Quad Preparatory School
Personalized Instruction and Special Education Coach (2020-2021 School Year)
Updated: January 31, 2020
Classification: Exempt
Reports to: Upper School Chief Learning Specialist
The Quad Preparatory School is an alternative, non-profit, K-12 college preparatory school dedicated to the education of twice-exceptional students, bright and creative children who learn differently. Quad Prep is a young, fast-growing school founded in 2013 that is a vibrant professional and collegial learning community for employees.
The Quad Preparatory School transforms the lives of twice-exceptional people – those who are gifted and learn differently – by redefining the experience of school. Our personalized model fully integrates social and emotional learning with challenging academics, empowering our students to rise to the level of their extraordinary talents. Through our innovative programs we are leading a larger movement in service of both twice-exceptional people and society at large.
Our teachers, clinicians, and staff joined together to craft our statement of values, which we are proud to share:
Quad Prep is a kind and joyful learning community where everyone is celebrated for who they are.
We ignite students’ strengths and passions and allow for safe academic pursuit at the highest levels by learning from mistakes.
We are trustworthy and steadfast, and our high academic expectations challenge students to grow uniquely as people and in the way they learn.
We widen our students’ perspectives, giving them the tools to know themselves and find success in the future of their choosing.
We never give up on each other and are driven by the ethos of “not if, but how.”
The Quad Preparatory School is looking for an individual with a special education background to fill the role of Personalized Instruction Coach in our Upper School program, working with students in grades 6-12 and their academic content teachers. The coach will facilitate purposeful differentiation and personalization of the curriculum and classroom instruction and support teachers in understanding differentiated learning approaches to meet the varying needs of students. The coach must have an understanding of how to support teachers to implement personalized instruction. Instructional coaches increase the quality and effectiveness of classroom instruction by providing direct support to educators in the classroom through co-planning, co-teaching, and modeling effective instructional strategies.
Teachers have the opportunity to receive mentorship, coaching, and support from the clinicians as well as academic administrators. A benefit of this position is the amount of professional development one will obtain in working with twice-exceptional youth and in being mentored by veteran special education teachers, academic administrators, and clinicians.
Expectations:
Support the planning and delivery of effective instruction designed to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of twice-exceptional children in grades 6-12.
Share theory, research, and resources to support best instructional practices that are in line with a progressive, personalized learning model.
Demonstrate, co-teach, and co-plan to model differentiated and personalized instruction across disciplines that takes into account student learning interests and preferences along with varying teacher styles.
Design personalized methods of instruction that increase student discourse, engagement, and experiential learning.
Support teachers’ awareness of students’ specific learning needs and equip teachers with instructional strategies that meet those needs.
Observe teachers and provide coaching and feedback.
Assist psychosocial and educational staff in working with the individual children as per each child’s academic and social and emotional goals (such as self-regulation, impulse control, and executive functioning).
Seek out, organize, and design professional learning experiences for educators to grow in the knowledge of differentiated teaching and psychosocial strategies among twice exceptional learning practices.
Plan and lead meetings and workshops to provide professional development to teachers in the areas of special education, personalized and differentiated instruction, and twice-exceptional youth.
Collaborate with the clinicians and the Chief Learning Specialist to ensure proper learning supports and accommodations, including (but not limited to) executive functioning support and assistive technology.
Expand teachers’ use and knowledge of various forms of data and assessments, including pre-assessment, ongoing assessment, and formative assessment, and guide teachers in how to use assessment data to diagnose student learning needs and inform instruction.
Keep informed of best practices in special education, including keeping abreast of new curricula, research, and instructional practices.
Follow the professional code and policies of the school and conduct oneself in a way that promotes the mission of the school.
Utilize Google Suite, in particular Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets.
Attend all faculty and staff meetings and required special events (e.g., open houses, Curriculum Night, Carnivale).
Perform other duties as assigned.
Competencies:
Love for working with children
Desire and ability to work with students with special needs
Lesson planning and the ability to provide engaging and differentiated instruction
Ability to connect with school-aged children
Effective oral and written communication
A solid understanding of middle school-aged children’s academic, social, and emotional development
Attention to detail
Maintaining confidentiality and privacy
Ethical conduct
Time management and the ability to multitask
Teamwork and collaboration
Patience and flexibility
Ability to build trust and rapport with a diverse and multi-faceted group of teachers
Work Environment:
This job operates in a school setting. The school is located on the fifth and sixth floors of a building with an elevator. This role requires working in various locations around the school and occasional travel to the Lower School campus approximately two blocks away.
Physical Demands:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and listen. This position is active and involves standing and walking. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move items under 20 pounds. During fire drills, the employee, unless physically unable, will need to use the stairs to go to ground level from the fifth or sixth floor. Typing is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:
This is a full-time exempt position in an educational facility which is open eight hours a day. Teachers work ten months out of the year according to the academic calendar (late August to late June). Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required. In general, though, hours are Monday-Friday 8:15 A.M.-4:15 P.M.
Required Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in special education.
Experience teaching children in grades 6-12 in a classroom environment.
At least five years experience as a full-time head teacher.
Preferred Education and Experience:
Master’s degree in special education, curriculum and instruction, or a related field.
Previous academic coaching experience.
Training in the area of twice-exceptional youth.
Experience teaching twice-exceptional youth.
AAP/EEO Statement: The Quad Preparatory School is based on an inclusive philosophy that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital status, creed, sexual orientation, familial status, citizenship, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by law in its hiring procedures and policies.