SY 24-25 Elementary School Learning Specialist

Elementary School Learning Specialist

Join Our “Relationships-First” Team:                                

Join School in the Square in reimagining PreK-12th grade education in Washington Heights and Inwood. A tuition-free public charter school, we were founded in 2016 on our "relationships first" philosophy: making sure that we engage, educate, and empower our students, families, and professional team members. We invite you to be a part of a 175+ team whose mission-aligned culture offers sustainable, rewarding career paths in teaching, operations, and leadership, built on relationships-first collaboration and mutual support. Experience the difference at a workplace that celebrates and cultivates each team member’s passions, skills, and multi-disciplinary interests as we build a brighter future together, one student at a time. 

Why School In the Square?       

As a “relationships first” community, we... 

• Demonstrate care for colleagues, students and families,
• Commit to learning and growing together,
• Invest in relationship-building work,
• Support each other with competitive benefits including a 6% 401k match, 93% coverage of healthcare premiums, employer-paid life insurance, generous full company closures and PTO policies, and more!

Our Elementary School Learning Specialist:

Our Elementary School, admiringly named “Dos Amigos”, at School in the Square is a Dual Language PreK-5th grade program dedicated to providing each student with the tools and support to become lifelong learners. Dos Amigos provides a creative, bilingual immersion program alongside a focus on SEL. 

We are looking for dedicated, mission-aligned learning specialists who have a passion for bilingual immersion. Reporting to our Principal and in collaboration with a diverse and committed School Leadership Team (SLT), you will support our efforts to ensure high academic standards while also focusing on the social-emotional needs of all students. If you have a deep belief that all students can thrive in a challenging, high-quality, nurturing and supportive learning environment, we would love to hear from you. 

Responsibilities

• Progress Monitoring & Data Study
• Contributes to the school's ongoing efforts to monitor student pace and progress 
• Collect data to identify students in need of Tier 2/Tier 3 intervention and current levels of students already identified for SETSS
• Collecting, analyzing and using data to differentiate instruction for students within sessions as an integral aspect of planning and teaching
• Create data-based groupings and schedule in collaboration with other service providers and classroom teachers
• Evaluates academic achievement and progress towards learning objectives through detailed data analysis of student performance on a wide variety of metrics; Utilize student data collected to drive instruction and intervention (progress monitoring)
• Keep records on student progress and participate in student progress report writing 
• Serves on the Child Study Team (attend weekly meetings, manage incoming teacher referrals, monitor recommended plans, and help determine scholars who need an evaluation for special education services)
• IEP Facilitation & Implementation
• In preparation for IEP meetings: collect student work samples and anecdotal information from classroom teachers, write teacher report 
• Assists in the development of standards-driven IEPs, keeps organized case files on each scholar with an IEP or 504, attends IEP meetings, and collects multiple sources of data on scholar progress to goals and standards
• Generate Individual Learning Plans for specific children based on outside educational evaluations in conjunction with the SS Head
• Instruction
• Collaboratively plans, prepares, and implements lesson plans that utilize a variety of instructional strategies and differentiated teaching based on the diverse and individual needs of the students, both those that have mandated services and those receiving Tier 2 and 3 interventions
• Provides teachers and staff with academic differentiation strategies and interventions for struggling scholars
• Differentiates instruction and learning approaches as needed in literacy and mathematics
• Collaboration
• Attends Student Support Services team meetings with the Student Support Services Coordinator 
• Build and maintain productive, collaborative, and collegial working relationships with leaders, co-teacher(s), other teachers, staff members, parents, and community members
• Attend regular, mission-critical programming including summer development sessions, data days, parent workshops parent-teacher conferences, and other opportunities
• Establish strong communication with families through email/phone/Zoom/newsletters/PTC
• Communication with outside tutors and service providers alongside classroom teachers, as needed 

Who You Are:

• Skilled in current teaching methods and educational pedagogy including but not limited to:
• Interactive, hands on, creative learning
• Use of technology to support instruction in all areas
• Use of assessment to drive instruction
• Differentiation of curriculum to meet the needs of diverse learners
• Knowledge of co-teaching strategies 
• Knowledge of ELL strategies 
• A strategic, solutions-focused thinker with strong communication and planning skills.
• A strong relationship builder, you get personal fulfillment by teaching and coaching students in both academic and non-instructional situations, respecting and encouraging student effort. 
• Familiar with restorative practices, a strong believer in anti racism education, culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy, trauma informed practices
• Self-reflective with the capacity to accept and implement feedback to improve instruction
• A graduate of a Bachelor’s Degree in Education or relevant content area
• Current possessor of a valid New York State Teaching Certification or willing to enroll in a New York State Teaching Certification Program and obtain such Certification within two years. 
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred

What Can You Expect From Us

At S2, we take as much care of our staff as we do of our students. S2 is committed to supporting our staff by helping them build sustainable, rewarding careers that center on each individual’s passions and multi-disciplinary interests. All of our faculty and staff are valued professionals and we are proud to provide team-building and collaboration, comfortable and friendly working conditions and more, to ensure our team members have the tools they need to succeed.

In addition to meaningful and rewarding work, School in the Square provides ultra competitive salaries. Using two pay scale ranges based on your New York State Certifications, years of experience and education level certified teachers salary ranges from $66,000 - $122,764 and uncertified teachers salary ranges from $63,000 - $119,764. 

Additionally, we provide opportunities for supplemental compensation, an excellent benefits package with

• 401K program with a 6% organizational match
• 93% coverage of healthcare coverage
• longevity bonus
• generous paid time off
• access to a federal student loan debt reduction program
• a supportive work environment. 

School in the Square understands specific groups are subject to marginalization. We believe these powerful groups should be centered in our community and are highly encouraged to apply. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.