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How do you build true collaboration with schools so your learner thrives in every setting? In this episode of My BCBA Life, Penina talks with Samantha, a Circle Care–exclusive BCBA with deep school-based experience, about practical ways BCBAs can partner with teachers and related service providers, support parents through IEPs, and bridge home–school skill generalization.

Discussion Points

• Entering schools with humility: observing first, understanding dynamics, and making your presence supportive (not disruptive).
• Pairing with educators and therapists; leading with non-judgmental curiosity to build buy-in.
• Interdisciplinary respect: learning from OT, SLP, and PT approaches (e.g., addressing sensory needs and functional replacements).
• Home ↔ school collaboration for faster progress and generalization (communication, social skills, and behavior plans).
• Practical IEP support for parents: where BCBAs can add value, aligning goals, and wording effective behavioral/communication targets.
• Consent, boundaries, and tactful outreach to school teams.
• Helpful resources BCBAs can use in school settings (NJ best practices, PBIS World, peer workgroups).

Samantha shares how starting with listening, pairing, and empathy lays the groundwork for productive school collaboration. She describes concrete strategies for working with diverse school teams and highlights the power of interdisciplinary learning—like using OT-informed sensory replacements (obstacle courses, carrying weighted items) for automatically reinforced behaviors. For home-based BCBAs, she explains why school collaboration still matters: it reveals progress, gaps, and ready-made interventions to generalize at home. On IEPs, Samantha suggests focusing on the social/emotional/behavioral goal section and aligning it with real data and parent priorities (e.g., adding a manding component to toileting). She closes with resources that make school work more effective and less isolating.

About The Guest

Samantha is a BCBA with a master’s in Cognitive Science & Education who completed the ABA verified course sequence. She’s worked extensively in school settings (and school-adjacent roles like curriculum writing) and currently serves Circle Care home cases, integrating school goals and approaches to accelerate learner progress across environments.

Time Stamps

(00:00) Samantha’s path into ABA and school-based work

(02:20) Choosing BCBA over school psychology; ABA track in grad school

(03:34) ABA as “common sense” applied—why it resonates with teams and parents

(04:43) Today’s focus: collaborating with school personnel

(05:27) What collaboration looks like: observe, understand roles, pair with staff

(07:06) Being a positive presence and earning buy-in before giving feedback

(08:16) Non-judgmental coaching to avoid defensiveness

(12:30) Working with OTs/SLPs/PTs; honoring different evidence-based approaches

(14:04) OT insights on sensory needs; functional replacements (obstacle courses, weighted carries)

(16:54) Why collaborate when you’re home-based; get the IEP and compare data

(18:45) Aligning behavior plans and social skills across settings for generalization

(20:34) Efficiency and parent assurance when teams are aligned

(21:26) Humility and teamwork mindset that centers the child

(24:47) Coaching parents on IEPs; goal wording (e.g., adding manding to toileting goals)

(27:22) How and when to initiate school contact; consent and tact

(29:35) Joining IEP meetings: when it helps; reading vs. attending

(30:35) Parent overwhelm, advocacy, and resources

(31:22) Why learners can look different at school vs. home; designing play-based home programs

(33:31) Resource roundup: NJ best practices, NJ ABA school workgroup, PBIS World

Ready to uplevel your home–school collaboration and speed up generalization?

Tune in to the full episode for practical strategies, IEP tips, and real-world examples you can use this week.