Classification: Exempt

Reports to: Lower 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.”

As Quad Prep is rooted in the community of New York City, we commit, as a matter of justice and equity, that we shall work toward enrolling a student body and employing a staff that fully reflects the makeup of our community.

As education at Quad Prep is rooted in the idea that our neurodiverse students are to be proudly celebrated for their unique talents and potential, we commit that the whole self of every individual student, parent, and staff member shall be welcomed, valued, included, and treated always with the deepest respect and empathy.

And, as at Quad Prep our community is a single fabric supporting the development of all, we commit that every student shall benefit from the richness of the backgrounds and experiences that make up that fabric, so that they leave Quad fully prepared to engage with the exciting and wonderful diversity of this world.

The Quad Preparatory School is looking for Lower School (grades K-5) learning specialists to cover as a leave replacement. The learning specialist will provide students with personalized support in one or more academic content areas or developmental academic skills beyond the personalized support available in the Quad Prepoom setting. Students who attend sessions with our learning specialists generally require support in math skills, foundational literacy skills, reading comprehension, and/or written expression. The learning specialist most often provides intervention in one-to-one sessions or in a dyad. The child-centered approach at Quad Prep is highly collaborative, a trait that the learning specialist must uphold to provide personalized support to each student. While most students who work with our learning specialists are performing below grade-level, learning specialists do, on occasion, work with students who are far exceeding grade-level expectations.

Expectations:

• Provide personalized educational support for students whose needs cannot be met in the regularoom setting.

• Follow the guidance of the clinical, psychosocial, andoom-based academic staff in working with each student in accordance with each child’s academic and social-emotional education plan.

• Support students in all of their goals for both academic and social-emotional development. 

• Contribute to planning cross-curricular inquiry-based projects with a collaborative, integrated team of educators and therapists. 

• Implement curriculum and instructional activities driven by student learning styles and multiple assessment alternatives and maintain portfolios of student work to illustrate and record progress and achievement.

• Propose strategies and programs that serve the needs of each student who is showing difficulty with reading, writing, language skills, and/or math skills.

• Support teachers in methods of using new/specific resources in theoom; propose strategies and programs that serve students with learning differences; collaborate with teachers to monitor learning progress and provide teachers with strategies to support students outside of scheduled sessions.

• Determine when a student needs more or less time with intense instruction and recommend next steps.

• Maintain records of all strategies and programs used for students.

• Conduct regular assessments to document the growth of students in areas needing support, and to support teachers in periodic benchmark assessments schoolwide.

• Empower students to take charge of their learning by providing all necessary scaffolding, modeling, materials, and resources, and consistently maintaining a high level of expectation for student success.

• Collaborate with other academic staff and psychosocial staff members to plan, integrate, and facilitate cross-curricular, inquiry-based projects. 

• Communicate with parents and guardians to provide feedback on pupils’ academic and social-emotional progress through parent-teacher conferences, written reports, phone calls, and emails. 

• 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:

1. Love for working with children

2. Desire and ability to work with students with special needs

3. Lesson planning and the ability to provide engaging and personalized instruction

4. Knowledge of various clinical and academic interventions

5. Ability to connect with children in grades K-5

6. Effective oral and written communication skills

7. A solid understanding of elementary school-age academic, social, and emotional development

8. Attention to detail

9. Maintaining confidentiality and privacy

10. Ethical conduct

11. Time management and the ability to multitask

12. Teamwork and collaboration

13. Patience and flexibility

Work Environment: 

This job operates in a school setting. The school is located on the fourth floor of a building with an elevator. This role requires working in various locations around the school and occasional travel to the Upper 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 fourth 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 position will require participating in new staff orientation from August 22 - 26, 2022 and from September 19, 2022 to mid-March 2023. This is a full-time exempt position in an educational facility which is open eight hours a day. Remote work is not an option. Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required. In general, though, hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.

Compensation and Benefits: 

Compensation is dependent upon experience and degree obtained. 

At Quad Prep you’ll have access to a full range of benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; pre-tax transit and dependent care accounts, and a range of professional development opportunities offered throughout the year.

You’ll engage with your colleagues in our ongoing staff wellness groups, relax at our game nights and happy hours, and collaborate in meaningful work as a valued member of our voluntary groups, including our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce; our Staff Ambassador Program; and our Peer Mentorship Program.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, special education, or a related field.

• Minimum two years of paid experience working with children in grades K-5.

• Minimum two years of paid experience working with children with special learning needs.

Preferred Education and Experience: 

• At least three years experience as a learning specialist or special education teacher in an elementary setting.

• Master’s degree in education or special education, or enrollment in such a Master’s program.

• Experience working with twice-exceptional youth.

• Orton-Gillingham certification.

• Certification in specific learning intervention approaches beyond Orton-Gillingham.

• Training with SRSD, Writing Revolution, and/or Project Read.

***Note that all employees are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Medical and Religious Exemptions may be provided***

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.