Learning Specialist, Grades 6-8

Location: Los Angeles, California | Type: Full Time

About the School

Our School, founded on Jewish values, is about who our children can become and how they can help others become who they might be. Because the world our children will create tomorrow is born in the School we build today, our mission is to educate our children so they can surpass us.

About the Role

The Division 6-8 Learning Specialist works closely with teachers, parents, and administrators to support students. The Learning Specialist provides targeted instruction, building essential academic skills in reading, writing, and math as well as in developing executive functioning skills, to students in a small classroom setting. The Learning Specialist collaborates with and assists teachers in implementing effective research-based strategies, differentiated instruction, and implementation of accommodations. The Learning Specialist reviews student assessment results and assists in interpreting and disseminating data to classroom teachers. The Learning Specialist reports to the Division Head, is supervised by the Director of Academic Support, and is an integral member of the Student Support Team.

Responsibilities

• Leads students to develop effective and lifelong learning strategies.
• Leads Learning Lab classes to build students’ executive function skills including time management, organization, planning and prioritizing, study skills, goal-setting, metacognition, self-regulation, and test-taking skills.
• Provides classroom push-in or pull-out instruction to support teachers in meeting diverse learning needs.
• Partners with classroom teachers to implement strategies and modifications to best meet diverse learning needs.
• Assists in developing curriculum modifications.
• Monitors student progress and develops support plans.
• Builds supportive, trusting relationships with students and families.
• Provides resources to parents and teachers to support students with learning differences.
• Works in partnership with parents, faculty, and administration to interpret and implement accommodations as recommended in psychological and educational testing reports.
• Maintains clear and ongoing professional communication with parents and students.
• Assists in the administration of STAR Reading and various assessments.
• Serves as a Faculty Advisor for a group of 8-15 students by implementing the Advisory Curriculum and forming and nurturing strong relationships with students and parents.
• Engages with students outside the classroom through designated office hours, extracurricular activities, clubs, and school-wide programming.
• Pursues ongoing professional development.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Strong sense of commitment to the Milken Community School Mission.
• Master’s Degree in Special Education, Educational Therapy, or a closely related field, and a minimum of five years of classroom teaching experience.
• Highly knowledgeable of child development with expertise in needs unique to middle school-age students.
• Genuine commitment to working with and understanding middle school-age students.
• Highly knowledgeable in best practices of curriculum development, instruction, differentiation, and assessment.
• Highly knowledgeable in literacy and academic instruction, executive function skills, and classroom management strategies.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Inspires collaboration among colleagues and is inclusive.
• Organized, flexible, able to contend with complexity and nuance.
• Proficient with educational technology platforms.
• Able to provide leadership and expertise in interpreting and disseminating data and psycho-educational assessment results.
• Effective in communicating with parents, administration, faculty, outside service providers, and the extended educational community.
• Efficient with time management, organizational skills, and meeting deadlines.
• Professional, timely, and compassionate in responding to all constituents.
• Committed to professional development in all areas related to learning, curriculum, and leadership.

Schedule

Standard on-campus hours: Monday–Friday, starting by 7:45 AM. End times: Monday–Thursday 3:30 PM, Friday 2:30 PM. All schedules are subject to change.

Pay

Salary range: $75,000 – $90,000.