Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA), an independent day school with a strong national reputation serving students Pre-K through Grade 12, seeks an engaging, experienced Primary School Learning Specialist for the 2021-2022 school year. Within the Academic Support Program, each campus-based Learning Specialist i s an integral member of a multidisciplinary team of educators and is specifically
responsible for attending to the needs of struggling students. This is a full-time position that reports to the Co-Directors of Primary School and the Director of Academic Support. The Learning Specialist works closely and collaborates with the School Counselor, Reading Specialist, PreK to third grade-level teaching faculty, and the Primary School Administrative Team.
Qualified candidates have the following credentials and experience:
? A BA/BS i n elementary education or related field; with MA/MSEd i n Special Education or equivalent
? Learning Specialist (LD-S, LDT-C, SWD, SPED), Educational Therapist (ET/P), OR
National Diagnostician l icense/certification
? A minimum of five years of teaching/instructional experience at the elementary level
? A minimum of eight years case management and/or resource experience at the elementary level, including diagnostic screening or assessment.
As guided by i ts Strategic Plan, MKA is committed to promoting multicultural education, grounded in ideas of equity, anti-bias education, anti-racism, and social justice. We seek candidates who share our commitment to this process, and we encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and with diverse perspectives, who can bring their own unique contributions to the MKA community.
The Learning Specialist provides student support services to targeted students with Action Plans, to include in-class support and pull-out services. Support services include individualized strategies to assist the student with meeting the demands of a given task through affordances and accommodations designed to limit frustration and maximize success. The Learning Specialist models effective strategies and techniques to encourage and foster carry-over into classrooms. Responsibilities for this learning specialist include, but are not limited to:
? Collaborate for direct instructional support to coordinate developmentally-appropriate skill-building as students keep pace with curricular demands i n math, executive function,
writing, and reading
? Provide informal pre- and/or post assessment screening for individual children
? Arrange parent conferences and team meetings, as appropriate, within the structure of the Primary School Student Services Team
? Write and update Action Plans as they relate to addressing academic concerns
? Maintain confidential records documenting sessions, meetings, and other communications
appropriate to ethical and professional standards
? Collaborate with teachers, parents, school counselor and the administrative team regarding placement and transition planning
? Supervise students during non-academic, community activities.
An i deal candidate possesses and demonstrates the following:
? Passion, enthusiasm, and energy for working with young children
? Practical knowledge of child development, l earning development principles, and pedagogy for teaching early and struggling l earners, i ncluding multi-sensory and differentiated instruction
? Outstanding interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills, including relative comfort integrating technology for record-keeping, communication, and virtual learning
? Self-motivated and comfortable working autonomously to organize schedule, including coordinating directly with classroom teachers
? Willingness, ability, and desire to also work collaboratively as a member of teams
? Ability and desire to establish a strong rapport with students and faculty colleagues using various modalities and materials
? Commitment to a welcoming, inclusive learning environment for all students.
Interested candidates should submit a current résumé, letter of interest and reference list to Primary School Counselor Melanie Bieber at mbieber@mka.org.
It is MKA's policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons regardless of age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender i dentity, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, or disability not related to the requirements for being a successful
employee at MKA.