, inclusive, and structured after-school environment.
• Collaborate with Site Director and educators; follow individual plans.
• Share observations and strategies with program leadership while maintaining confidentiality.

Skills

Neurodivergent support

Special education

Behavioral support

Co-regulation

Visual schedules

First/Then strategies

Sensory supports

Observation skills

Calm demeanor

Communication

Education

High school diploma

Job description

Behavior Support Educator – Immediate Start!

Washington DC

$30/hour

2026–2027 School Year

Monday–Friday | 3:00 PM TO 6:00 PM (schedules might vary according to location)

Apollo After School is seeking a caring, patient, and experienced Behavior Support Educator to provide individualized support for school-age children, including children who are neurodivergent and may have autism, ADHD, sensory-processing differences, developmental differences, communication needs, or challenges with emotional and behavioral regulation.

This position is ideal for someone who understands that behavior is communication and knows how to support children with different learning, sensory, social, and emotional needs in a positive, respectful, and strengths-based way.

You will work alongside our after-school team to help children successfully participate in activities, routines, peer interactions, transitions, and the overall after-school environment.

What You’ll Do

• Provide individualized support to children who may need additional behavioral, emotional, social, sensory, or developmental support
• Support neurodivergent children in successfully participating in the after-school program
• Help children navigate transitions, changes in routine, group activities, and peer interactions
• Recognize signs of sensory overload, frustration, anxiety, dysregulation, or escalating behavior and respond proactively
• Use positive behavior-support, co-regulation, redirection, visual supports, choices, and other developmentally appropriate strategies
• Help children build self-regulation, communication, social-emotional, and problem-solving skills
• Support children in identifying and communicating their needs appropriately
• Provide calm, consistent support during challenging moments
• Reinforce positive behaviors and celebrate children’s individual strengths and progress
• Help adapt activities, expectations, or the environment when appropriate so children can participate successfully
• Maintain a safe, predictable, structured, and inclusive environment
• Collaborate closely with the Site Director, classroom educators, school personnel, and Apollo leadership
• Follow individualized support strategies or accommodation plans provided for participating students
• Communicate observations, strategies, successes, and concerns appropriately with program leadership
• Maintain confidentiality regarding student needs and information

We’re Looking for Someone Who Has

• A high school diploma or equivalent and is at least 18 years old
• At least 1 year of experience working with school-age children
• Experience supporting neurodivergent children strongly preferred
• Experience working with children with autism, ADHD, developmental disabilities, sensory needs, emotional regulation challenges, or behavioral support needs strongly preferred
• Experience in special education, behavioral support, paraprofessional support, therapeutic recreation, childcare, social work, psychology, ABA, or a related setting is a plus
• Familiarity with positive behavior support, de-escalation, co-regulation, visual schedules, first/then strategies, sensory supports, or similar approaches
• The ability to remain calm, patient, and supportive during challenging behaviors
• Strong observation and problem-solving skills
• The ability to build trusting relationships while maintaining clear and consistent boundaries
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Dependability and the ability to work independently when providing additional support to a child
• A genuine commitment to inclusion and helping every child feel successful and supported

This Role May Be a Great Fit for

• Special education paraprofessionals
• Intervention specialists or intervention specialist students
• Behavioral technicians or behavioral support staff
• Psychology, social work, education, occupational therapy, or related college students and graduates
• Experienced childcare professionals who have worked extensively with neurodivergent children
• Professionals experienced in autism support, ADHD support, sensory regulation, or social-emotional learning

Perks

• $30/hour
• Monday–Friday afternoon schedule
• Professional development
• Training and ongoing supportSupportive team environment
• Opportunity to make a direct impact in a child’s daily experience
• Work-life balance

About Apollo After School

Apollo After School provides engaging, safe, and enriching after-school programming for school-age children. We believe successful programs are inclusive programs, and we are committed to creating environments where children with different abilities, learning styles, communication styles, and support needs can participate and thrive.

Apollo After School or Chess Wizards is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.