Learning Specialist

Position Summary

Newark Academy seeks a Learning Specialist to join our Student Support Team. This position is highly collaborative, requiring both expertise and flexibility. Our next Learning Specialist must be skilled in fostering strong working relationships with parents, teachers, and students. The Specialist will join with our current Learning Specialist to coordinate, create, and implement support and accommodations between and for students and teachers. They will assist in the development of resources to educate teachers in research-based teaching practices and provide them with ongoing support and professional development. The Specialist will coordinate and manage Official Accommodation Plans for students, provide small group and individual instruction for recommended students, and lead parent education opportunities.

The Learning Specialist will have at least five years of experience working with students in grades 6-12 and will possess observable skills in evaluating and aiding students with various learning needs. It is fundamentally important that the Learning Specialist be culturally competent and able to promote an inclusive and equitable community, including by having a nurturing, caring, and clear tone with students. The successful candidate must be highly organized, have excellent interpersonal skills, and be able to provide practical, specialized instruction. This position follows a faculty work schedule, with an additional five days of remote summer work required for managing and responding to summer correspondence. 

Reports to: Assistant Head of School for Teaching and Learning

Responsibilities:

• Working directly with our current Learning Specialist, educators and Academic Support Team to evaluate strategies for supporting students and identifying students who may need additional diagnostic testing for learning differences.
• Interpreting neuro-psychoeducational testing and designing official accommodation plans in MyNA will be implemented by classroom educators.
• Working in partnership with parents, students, faculty, and administrators to interpret and understand neuro-psychoeducational testing and other relevant assessments to develop, monitor, and update student learning profiles.
• Coach, support, and partner with faculty in 1:1 coaching sessions to develop strategies for implementing accommodations and supporting students.
• Maintain communication with faculty, administrators, and families about students’ needs and progress and provide parent support as needed.
• Develop trusting relationships with students, their families, and faculty members.
• Communicate with students and parents regarding accommodations.
• Lead psychoeducational testing consultation meetings with educators.
• Maintain records of accommodation requests and implementation.
• Maintain and regularly update the referrals list for testing providers and student support.
• Oversee the testing center / extended time for grades 6-12.
• Promote and lead professional development opportunities for educators, students, and parents.
• Serve as the SSD coordinator and liaison for the Essex County Commission and for accommodation applications to ACT, College Board, and IB program testing.

Qualifications

• Experience with interpreting psycho-educational testing reports to develop individualized accommodation plans in line with the school’s philosophy
• Advanced degree in special education, psychology, or another related field
• Active NJ L.D.T.C Credential or Master’s level therapeutic licensure (LPCC, LCSW, NJ School Psychologist) is strongly preferred. 
• At least five years of school-based experience providing learning support for middle and upper school students
• In-depth knowledge and experience implementing multi-tiered educational assistance
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively and collegially
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Demonstrated high ethical and professional standards
• A nuanced understanding of issues related to diversity, equity, and belonging in educational settings

Salary range $70,000 - $80,000. Salary is dependent on numerous factors, including but not limited to education and experience.

Benefits:

Including, but not limited to: Paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, retirement, medical, dental, and vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance as well as a variety of other benefits.

About Newark Academy
Located 35 miles from Manhattan in the town of Livingston, New Jersey, Newark Academy provides students in grades 6-12 with the knowledge and skills to become meaningful contributors to their communities and the wider world. Newark Academy cultivates a diverse school community and is committed to fostering and maintaining a caring and inclusive environment that thrives on intellectual, social-emotional, and relational interactions. Its faculty is highly regarded in the New Jersey independent school community for its especially effective combination of teaching that embraces rigor and compassion.