Education Counselor

The Ivy Street School:

The Ivy Street School is a small, year-round, private residential special education school committed to advancing equity and access for young people living with disabilities. We serve neurodiverse adolescents ages 13-22. We support the whole child through a student-first model that is driven by collaboration, a willingness to think big, and a commitment to knowing our students wel

We believe that every student is exceptional and at Ivy Street, we work tirelessly to create the educational and therapeutic conditions for our students to thrive. As a community, we are focused on the immediate needs of our scholars with an unwavering eye on their future needs and the concrete plans to achieve it. Our multidisciplinary team works to create rich and meaningful experiences that will nurture learning and prepare our students for their transition into adulthood and independent living. While our classrooms have four walls, we consider Boston our second classroom and our students are often making meaning and deepening learning throughout the city.

Overview:

School employees enjoy a supportive environment and the opportunity to work, learn and grow alongside an expert multidisciplinary team. Our Education Counselors benefit from working closely with Social Workers, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Special Education Teachers, and Nurses and seek career path advice from team members.

We are seeking a creative, empathic, and flexible Education Counselor who has a passion for supporting young people and a desire to participate in professional development opportunities in the field of human services. Ivy Street School is driven by trauma-informed care (the ARC model), and we use Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Restorative Justice to support positive behavior development and deepen character. Our organization is committed to deepening its work in anti-racism and seeks team members who are committed to that fight. The primary role of the Education Counselor is to partner with the master’s level Social Worker and Special Education Teacher assigned to their classroom to support student IEP progress as well as implement CPI, PBIS and ARC therapeutic interventions.

Education Counselors are charged with supporting students in strengthening the skills that will allow them to achieve their greatest level of independence (education, career and personal). Education Counselors receive individual clinical supervision and coaching by a master’s level Social Worker as well as peer and large group professional development opportunities. The Education Counselor works alongside a special education teacher in a classroom of 6-8 students and on a multi-disciplinary team of social workers, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, nurses and more. The position involves supporting students in learning academics, life skills, and emotion regulation, through implementing our therapeutic frameworks, and participating in treatment interventions and individual learning needs. At the core, it involves driving outcomes and supporting young people in developing the skills and tools they need to successfully transition into their adult lives.

Job Description:

• In conjunction with the classroom teacher, assist with the implementation of students’ learning programs and provide classroom supervision – I.E Support learning and help students access content and skill development by coaching the classroom and providing 1:1 supports to help redirect learning.
• Maintain a safe and therapeutic learning environment and provide individualized supports to students based on learning and treatment needs
• Support students with daily stressors using therapeutic frameworks supported by Ivy Street including PBIS and the ARC Framework of Trauma-Informed Care
• Engage with students throughout all daily activities and lessons and support them in accessing school programming – make learning fun and joyful. Help build and strengthen students’ relationships with skill building and academic success.
• Provide one-on-one support to students in or outside the classroom as needed
• With support, become familiar with your students’ goals as defined in their IEP
• With the support and coaching from a master’s level Social Worker, serve on students’ treatment teams, providing insight for interventions and support
• Complete program communication and documentation requirements, including daily student progress summaries, incident reports, etc.
• With the support and guidance from a master’s level Social Worker, lead electives and group activities
• Assist with facilitating off campus school trips to enhance skills in the community
• Develop positive relationships with families and communicate effectively
• Participate in crisis intervention as needed
• Support students in building morning routines and increasing their independence
• Work closely with Education Counselor team to provide milieu support and engage students
• Believe that every person has the agency to build a life that brings them joy. Help them build the skills that will help them achieve it

Qualifications:

• B.A. or B.S. in Special Education, Education, Psychology, Social Work, Expressive Therapies, or related field

Competencies & Skills:

• Demonstrates proficiency at both understanding and implementing CPI, ARC and PBIS models of treatment
• Demonstrates consistent professionalism and ability to develop and maintain safe and effective student/staff relationships
• Demonstrates a desire to increase comfortability to give and receive feedback
• Excellent time and attendance
• Ability to work collaboratively on a team
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Previous experience preferred, but not required
• Some holiday shifts required
• A background check, drug and alcohol test will be performed prior to start

Licensure, Certification Required

• CPR and First Aid required, offered upon hire
• A valid driver’s license

Benefits:

The Ivy Street School offers a competitive benefits package including a generous earned time package, health, dental, short, and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, retirement savings plan, and employee discount programs. Free parking is available at the school. Meals are provided during the shift by our culinary team.

Visit our website www.ivystreetschool.org

MAB Community Services is committed to workplace diversity, and candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Frequent walking, standing, and driving. Must be able to maintain a high level of energy in a fast-paced environment. Must be able to lift and/or carry lightweight and moderately heavy objects. Must be able to assist in lifting and transferring participants. Must be able to implement safety restraint procedures in response to emergencies or treatment plans and apply First Aid and CPR

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In accordance with MAB’s ADA policy, MAB will engage in an interactive dialogue with individuals to determine if the essential functions of the position may be fulfilled with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $21/hour

Schedule: 40 hours/week – Monday – Friday 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM