K-4 Elementary Behavior Technician

Saydel Community School District; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Saydel Community School District is seeking a K-4 Elementary Behavior Technician to provide direct support to students and staff, focusing on behavioral regulation and safe learning environments in Cornell Elementary, Des Moines, IA.

You will collaborate with teachers, counselors, and special education staff to respond to incidents, support emotional regulation, and reintegrate students into instruction with a student-centered, non-punitive approach.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with elementary-aged students.
• Ability to remain calm and professional during challenging or emotionally charged situations.
• Ability to communicate effectively with students and adults.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a student-support team.
• Ability to follow established procedures and respond appropriately to changing situations.

Responsibilities

• Respond to requests for behavioral assistance from school staff.
• Provide calm, supportive intervention during emotional difficulties.
• Help students identify emotions, needs, and concerns.
• Use developmentally appropriate strategies to regulate behavior.
• Build positive relationships with students as a supportive adult.
• Reinforce appropriate behaviors and problem-solving.
• Support transfer of skills back to the classroom.
• Use RULER tools to help regulate emotions.
• Provide opportunities to calm, regulate, and reflect after incidents.
• Prevent escalation with proactive strategies.
• Maintain a calm, respectful demeanor in difficult situations.
• Follow district procedures for safety and intervention.
• Seek help from admin when behavior is unsafe.
• Assist with temporary removal from class when directed.
• Escort students to behavior-support spaces.
• Supervise students outside the classroom.
• Maintain supervision and student safety at all times.
• Offer structured opportunities to regulate and reflect.
• Avoid punitive removals; reintegration promptly.
• Support processing incident and re-entry strategies.
• Help students understand impact and future responses.
• Facilitate restorative conversations when appropriate.
• Communicate readiness to return to class.
• Assist with transition back to general education.
• Provide follow-up to prevent repeated concerns.
• Collaborate with teachers, administrators, counselors, and staff.
• Document behavioral incidents and interventions as directed.
• Attend meetings and training on behavior and SEL.
• Maintain confidentiality of student information.

Job description

K-4 Elementary Behavior Technician

Saydel Community School District Cornell Elementary - Des Moines, Iowa Open in Google Maps

Job Details

Job ID: 5912693
Application Deadline: Posted until filled
Posted: Sep 02, 2026 3:18 PM (UTC)

Job Description

K4 Elementary Behavior Technician

Department: Elementary Education / Student Services
Reports To: Building Principal and/or Designee
Work Schedule: Hourly, School-Year Position
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Position Summary

The K4 Elementary Behavior Technician provides direct support to students and staff in managing challenging behaviors and promoting a safe, supportive, and productive learning environment. The Behavior Technician works collaboratively with classroom teachers, administrators, counselors, special education staff, and other student-support personnel to assist students in developing appropriate behavioral and emotional regulation skills.

The Behavior Technician will respond to student behavior concerns, provide support during periods of dysregulation, assist with the temporary removal of students from the classroom when appropriate, supervise students while outside the classroom, utilize RULER tools and other approved strategies to support emotional regulation and de-escalation, and facilitate the student's successful return to the classroom.

The position emphasizes relationship-building, de-escalation, emotional regulation, skill development, and successful reintegration into the learning environment rather than punishment or exclusion.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Student Behavior Support

• Respond to requests for behavioral assistance from classroom teachers and other school staff.
• Provide immediate, calm, and supportive intervention when students are experiencing behavioral or emotional difficulties.
• Assist students in identifying and communicating emotions, needs, and concerns.
• Utilize developmentally appropriate strategies to help students regulate emotions and behavior.
• Build positive relationships with students and serve as a consistent, supportive adult.
• Reinforce appropriate behaviors, problem-solving skills, and positive decision-making.
• Support students in developing skills that can be transferred back to the classroom and other school settings.

De-escalation and Regulation

• Utilize RULER tools and strategies to assist students with identifying, understanding, and regulating emotions.
• Provide students with appropriate opportunities to calm, regulate, and process following behavioral incidents.
• Use proactive and preventative strategies to reduce escalation when possible.
• Maintain a calm, respectful, and supportive demeanor during challenging situations.
• Follow district and building procedures regarding student safety, crisis response, and behavioral intervention.
• Seek assistance from administration and/or designated staff when student behavior presents a safety concern or exceeds the employee's role or training.

