Student Support Specialists

The Student Support Specialist provides dedicated, individualized 1:1 support to ensure that students with significant, diverse learning, physical, emotional, and sensory needs can meaningfully participate in after-school activities alongside their peers. This role balances safety and specialized care with an asset-based, inclusive approach - implementing tailored accommodations while fostering social-emotional learning (SEL), peer connections, and student autonomy in alignment with Massachusetts inclusive

Direct Support & Inclusion

• Facilitate Inclusive Participation:
  Scaffold activities to ensure the student can fully access after-school enrichment, games, snacks, and open play alongside peers in the least restrictive environment.
• Implement Accommodations & Behavior Plans:
  Consistently execute individualized behavior support plans, sensory diets, and transition strategies developed in alignment with the student's IEP, 504 Plan, or after-school support plan.
• Proactive Safety & Health Management:
  Provide vigilant oversight for high-need safety concerns, including wandering/elopement (bolting), pica (ingesting non-food items), spatial safety, and physical safety during dynamic movement or unstructured times.
• De-escalation & Sensory Regulation:
  Recognize early triggers for emotional and physical dysregulation; utilize low-arousal, trauma-informed, and de-escalation practices. Accompany the student to designated sensory or quiet spaces for proactive breaks when needed, guiding them back to group activities.
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL):
  Actively model and facilitate positive peer interactions, turn-taking, conflict resolution, and friendship-building using strength-based strategies.
• Caregiver & School-Day Alignment:
  Partner with the Site Director to attend regular check-ins with caregivers, special educators, and school-day staff.
• Insight Sharing:
  Gather insights into student strengths, preferences, effective regulation tools, and home/school routines to ensure continuity across the student's day.
• Goal Development:
  Help establish, track, and adapt individualized SEL and inclusion goals for the after-school setting, documenting daily progress and adjusting strategies as needed.

• Experience:
  
  Minimum of 3+ years of direct experience supporting students with disabilities in educational, therapeutic, or structured out-of-school-time settings.
• Targeted
  
  Experience:
  
  Demonstrated background working 1:1 with students in substantially separate special education classrooms or intensive support environments, including direct experience responding to elopement, pica, and verbal/physical behaviors.
• Familiarity with Massachusetts special education frameworks, positive behavior intervention strategies (PBIS), and trauma-informed care principles.
• Proficiency in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices or visual schedule tools is a plus.
• Mindset:
  An asset-based focus that presumes competence, respects student dignity, and views behavior as communication.
• Certifications:
  
  First Aid/CPR certification (or willingness to obtain upon hire);
  Safety-Care, CPI, or similar crisis prevention/de-escalation training preferred.
• Education:
  
  High school diploma or equivalent required;
  Associate's degree or Paraprofessional Certification under MA DESE standards preferred.

Ability to maintain active proximity to student, move quickly to maintain safety (e.g., preventing elopement), and escort students to break areas. Comfort working in active, moderate-to-high noise environments common to after-school recreational spaces.

Compensation: $22-25/hour (commensurate with training and experience)

Position Type: Part-Time / Non-Exempt (School-Year Schedule)

Questions can be sent before-after school.ma.us