Director of Behavior Support

Lee Montessori Public Charter School; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 95,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Lee Montessori Public Charter School is seeking a Director of Behavior Support to lead behavior and student wellness at our East End campus in Ward 8, serving Pre-K3 through 6. You will supervise the behavior and related services team, coordinate with the SPED team, and partner with families to keep students safe and ready to learn.

The role includes leading MTSS, crisis response, and family partnership initiatives, with a 12-month schedule and a competitive compensation package.

Qualifications

• Master's or doctoral degree in social work, counseling, school psychology, ABA, or related field.
• Active license or certification (LICSW/LGSW/LPC, School Psychologist, BCBA).
• Minimum of five years of experience in school settings.
• Experience with IEPs, including developing and implementing goals and services.
• Experience conducting FBAs and writing BIPs.
• Crisis intervention training or willingness to complete approved training.

Responsibilities

• Lead campus behavior system across Tiers 1-3, aligned with Montessori commitments.
• Supervise and coach the campus wellness team and related services staff.
• Coordinate with the Campus Director of Special Education for evaluations, services, and supports.
• Respond to student behavioral and mental health emergencies; de-escalate and coordinate with families and responders.
• Partner with families to support student wellness and reduce absenteeism; oversee McKinney-Vento supports.
• Manage referrals to external mental health, medical, and social services.

Skills

Strong communication

Crisis intervention

Relationship building

Time management

Independent work

Education

Master's or doctoral degree in social work, counseling, school psychology, ABA, or related field

Job description

Director of Behavior Support Position Description

Lee Montessori is seeking a Director of Behavior Support to lead behavior and student wellness at our East End campus in Ward 8, serving children in grades Pre-K3 through 6. A member of the campus leadership team reporting to the Principal, the Director of Behavior Support leads the campus's behavioral and social-emotional supports, supervises the campus behavior and related services team, and works closely with the Campus Director of Special Education and with families so that every child feels safe, regulated, and ready to learn. This is a 12-month position beginning as soon as possible.

Major Responsibilities

Campus Leadership and Supervision

• Serves as a member of the East End campus leadership team, reporting to the Principal and contributing to campus-wide decisions on culture, safety, and student support.
• Supervises, coaches, and evaluates the campus student wellness team, including the behavior interventionist, ABA therapists, social worker, and other team members as assigned; coordinates with other team members.
• Directs the day-to-day work of the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH)'s contract school-based clinician on campus, in coordination with the outside contractor, which retains clinical supervision.
• Ensures related services are scheduled and delivered as required by students' IEPs, and that providers document services accurately and on time.
• Works closely with the Campus Director of Special Education, who leads IEP development, compliance, and timelines, to coordinate evaluations, services, and supports for students with disabilities.

Behavior and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

• Leads the campus behavior system across Tiers 1-3, aligned with Lee Montessori's Montessori and Anti-Bias/Anti-Racist commitments.
• Coaches staff on classroom-level behavior support, including prepared-environment strategies, co-regulation, and de-escalation.
• Trains staff on Lee Montessori's FAIR Behavior Intervention Plan framework, ABC data collection, and crisis prevention.
• Conducts Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and develops, monitors, and revises Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) for students with and without IEPs.
• Uses behavior, incident, and attendance data to identify students who need support, monitor progress, and adjust interventions.
• Provides direct counseling or behavior support to students as needed, including IEP services.

Crisis Response and Safety

• Responds to student behavioral and mental health emergencies on campus, leading de-escalation and coordinating with campus leadership, families, and outside responders as needed.
• Performs physical restraint when necessary, only as a last resort to prevent imminent harm, in accordance with Lee Montessori policy, approved training, and applicable law; ensures required documentation and family notification are completed.
• Owns the campus post-incident debrief protocol: leads debriefs with staff after significant incidents, documents follow-up actions, and ensures they are completed.

Family Partnership and Attendance

• Partners with families to support student wellness, including family meetings, strategies for home, and connections to community resources.
• Collaborates on team efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism.
• Oversees McKinney-Vento supports for students and families experiencing housing instability, in partnership with the social worker.
• Manages referrals to outside mental health, medical, and social services, and follows up to make sure families are connected.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Hold a master's or doctoral degree in social work, counseling, school psychology, applied behavior analysis, or a related field.
• Hold a current, valid license or certification as one of the following: Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), certified School Psychologist, or Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
• Have a minimum of five years of experience working in school settings.
• Have experience working with IEPs, including developing and implementing IEP goals and services.
• Have experience conducting FBAs and writing BIPs.
• Be trained in crisis intervention, including physical restraint, or be willing to complete approved training.
• Stay calm and make sound decisions in high-stress situations.
• Build trusting relationships with students, families, and staff, and communicate effectively across a multi-disciplinary team.
• Be committed to meeting the needs of a diverse student population, and committed to their own learning.
• Have excellent time management skills, flexibility, and the ability to work independent/problem solve.
• Adhere to a high level of professional and ethical standards.
• Have a commitment to Lee Montessori's mission and vision.

Preferred:

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

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range is from $95,000 - $115,000
based on experience. This is a 12-month position. Lee Montessori PCS offers an extremely competitive compensation and benefits package.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of standing and walking throughout the classroom and school building.
• Must be able to lift up to 45 pounds at a time.
• Must be able to respond quickly to student emergencies anywhere on campus and to safely perform physical restraint when necessary, following approved training.
• Must be able to sit and stand on the floor throughout the day, and bend, kneel, or squat to be at eye level with children.

EEO Statement

Lee Montessori Public Charter School strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBT individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply. Lee Montessori is an equal-opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.