Position: Clinical Specialist Lead (11 Months)

Office of Student Services

Cambridge is a vibrant, diverse city and a central hub and driver of the nation’s innovation economy. Home of the renowned educational institutions of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge is also the center of an impressive array of biotechnology, science, and information technology companies.

Educating about 7,000 students JK-12, the Cambridge Public Schools includes award-winning faculty, cutting edge technology, and innovative programs. While each of our public schools is unique, they are joined in a shared vision of rigorous, joyful, and culturally responsive learning plus personalized support for every student. Over 30% of CPS students speak a language other than English at home, and over 65 languages are spoken by our families. Among the most common are Spanish, Haitian Creole, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, and Portuguese. Our schools proudly embrace this diversity.

Within the Office of Student Services (OSS), Office of Special Education is responsible for providing a variety of support and services to students with disabilities in Cambridge Public Schools (CPS).

The Role:

The Clinical Specialist reports directly to the Executive Director of Special Education. This role provides direct supervision, manages, monitors, and facilitates the work responsibilities for school psychologists and school adjustment counselors assigned to the Office of Student Services. The clinical specialist coordinates and assigns placement of these providers across the district schools. The position is accountable for reviewing reports of team members they supervise, providing assistance with assessing students, coordinating and providing professional development, mentoring, and evaluating staff. The position will also provide direct consultation to building based teams, related to clinical, cognitive, or social aspects that impact student learning and social emotional growth. The specialist is expected to collect, interpret, and synthesizes information about a student’s sensory motor/perceptual functioning, academic achievement, intelligence, social/emotional adjustment, and significant crises that influence academic and behavioral functioning. The clinical specialist works cooperatively as an interdisciplinary team member to provide services and to devise an appropriate service plan for referred students and their families. In addition, the positon will assist and support MTSS structures across the district.

Essential Duties:

• Manages, monitors, and facilitates the work responsibilities for school psychologists and school adjustment counselors assigned to OSS.
• Provides direct clinical supervision.
• Evaluates school psychologists and school adjustment counselors.
• Coordinates and reviews cases with psychologists and adjustment counselors to help resolve issues and concerns with IEP process, assessments, compliance, child find and identification.
• Monitors, evaluates, and supports the administration of IEP related assessment and methods of assessment, to include identifying appropriate exams and interpreting results.
• In collaboration with Building Leaders and Coordinators, supports hiring and onboarding of school psychologists and school adjustment counselors.
• As needed, serves as a member of the interdisciplinary assessment team assigned to each school and works as a team member in making placement decisions, developing intervention plans, and planning programs to meet the special needs of children.
• As needed, participates in eligibility committee meetings and contributes to the development of the Individualized Education Program (IEP).
• Serves as a resource to teachers and staff regarding specialized instruction, disability related questions, cognitive learning profiles, counseling services and the academic/psychological needs of students.
• Provides in-service training and workshops for school psychologists, adjustment counselors, educators and building leaders as needed.
• Serves as a liaison between the district, home, private counseling facilities and community resources such as social services, court services, and family service agencies.
• Acts as a member of the district-wide crisis team to provide intervention to students as necessary, and leads clinical crisis response teams.
• Compiles monthly reports and referral data, noting trends, and supporting data based decisions.
• Leads the division in practicing culturally and linguistically responsive assessments and evaluations and reporting practices;
• Plans, coordinates and facilitates monthly meetings with psychologists and school adjustment counselors.

Other Duties:

• Keeps abreast of developments and research in the field of school psychology, counseling, social emotional learning and child development, and therapeutic approaches.
• Performs any other related duties as assigned by the Executive Director of Special Education or Assistant Superintendent of OSS.

Your Skill Set and Minimum Qualifications:

• Required: Master’s Degree in Psychology/Counseling/Sociology or related field.
• Preferred: Doctoral Degree in Psychology/Counseling/Sociology or related field.
• Required: Massachusetts License Professional License as a School Psychologist, School Social Worker/Adjustment Counselor or School counselor required.
• Preferred: In addition to above: Massachusetts License as a Supervisor/Director Non-Core

• +5 Years of Experience as a school based psychologist, adjustment counselor or clinician.
• Must possess the ability to synthesize and interpret diagnostic and assessment data.
• Must possess a comprehensive knowledge of school psychology theory, child development, substance abuse education, behavior intervention, social emotional learning standards, tests and measurements, and crisis management.
• Must possess the ability to provide clinical supervision and guidance in providing counseling services, assessing students in crisis, and implementing crisis intervention skills.
• Must possess the ability to work cooperatively as an interdisciplinary team member.
• Must possess excellent communication and time management skills.
• Must possess the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with community agencies, students, families, team members, and others.

Cambridge Public Schools is committed to slowing and/or stopping the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, as a condition of employment with Cambridge Public Schools, all new hires will be required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 no later than their first day of work. Written requests for either a religious exemption from this requirement based on sincerely held religious beliefs, or for a medical exemption based upon clear documentation from a medical provider should be submitted to the attention of the Chief Talent Officer.

Salary:

In accordance with the Cambridge Education Association Unit A Salary Schedule, commensurate with education and experience, along with a generous benefits package. This is an 11 Month Position that includes a qualified positon stipend and Lead Teacher stipend.

How to Join Our Team:

Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity.

At the Cambridge Public Schools, we are committed to cultivating an environment where diverse perspectives and backgrounds are embraced, acknowledging that a team reflecting diversity of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and veteran status allows us to serve our communities better. To that end, we welcome and encourage applicants to bring their authentic selves when considering employment opportunities within our school district.