Classroom Removal and Supervision

• Assist with the temporary removal of students from the classroom when directed by a teacher, administrator, or designated student-support staff member.
• Escort or accompany students to an identified behavior-support or regulation space.
• Supervise students while they are outside the general education classroom.
• Maintain appropriate supervision and ensure student safety at all times.
• Provide students with structured opportunities to regulate, reflect, and process their behavior.
• Avoid using removal from the classroom as a punitive measure and work toward the student's return to instruction as soon as reasonably appropriate.

Student Re-Entry and Restoration

• Support students in processing the incident and identifying strategies for successful re-entry.
• Help students understand the impact of their behavior and identify more appropriate responses for future situations.
• Facilitate restorative conversations when appropriate and within the employee's training and role.
• Communicate with the classroom teacher regarding the student's readiness to return.
• Assist the student in successfully transitioning back to the general education classroom.
• Provide follow-up support as appropriate to help prevent repeated behavioral concerns.

Collaboration and Communication

• Work collaboratively with classroom teachers, administrators, counselors, special education staff, and other student-support personnel.
• Communicate relevant information regarding student behavior, interventions, and outcomes to appropriate staff.
• Maintain appropriate documentation of behavioral incidents, interventions, and student support as directed by the district.
• Participate in meetings, professional development, and training related to student behavior, social-emotional learning, RULER, de-escalation, and crisis prevention as assigned.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding student information and follow all applicable district policies, procedures, and legal requirements.

Other Responsibilities

• Assist with implementing individual student behavior plans and other interventions as directed by qualified staff.
• Support school-wide behavioral expectations and social-emotional learning practices.
• Assist with other student-support duties as assigned by the building principal or designee.
• Perform other duties consistent with the position and as assigned.

Qualifications

Required

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with elementary-aged students.
• Ability to remain calm and professional during challenging or emotionally charged situations.
• Ability to communicate effectively with students and adults.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a student-support team.
• Ability to follow established procedures and respond appropriately to changing situations.

Preferred

• Previous experience working with elementary-aged students.
• Experience working with students with behavioral, emotional, or social needs.
• Experience with de-escalation or crisis-prevention strategies.
• Experience with social-emotional learning practices.
• Experience with RULER or similar emotional-regulation frameworks.
• Previous experience in a school, childcare, youth-services, or related setting.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to:

• Build trusting and respectful relationships with students.
• Recognize signs of student dysregulation and respond appropriately.
• Use positive behavior supports and developmentally appropriate interventions.
• Apply de-escalation strategies effectively.
• Help students identify and communicate emotions.
• Model appropriate emotional regulation and problem-solving.
• Maintain appropriate boundaries with students.
• Exercise sound judgment while following established procedures.
• Work effectively with teachers and other school personnel.
• Maintain accurate and confidential student information.
• Respond appropriately during potentially stressful or unpredictable situations.

Physical Requirements

The employee may be required to:

• Move throughout the school building and grounds.
• Stand, walk, bend, kneel, sit, and occasionally move quickly in response to student needs.
• Maintain visual and/or physical proximity to students requiring behavioral support.
• Assist with student safety in accordance with district-approved training and procedures.
• Occasionally work in situations involving elevated student behavior, including yelling, crying, throwing objects, or other forms of dysregulation.

The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Work Environment

The K4 Elementary Behavior Technician works primarily in an elementary school environment and may work in classrooms, hallways, designated regulation spaces, playgrounds, and other school settings. The position may involve frequent interaction with students experiencing emotional or behavioral dysregulation and requires the ability to remain calm, patient, and professional in unpredictable situations.

Position Expectations

• Prioritize student safety and emotional regulation.
• Preserve student dignity and maintain respectful interactions.
• Use removal from the classroom only when appropriate and in accordance with district procedures.
• Focus on teaching and reinforcing replacement behaviors rather than simply responding to inappropriate behavior.
• Support students in returning to instruction as quickly and successfully as reasonably possible.
• Collaborate with classroom staff rather than functioning as a separate disciplinary system.
• Use RULER and other district-approved strategies consistently to support emotional awareness and regulation.
• Maintain clear professional boundaries and confidentiality.

Position Type: Full-time

Job Categories:

Classroom Teacher > Elementary

Special Education > Behavior Specialist / EBD

Support Staff > Maintenance

Contact Information

• Alex Stubbers
• 5740 NE 14th Street
• Des Moines, Iowa 50313
• Phone: [phone]
• Email: [e-mail]