Open Minds operates an Inclusive K-12 nonprofit private school and an Early Learning Center in Menlo Park. Open Mind School programs are relationship based and built on the firm belief that children are curious learners who thrive in supportive environments. Open Mind School is inspired by the vision of inclusive and universal designed learning opportunities for all students. We're dedicated to creating and providing a child-centered, personalized experience that leverages local experiential learning opportunities. Open Mind School's mission is for all students to access high quality education, enrichment opportunities, and social experiences in an inclusive and supportive environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Duties include, but are not limited to, the following.

1. Student Services Leadership and Vision

• Set the vision, priorities, and annual goals for student services in alignment with the OMS mission and the Executive Director's direction.
• Design, document, and continuously improve the school's multi-tiered system of support, including academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and executive functioning supports.
• Develop and maintain student services policies, procedures, protocols, forms, and handbooks.
• Serve as the school's lead authority and point of escalation on student support, accommodations, behavior, and individual plans.
• Advise the Executive Director on student needs, staffing, program design, enrollment fit, and resource allocation.
• Contribute to the student services budget, including staffing, materials, assessments, and professional development.

2. Individual Student Plans

• Oversee the development, implementation, and review of all individual student plans, including learning plans, behavior intervention plans, accommodation plans, and support plans aligned to district IEPs or 504 plans where applicable.
• Ensure every plan includes clear, measurable goals, defined supports, responsible staff, data collection methods, and review timelines.
• Lead or oversee plan writing, revision, and annual review cycles; ensure plans are completed on time and reflect current assessment data.
• Translate plans into practical, classroom-ready guidance (e.g., one-page profiles, staff cheat sheets, visual supports) so every adult working with a student knows what to do.
• Conduct regular fidelity checks through classroom observation, data review, and staff check-ins; address gaps promptly.
• Lead or supervise functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and the design of behavior intervention plans (BIPs).

3. Accommodations and Access

• Manage the full accommodations process: request, review, determination, documentation, communication, implementation, and monitoring.
• Ensure accommodations and modifications are consistently delivered across classes, specials, testing, field trips, enrichment, athletics, and after-school programming.
• Coordinate testing accommodations for school assessments, standardized tests, and college-entrance exams, including applications to outside testing bodies where required.
• Review outside evaluations (psychoeducational, neuropsychological, speech-language, occupational therapy, medical) and translate recommendations into school-based supports.
• Partner with operations staff on physical accessibility, sensory-friendly spaces, assistive technology, and environmental supports.
• Maintain an accurate, up-to-date accommodations roster accessible to the staff who need it.

4. Leadership and Supervision of Staff

• Directly supervise, coach, and evaluate student support staff.
• Define clear roles, caseloads, responsibilities, and performance expectations for specialists and staff as applicable.
• Hold regular one-on-one meetings and team meetings; set goals and monitor progress.
• Supervise and coach the learning guides, interns, and support staff who implement student plans day to day.
• Participate in recruitment, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and evaluation for student services positions.
• Address performance concerns constructively and promptly, in partnership with the Executive Director and in line with OMS HR policies.
• Oversee student support staffing assignments, coverage, and schedules in coordination with the master schedule.

5. Staff Collaboration, Training, and Coaching

• Work closely with teachers, specialists, and support staff to ensure consistent implementation of student plans and accommodations across the school day.
• Design and deliver professional development on topics such as behavior support, de-escalation, accommodations, differentiation, data collection, neurodiversity-affirming practice, and trauma-informed care.
• Provide in-classroom modeling, observation, and feedback for teachers and support staff.
• Lead onboarding for new staff on student support systems, plans, confidentiality, and expectations.
• Serve as a thought partner to teachers on student-specific problem-solving and classroom management.
• Where applicable, provide or arrange supervision for staff pursuing RBT, BCaBA, or BCBA credentials in accordance with BACB requirements.

6. Progress Monitoring, Data, and Reporting

• Establish and maintain data collection systems for academic, behavioral, and social-emotional goals.
• Review student progress data on a regular cycle; identify students who are not making expected progress and lead adjustments to their supports.
• Oversee the preparation of progress reports for families, districts, funding agencies, and outside providers, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and timeliness.
• Produce periodic reports for the Executive Director on caseloads, plan compliance, student outcomes, incidents, and program effectiveness.
• Use aggregate data to identify school-wide trends and recommend program, staffing, or training changes.
• Ensure all data practices protect student privacy and comply with applicable confidentiality requirements.

7. Meetings and Family Partnership

• Lead, facilitate, or attend student support meetings, including plan reviews, team meetings, parent conferences, and student success meetings.
• Represent OMS at district IEP meetings, 504 meetings, regional center meetings, and other interagency meetings; prepare school input, data, and recommendations in advance.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for families on student support concerns; communicate with warmth, clarity, and professionalism.
• Partner with families to align home and school strategies; provide guidance and resources where appropriate.
• Navigate difficult conversations and family concerns with skill, and escalate to the Executive Director when appropriate.
• Document meeting outcomes, action items, and follow-up responsibilities, and ensure follow-through.

8. Intake, Enrollment Support, and Transitions

• Participate in the admissions process by reviewing records, observing prospective students, and assessing fit and support needs.
• Lead intake for newly enrolled students, including records review, initial plan development, and staff briefings before the student's first day.
• Plan and support transitions between grade levels, classrooms, programs, and schools, including post-secondary and graduation transitions.
• Coordinate re-entry plans following extended absence, hospitalization, or significant incidents.

