Assistant Support Staff Supervisor - Shrub Oak International School

Shrub Oak International School (SOIS) is a private, special education boarding and day school preparing students on the Autism Spectrum to lead more independent and meaningful lives. We serve the sophisticated needs of a domestic and international co-ed population. Our innovative relationship-based model grounded in evidence-based principles builds on students' strengths and interests, maximizing therapeutic and learning opportunities. Our renowned experts work with students to individualize life and development paths based on each student’s specific needs and interests. Each student’s team of clinicians, teachers, and campus- life staff collaborate closely to address the student’s issues quickly and reinforce therapies and learning paths, so that the student progresses more rapidly. Our modern, technology-infused facility is set on 127 acres of agriculture and farmland where students learn in a natural environment full of sensory experiences.  

The Pines at Shrub Oak is a 24-bed, coeducational, interim residential placement for students on the autism spectrum who may need significant psychiatric support and stabilization before transitioning to a less restrictive environment. Students at the Pines receive psychiatric services in addition to the academic and life skills instruction in a safe, supportive environment with a 2:1 student to staff ratio.  

 Position Summary  

The Assistant Support Staff Supervisor is a year-round, full-time, non-live-in position reporting to the Support Staff Supervisor.  In collaboration with other members of The Pines leadership team, the Supervisor provides front line administrative support for daily operations, while providing direct supervision to a team of Direct Support Professionals (DSP’s) who work a specific shared shift schedule. The Assistant Supervisor is responsible for guiding and mentoring a team of staff, ensuring appropriate supervision and support is maintained, assisting with emergency response procedures, and collaborating with all members of the Shrub Oak staff.  The Assistant Supervisor works closely with colleagues to create/maintain an inclusive community and foster specific skill development to meet the individualized needs of Shrub Oak’s student population. The Assistant Support Staff Supervisor will also hold shared responsibility for creating and maintaining a DBT milieu within The Pines, and will support, and help facilitate DBT skills groups for youth. Having access to confidential information regarding Shrub Oak and its students, discretion and independent judgement is required.   

Essential Functions – Primary Responsibilities of the Position 

• Provides oversight of the operations and programming for a designated shift schedule with a specific cohort of youth within The Pines. 

• Responsible for supporting the Support Staff Supervisor with scheduling of DSP staff, within their designated shift schedule, to ensure appropriate coverage  

• Directly supervise and manage the performance of DSPs during their assigned evening or overnight schedule, wiith the goal of developing staff generally, and individually based upon their particular developmental needs  

• Provide regularly occurring individual and group supervision for assigned DSP’s 

• Work collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary co-lead team to provide comprehensive care and treatment to students in assigned cohort 

• Work closely with teachers, clinicians, recreation staff, and medical staff to ensure active staff involvement in therapeutic programming, group facilitation, and execution of interventions designed to help accomplish treatment goals 

• Work collaboratively with other program Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors to ensure optimal programming and staffing coverage throughout The Pines 

• Provide support surrounding urgent matters including staffing concerns and crisis management. 

• Assist Support Staff Supervisor with hiring DSP staff for assigned shift and student cohort 

• Work with Supervisor to mentor and orient new staff within cohort and train others to perform those responsibilities for growth and development   

• Work directly, and coach DSP staff to manage challenging behaviors safely and respectfully with the goal of teaching students' alternative productive behaviors   

• Develop and maintain trusting relationships with students, and tailor programming to students’ unique interests, needs, and goals 

• Explain, enforce and support all policies and procedures ensuring an inclusive and respectful community, that promotes self-advocacy, collaboration, and independence   

• Complete administrative tasks, including but not limited to, assisting with move-in/move-out of students, orientation, maintenance requests, incident reports, and progress tracking   

• Responsible for oversight and review of DSP documentation on designated shifts, to ensure timeliness and accuracy 

• Attend to and report all emergencies and/or other situations requiring immediate attention in a timely manner to the appropriate staff member(s) in accordance with The Pines and Shrub Oak policies/procedures   

• Support the treatment planning process including participating in all related meetings and collaborating with students and other members of the treatment team to identify, achieve, and document goals  

• Serve as a campus and community resource for students and staff by advising and providing guidance in planning programs, activities, academic support   

• Collaborate with clinical, education, and recreation staff to ensure all students maintain a regular and appropriate schedule of events and activities   

• Attend all staff meetings and seminars as scheduled, including all staff orientation/training   

• Support other department responsibilities as needed and determined     

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.   

Minimum Experience & Qualifications 

• High-School Diploma and relevant combination of post-secondary education and experience in residential, psychiatric, or academic settings 

• 2-years’ minimum of relevant professional experience required  

• Previous experience working in special education and behavioral intervention required 

• DBT experience strongly preferred 

Competencies 

• Experience working with adolescents and young adults on the autism spectrum and/or students with developmental disabilities  

• Comfortability and experience managing crisis behavior and coaching staff around crisis management  

• Passionate about working with and mentoring students  

• Experience managing, developing and engaging staff preferred 

• Strong communication (oral and written) and active listening skills to appropriately understand and meet student needs, as well as to interact with faculty, staff, families, and all external constituencies 

• Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic environment with multiple stakeholders while being sensitive and responsive to the diverse needs of students, families, and staff, with a high degree of cultural competency and collegiality   

• Ability to effectively and proactively interact with a wide variety of individuals in a manner that values diversity, and positively portrays our programs, personnel, and philosophies   

• Ability to adapt and remain flexible while leading, developing, and mentoring others 

• Ability to multitask and make sound and appropriate decisions under pressure, where situations/circumstances are continually evolving   

• Ability to work as a team player and cross-functionally with other disciplines and programs within Shrub Oak   

• Ability to manage schedules to ensure appropriate student coverage  

• Knowledge of administrative operations, processes, techniques and procedures 

• Computer proficiency and a working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and other software 

• Ability to work flexible hours is required 

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: Full-time position; Regular schedule will be 4 x 10hr evening shifts  or 5 x 8hr overnight shifts, with some variability due to on-call and coverage 

Pay:70,000/yr Competitive Benefits     

Supervisory Responsibility - Yes  

Budget Responsibility (if yes, please state amount) No 

What are the nature and scope of independent decisions made in this position? 

Must be able to think analytically, critically, assessing a variety of information to make complex judgements on student situations, outcomes, Shrub Oak policies and protocol  

Work Environment   

Participate and work in all areas of the campus, indoors and outdoors. 

Physical Demands 

Work regularly requires sustained concentration. Sitting at a desk, walking up and down stairs (program has 3 floors), around a hilly campus as needed, may also require walking between floors or between buildings at a moment’s notice. 

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work 

This is a 12-month Full-time position (traditional 40-hour work week). Your manager will discuss the particular shift hours, which could be day, evening and/or weekends. Demands of the job may require working outside these hours and on weekends as needed and required. 

Travel (if yes, percentage of travel time required)  N/A  

Other Unique Responsibilities or Conditions Not Previously Listed (i.e. bilingual, driver’s license, etc.) 

valid driver’s license preferred 

Shrub Oak International School is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to apply for a job or to perform the essential functions of their job. Please advise us if you require a reasonable accommodation

Shrub Oak International School maintains a smoke-free environment to ensure the health and safety of our students, employees and community. Smoking or vaping of any kind is strictly prohibited indoors, outdoors, and during off-campus activities, with enforcement measures in place including smoke/vape detectors. Non-compliance will result in disciplinary action disciplinary action including termination. 

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