Executive Function Coach in Houston, Texas at THE MONARCH SCHOOL INC.

The Monarch School and Institute provides an innovative, therapeutic education for individuals with neurological differences—such as those associated with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder, learning disabilities, Tourette syndrome, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, traumatic brain injury, and seizure disorders. We offer a learner-centered approach that helps students progress in Four Core Goal areas.

The Executive Function Coach serves on the interdisciplinary team made up of other professionals to provide student support services. The Executive Function Coach team member’s primary responsibility is the fulfillment of the psychology services program consistent with the mission of The Monarch School. This person is supervised by the Program Director and is considered a member of the Integrated Coaching Team and the day school faculty.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• Minimum requirements – Master’s degree in psychology, counseling, social work, education, applied behavior analysis, or related field; OR may be enrolled in a Master’s program in psychology, counseling, social work, education, applied behavior analysis, or related field.

SKILLS

• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills

• Ability to instruct and work with students/adults and manage their behavior

• Ability to collaborate and build strong relationships with colleagues and students

• Flexibility and ability to manage multiple roles and demands throughout the day

EXPECTATIONS

• Executive Function Coach will learn and implement the Monarch Integrated Methodology in order to strengthen relationship development with all students.

• Successfully completes and maintains required Safety-Care training and consistently implements approved prevention, de-escalation, protective, and crisis-response practices. Uses physical management only when trained, authorized, and necessary under applicable student plans, school procedures, and law.

• Admissions:

• Assists Program Directors (PDs) with the admissions process by reviewing relevant application materials, supporting applicants during the day visit, and gathering information from Professional Educators to discuss with the admissions team.

• Reviews assessment or admissions documents and briefs Professional Educators on individual strengths and needs of each student. This will occur before the first day of school, upon admission, and after reevaluations are acquired.

• Working from the Monarch Levels System objectives, leads the treatment team (professional educators, parents, and students) in the development of a treatment plan that incorporates:

• Learner strengths

• Targets/objectives/skills within the 4 Core Goals™

• Methods to monitor student progress

• Support plans to promote success in the classroom and at home through the 4 Core Goals™

• Specific tasks and practice areas/zones in order to promote development in the Four Core Goals™

• Supports student growth through individualized interventions, which may include:

• Weekly coaching sessions for assigned students

• Modeling/role-play/direct teaching

• Implementing curriculum that aligns with the 4 Core Goals™ in assigned classrooms

• Development and monitoring of home/school plans

• In-vivo support of learners within the academic environment:

• Prevention, de-escalation, crisis response, and post-incident support consistent with the employee’s training and assigned responsibilities

• Clinical decisions about crisis situations/crisis response

• Suicide/risk assessment

• Helping students with self-care/accidents

• Student support as needed (regulation, self-care, development, etc.)

• Direct services to students and teachers; push-in support for students and modeling for teachers

• Collaboration:

• Executive Function Coaches collaborate with the Therapy Services department to ensure consistent language, actions, and experiences for our students to support their academic, behavioral, emotional, and social needs

• Supports opportunities for student progress by building positive relationships and bridging opportunities between the programs within the day school

• Provides Professional Educators meaningful feedback to enhance implementation of the treatment plan and The Monarch School methodology

• Supports Professional Educators in the development and implementation of all matters related to intervention within the 4 Core Goals™

• Coordinates with outside professionals, given appropriate parental consent

• Communicates with parents/caregivers regarding student progress in a professional, timely manner

• Supports Professional Educators with carpool (starting and supporting throughout), field trips, and other activities as needed

• Meetings and documentation:

• Coordinates team meetings with parents

• Attends all required student staffing, in-services, and meetings as directed

• Assists in the development of therapeutic services statements as directed

• Submits reports in a timely manner as directed

• Keeps accurate and timely coaching, meeting, and consultation notes

• Training:

• Receives supervision and carries out suggested actions/changes

• Participates in presentations, demonstrations, and literature review on educational and 4 Core Goals™

• Attends professional development as requested

• Actively participates in a training environment for graduate students and models professional and ethical behavior for these trainees

• Administrative:

• Coordinates data collection and interpretation for student progress monitoring

• Supports educational faculty in development and implementation of schedules, field trips, and large group activities

• Attend all necessary school functions and student social events after school as directed

• Presence at student Camp for All retreats twice a year required

• Helps to recruit new students and faculty to Monarch in course of travels through the community

• Other duties as assigned

WORKING CONDITIONS AND ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The Executive Function Coach works directly with students who may experience significant emotional or behavioral dysregulation. At times, student behavior may be unpredictable and may include elopement or attempted elopement, pushing, hitting, punching, kicking, scratching, biting, hair pulling, grabbing, throwing objects, dropping to the floor, body slamming, or other potentially dangerous behavior. These behaviors may create a risk of physical contact or injury even when appropriate safety procedures are followed.

The essential functions of the Executive Function Coach position include the following. A qualified employee must be able to perform these functions, with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Remain attentive to the environment and respond promptly when a student demonstrates signs of escalation, unsafe behavior, or attempted elopement.

• Move quickly throughout classrooms, hallways, outdoor areas, stairs, and other school or community settings to maintain appropriate supervision and respond to safety concerns.

• Maintain balance and stability while standing, walking, turning, changing direction, kneeling, stooping, bending, crouching, or moving between the floor and a standing position.

• Maintain sufficient mobility, strength, coordination, and situational awareness to protect personal safety and support the safety of students and others during behavioral incidents.

• Use trained positioning, blocking, redirection, disengagement, and other approved protective techniques when responding to grabbing, pushing, hitting, hair pulling, scratching, or similar behavior.

• Follow a student’s individualized support plan, safety plan, crisis-response procedures, and the principles and techniques taught through Monarch-approved Safety-Care training.

• Use prevention, relationship-based support, environmental modification, verbal de-escalation, regulation strategies, and other nonrestrictive interventions whenever reasonably possible.

• Summon assistance, maintain appropriate supervision, and follow established emergency and incident-response procedures when a situation cannot be managed safely by one employee.

• Participate in physical management or restrictive intervention only when trained and authorized to do so and when permitted by applicable policy, the student’s plan, and law. Physical intervention is not the routine or preferred response to challenging behavior.

• Assist students with self-care, accidents, transitions, mobility, and regulation needs while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and student dignity.

• Lift, carry, push, pull, or reposition materials, classroom equipment, and adaptive equipment weighing up to 40 pounds.

• Work for extended periods involving frequent standing, walking, reaching, bending, kneeling, stooping, and movement throughout the campus.

Employees must not use unapproved physical techniques, excessive force, punishment, or physical intervention for convenience or as a substitute for appropriate behavioral support. Employees are not expected to place themselves in circumstances involving an imminent and unreasonable risk of serious injury. When conditions exceed the employee’s training or ability to respond safely, the employee must disengage when feasible, obtain assistance, protect other students, and follow Monarch’s emergency-response procedures.

Successful completion and continued maintenance of required Safety-Care or other Monarch-approved crisis-prevention and response training is an essential requirement of the position. Employees must demonstrate competency in the techniques they are authorized to perform and immediately report all injuries, physical assaults, safety concerns, and uses of physical management in accordance with school policy.

The position may involve work in classrooms, offices, outdoor areas, community settings, vehicles, field-trip locations, and overnight retreat environments. Working conditions may include noise, competing demands, emotionally charged situations, unpredictable student behavior, and time-sensitive safety decisions. The employee must be able to remain calm, exercise sound judgment, communicate clearly, and follow established safety procedures during stressful situations.

The Monarch School and Institute will consider reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees in accordance with applicable law.