Culture and Behavior Support Specialist

Great Lakes Academy Culture & Behavior Support Specialist

About Great Lakes Academy

Great Lakes Academy (GLA) is a high-performing, single-site charter school located in South Chicago. Our mission is to prepare all of our students with the fundamental academic skills, critical thinking ability, and strength of character to excel in high school, college, and a career of their choice. We empower all of our students with the education today that they will need to change the world tomorrow.

Our staff work hard to close opportunity gaps for our scholars, and the data speaks for itself:
In 2024, on the rigorous Illinois Assessment of Readiness, GLA had the highest percentage of students reaching proficiency in ELA and Math of all elementary schools in Hyde Park, Woodlawn, South Shore, and South Chicago. Additionally, GLA scored in the top 20% of schools in the state in ELA growth and top 6% of schools in math growth.

We are proud of our growth and achievement, but we have our sights set even higher for the 2025-26 school year, and we need your help to reach our goals. We are seeking a high-capacity, reliable, driven, and reflective Culture Specialist.

Job Overview

The Culture & Behavioral Specialist supports both the Culture & Climate and Special Education teams by providing direct behavioral support to students with IEPs or identified behavioral challenges. This role acts as a liaison between teams to ensure consistent expectations, communication, and interventions that help all students, particularly those receiving special education services, thrive in a positive and inclusive environment.

Job Responsibilities

• Maintains systems and structures for a positive, core value-driven culture that build student confidence and self determination
• Provides direct support to students with behavioral or emotional needs, implementing individualized behavior intervention plans (BIPs) and accommodations as outlined in IEPs.
• Works with the administrative team to implement and maintain every detail of the school’s student systems and procedures, including PBIS, discipline, transitions, homework, community celebrations, breakfast, lunch, and classroom culture so that GLA is structured and highly joyful with a focus on growth and character development.
• Implements behavior supports and interventions for students
• Assists students with de-escalation techniques, self-regulation strategies, and social-emotional learning activities.
• Implements and monitors individualized behavior supports and interventions for students, including those receiving special education services
• Maintains systems and structures for a positive, inclusive, and core value-driven culture that supports all learners, including those with behavioral or developmental needs.
• Maintain systems for tracking school culture and monitors, analyzes and defines action plans based on this data.
• Supports and conducts regular school culture audits
• Handles in-school disciplinary action and coordinates any additional consequences with the leadership team.
• Primary communication to families regarding discipline challenges during school
• Supports execution of calm, joyful breakfast, lunch, entry and dismissal
• Supports management and culture support for teachers
• Supports school-wide culture initiatives for students and staff
• Ensures all student behavioral data is up to date and analyzed weekly.
• Supports behavior plan creation and execution and data tracking for tier 2 and 3 students

Competencies

• Belief in and alignment with Great Lakes Academy’s mission and playbook is non-negotiable
• Growth-oriented:
  Self-reflective, eager to accept and implement feedback
• Responsibility:
  Willingness to work hard, be flexible, and overcome obstacles in the pursuit of goals
• Kindness:
  Strong relationship builder with students, families, and other staff members
• Calm, authoritative presence that can quickly and positively redirect students back on task
• Able to drive cultural consistency, emotional consistency, and system and procedural consistency
• Knowledge of behavior intervention strategies, trauma-informed practices, and special education accommodations.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with special…