Student Wellness and Behaviour Support Specialist

Student Wellness and Behaviour Support Specialist

Inclusive Education and Student Wellness Services | Division-Based Position | Bonnyville, AB

Lakeland Catholic School Division is seeking a compassionate, collaborative, and skilled Student Wellness and Behaviour Support Specialist to join our Inclusive Education and Student Wellness Services team.

This Division-based position will provide specialized behavioural, social-emotional, and mental-health-informed support to students in Grades 7–12 , helping schools respond to increasing classroom complexity and complex student needs.

Rooted in the mission of Catholic education, this role supports the whole child and helps foster safe, caring, inclusive, and faith-filled learning environments where every student is treated with dignity and has the opportunity to belong, heal, and flourish.

The Opportunity

Based out of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic Education Centre and working primarily within schools, the Student Wellness and Behaviour Support Specialist will serve as a mobile member of the Division's Grades 7–12 classroom complexity team.

Under the direction of the Director of Inclusive Education and Student Wellness, the successful candidate will work alongside school administrators, teachers, educational assistants, ISSP Counsellors, Family Outreach Workers, Inclusive Education staff, families, and community partners to develop practical, relationship-based supports for students experiencing behavioural, social-emotional, mental-health, or regulation challenges.

The Specialist will provide both direct student support and consultation to school teams, with a strong focus on building staff capacity and creating sustainable supports within schools.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Provide direct and consultative support for students experiencing complex behavioural, social-emotional, mental-health, trauma-related, or neurodevelopmental needs.
• Support student regulation, coping skills, positive behaviour, social-emotional wellness, and re-engagement in learning.
• Assist school teams in developing behaviour, regulation, safety, transition, and re-entry plans.
• Help identify patterns, triggers, protective factors, and unmet needs contributing to student behaviour.
• Support proactive, relational, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate approaches to behaviour and student wellness.
• Provide guidance related to crisis prevention, de-escalation, restorative responses, and re-entry following significant incidents, suspensions, or extended absences.
• Coach and model strategies for teachers and educational assistants related to student regulation, behaviour support, trauma-informed practice, and de-escalation.
• Contribute to targeted professional learning and staff capacity-building.
• Participate in family meetings, school-based team meetings, case conferences, and student transitions.
• Support collaboration and communication between schools, families, and community agencies, including referrals to outside supports where appropriate.
• Assist with social-emotional learning and proactive programming related to belonging, resilience, healthy relationships, conflict resolution, self-regulation, and positive mental health.
• Travel between Division schools and contribute to Inclusive Education and Student Wellness Services planning, documentation, collaboration, and reporting.
• Work collaboratively across the Division to support consistent approaches to student wellness, inclusion, behaviour, and classroom complexity.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Post-secondary education in counselling psychology, social work, psychology, education, behavioural sciences, or a related field . A Master's degree is preferred; an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Registration or eligibility for registration with a relevant professional body, where applicable.
• Experience supporting children or youth with behavioural, social-emotional, mental-health, trauma-related, or neurodevelopmental needs.
• Experience collaborating with school teams, families, and community partners.
• Strong knowledge of student regulation, social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practice, and relationship-based behaviour support.
• Strong relationship-building, consultation, communication, coaching, and collaboration skills.
• Sound professional judgment and a strong commitment to confidentiality and ethical practice.
• The ability to remain calm, responsive, and student-centred in complex or sensitive situations.
• A valid driver's licence and the ability to travel between Division schools.
• A current satisfactory Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Check.
• The ability to work effectively within a Catholic school environment and support the mission and values of Lakeland Catholic School Division.

Preference may be given to candidates with experience or training in one or more of the following areas:

• School-based counselling or student support
• Behaviour, safety, regulation, transition, or re-entry planning
• Staff consultation, coaching, or professional learning
• Crisis prevention and de-escalation
• Restorative practices
• Trauma-informed practice
• Suicide intervention
• Grief and anxiety support
• Neurodiversity and complex student needs
• Inclusive education and multidisciplinary planning
• Community-based collaboration and referral processes

We are looking for someone who sees beyond behaviour to the needs of the student and who can balance compassion, accountability, safety, and restoration.

The successful candidate will bring a student-centred, dignity-affirming approach , strong professional judgment, and the flexibility to work across a variety of school environments. They will be comfortable supporting students directly while also helping the adults around them develop the confidence, strategies, and shared understanding needed to respond effectively.

Above all, the successful candidate will contribute to a Catholic culture of care, belonging, compassion, hope, respect, mercy, justice, and accompaniment , helping ensure that students with complex needs know they are valued members of their school communities.

Application Process

Applications for this posting will be accepted through ApplytoEducation.com or via email to kcollins@lrcssd.ca. We ask that applicants prepare both a cover letter and resume, complete with the names, phone numbers, and emails of at least three current work-related references . Cover letters can be addressed to Kayla Collins, Manager of Human Resources, Lakeland Catholic School Division .

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

The successful applicant will be required to provide a recent criminal record and vulnerable sector check. By submitting an application, applicants consent to Human Resources contacting previous employers to conduct confidential reference checks, whether or not those employers are listed as references.

While we appreciate the interest of all applicants, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.