9. Behavior Support, Crisis Response, and Student Wellness

• Lead the school's positive behavior support framework and ensure consistent, proactive, and respectful practices across campus.
• Respond to and manage significant behavioral incidents and student crises; support staff during and after escalations.
• Ensure incident reports are completed accurately and reviewed, and that patterns inform plan revisions.
• Oversee de-escalation and crisis prevention training for staff (e.g., a recognized crisis intervention certification program).
• Coordinate with the Executive Director on student safety, threat or risk assessments, and safety plans.
• Fulfill mandated reporter obligations and support staff in doing the same.
• Promote student wellness, belonging, self-advocacy, and social-emotional growth.

10. External Coordination and Related Services

• Coordinate with school districts, regional centers, insurance-funded providers, therapists, physicians, and other outside professionals involved with students.
• Schedule, coordinate, and integrate related services delivered on campus (e.g., speech-language, occupational therapy, counseling, ABA) so they support, rather than disrupt, instruction.
• Maintain productive working relationships with district case managers and agency representatives.
• Support contract, funding, and service documentation requirements for students placed or funded by outside agencies.

11. Compliance, Documentation, and Records

• Maintain complete, organized, and confidential student support records, including plans, assessments, data, meeting notes, and communications.
• Ensure student services practices comply with applicable federal and California laws and regulations, funding-agency requirements, and OMS policies.
• Track plan due dates, review cycles, consent forms, and documentation deadlines; ensure nothing lapses.
• Ensure appropriate release-of-information procedures for sharing records with outside parties.

12. Other Duties

• Serve as a visible, accessible presence on campus, including arrival, dismissal, and transitions as needed.
• Participate in leadership team meetings, staff meetings, school events, and community events.
• Contribute to school-wide initiatives, curriculum planning, and annual themes as they relate to student support.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

Qualifications

Required

• Advanced degree: master's degree or higher from an accredited institution in special education, applied behavior analysis, psychology, school psychology, education, social work, counseling, or a closely related field.
• Credential or experience: Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in good standing, OR a minimum of five (5) years of experience in a similar role (e.g., student services leadership, special education coordination, student support or inclusion leadership, behavior program supervision).
• Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and monitoring individual student plans and accommodations.
• Experience supervising, coaching, or leading staff.
• Working knowledge of IEP and 504 processes and special education law, including how district-funded services interact with private school placements.
• Strong data literacy, including designing data collection systems and interpreting progress data.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and facilitating meetings with families and outside agencies.

Preferred

• Both BCBA certification and five or more years of leadership experience in a school setting.
• Doctoral degree (e.g., Ed.D., Ph.D., Psy.D., DSW).
• Experience in an inclusive, independent, or nonpublic school serving neurodivergent learners.
• Experience supervising RBTs or BCBA candidates under BACB requirements.
• Certification in a recognized crisis prevention and de-escalation program.
• Experience with educational assessment, including interpreting psychoeducational and neuropsychological evaluations.
• Experience with secondary transition planning and post-secondary pathways.
• Bilingual skills (e.g., Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, or other languages spoken in our community).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep knowledge of evidence-based practices in behavior support, special education, inclusion, and differentiated instruction.
• Ability to build practical systems that work in real classrooms and hold up under day-to-day pressure.
• Skill in leading as a manager: delegating, setting expectations, coaching, and holding others accountable.
• Calm, sound judgment in crisis situations and in emotionally charged conversations.
• Ability to manage many students, deadlines, and priorities simultaneously without losing detail.
• Commitment to neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based, and culturally responsive practice.
• High standard of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office; comfort learning student information and data systems.

Core Competencies

• Student-centered: decisions start with what each learner needs.
• Collaborative: builds trust with staff, families, and outside partners.
• Systems thinker: turns individual solutions into school-wide practice.
• Data-informed: uses evidence to guide decisions and measure impact.
• Accountable: follows through, meets deadlines, and owns outcomes.
• Adaptable: stays effective amid change and competing demands.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Work is performed on an active PreK–12 campus, including classrooms, offices, outdoor areas, and a large indoor movement space.
• Must be able to stand, walk, and move throughout campus for extended periods; sit at a desk and use a computer.
• Must be able to respond quickly to student needs, including kneeling, bending, and moving to student level.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally.
• Must be able to safely participate in approved de-escalation and crisis intervention procedures after training.
• Moderate noise level typical of a school environment.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Conditions of Employment

• Successful completion of a criminal background check, including California DOJ and FBI fingerprint clearance (Live Scan), prior to start.
• Tuberculosis (TB) risk assessment or test clearance, as required for California school employees.
• Completion of mandated reporter training and compliance with mandated reporting obligations.
• CPR and First Aid certification, or willingness to obtain within the first 60 days of employment.
• Completion of crisis prevention and de-escalation training as provided by OMS.
• For BCBA holders: maintenance of certification in good standing and adherence to the BACB Ethics Code.
• Verification of employment eligibility.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary: $70,000 – $105,000 per year, depending on education, credentials, and relevant experience. This is a full-time, exempt position.

Benefits are provided in accordance with OMS policy and will be reviewed with candidates during the hiring process.

How to Apply

Please submit your formal application here on Gusto. Sign up for a Discovery Call. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Open Mind School is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. OMS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position. Duties may change based on the needs of the school. This job description does not constitute an employment contract; employment with OMS is at will.