Position Title: Learning Specialist
Department: Administration
Reports To: Head of Middle School and Head of High School
FTE: .8-1.0

POSITION SUMMARY:
We are seeking a dedicated Learning Specialist to provide individualized academic support for students beginning in the 2023-24 school year. The Learning Specialist will develop and implement Learning Plans to support students with academic and social-emotional learning differences. The Learning Specialist will lead the process of assessing and making recommendations for academic support. This work will include referrals for diagnostic evaluations, assistance to parents and faculty in interpreting results, referrals for in and out of school support, and monitoring of and evaluating student progress. The Learning Specialist will serve on the Student Support Team and collaborate with students, parents, faculty, and administration.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
● Develop, implement, monitor, and reevaluate Learning Plans for students based on assessment, observation, and external professional testing.
● Support teachers in their professional development by providing resources, assistance, advice, and training to enable faculty to better meet the needs of all learners.
● Develop infrastructure for faculty support and training.
● Provide feedback to teachers on what strategies may best help their students and
assistance in differentiating materials.
● Educate parents about learning differences.
● Facilitate accommodation requests for standardized testing; Acting as Testing Coordinator for all in-house accommodated standardized testing.
● Update parents and teachers regularly about students’ progress.
● Keep up to date with new developments in teaching methods and educational psychology.
● Build supportive, trusting relationships with students.
● Providing parents and teachers with useful resources for the benefit of students.
● Maintain resources as they pertain to targeted testing of students by outside specialists, external tutors and learning specialists.
● Provide small-group support for students, both push-in and pull-out environments.
● Be an active member of our Student Support Team.
● Participate in faculty committees, student activities, including off campus field trips and overnight fall retreats.
● Attend Student-Teacher-Parent Conferences to discuss student progress with parents, as
needed.
● Support admissions by reading incoming student evaluations when asked.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Support the work of the Head of School and administrative/leadership team. Support the mission, values, program, and goals of Northwest Academy and its respective divisions and programs.
Help to maintain school policies, regulations, and expectations.
Develop and maintain professional, collaborative, and collegial relationships;
Exhibit a growth mindset about best practices and work toward professional goals and development
Actively participate in the school culture and community.
Provide effective supervision of students to promote a safe and healthy environment and school experience.

QUALIFICATIONS:
● Advanced degree in SPED education or equivalent relevant field.
· Demonstrated success working with young adolescent and adolescent students; and
· Demonstrated success at developing educational and social-cultural opportunities for students.
● 5+ years of teaching experience, at the middle and high school level.
● Demonstrated passion for and success working with young adolescent and adolescent
students.
● Excellent verbal, written, and digital communication skills; ability to effectively
communicate and work as a team with administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and students.
● Proficiency in and/or comfort with a Mac environment, as well as with Google Drive,
Google Docs and Apps, word processing, database, electronic grading software, and other classroom and teaching technologies, including audio/visual equipment.

● The ability to create an effective professional environment and interact effectively with people from different cultures and experiences; ability to lead and work within cross-cultural environments.
● Demonstrated self starter using down time and unstructured time effectively.
● An awareness about difference and how it can expand practices and success.
● An ability to learn from and build on varying cultural and community norms of staff,
students, and families.

WORKING CONDITIONS:
This is an 11-month administrative position August – June, with some flexible on-campus requirements during the month of August. Administrative staff members are expected to be on-campus and actively involved in the school community during school hours throughout the academic year. There are some required commitments outside of regular school hours as needed, including evening and weekend commitments. As needed staff members are expected to travel to retreats, conferences and workshops, meet with parents after school, as well as, accompany students on various experiential activities throughout the year Northwest Academy staff recognize that participating in a professional community and contributing to the school’s wellbeing is an important element of their relationship to our school. As a result, staff members are expected to take active roles in the school’s professional and student culture in a variety of ways in addition to their essential responsibilities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Physical requirements are consistent with light physical duties required of teachers generally. The school is located in five buildings covering multiple blocks in downtown Portland, so teachers may have to move between buildings during five-minute passing periods or to attend meetings around campus. The school does not provide parking for all staff members, so metered street or lot parking might be required.

Interested candidates can find instructions for applying for this position on the Northwest Academy Careers Page.

Northwest Academy is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to welcoming and celebrating a diverse student and faculty population. We believe every employee has the right to
work in an environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination. It is the policy of the school that employment decisions for all applicants and employees will be made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, disability or other characteristics protected under local, state or federal law. No employee will be retaliated against for raising concerns under this policy. We seek each employee’s contribution and assistance in helping us maintain equal employment opportunity.

Location
Northwest Academy, 1130 SW Main Street, Portland, OR 97205

Contact Email
careers@nwacademy.org