Lower School Learning Specialist - Leave Replacement

The Quad Preparatory School; New York (NY); On-site; USD 72,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A progressive educational institution in New York seeks a Lower School Learning Specialist to provide personalized support for K-5 students with special learning needs. The role includes developing instructional strategies and collaborating with a team to foster students' growth. A Master's degree and experience working with children are required. Join a community focused on diversity and inclusion, offering competitive benefits and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401K match

Tuition waiver for relevant programs

Professional development opportunities

Wellness groups and social events

Qualifications

• Minimum two years of paid experience working with children in grades K-5.
• Training with Orton Gillingham Methodology or related program.
• Minimum two years of paid experience working with children with special learning needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide personalized educational support for students whose needs cannot be met in the regular classroom.
• Communicate with parents/guardians about academic and social-emotional progress.
• Collaborate with other academic and psychosocial staff to plan cross-curricular projects.

Skills

Love for working with children

Knowledge of various clinical and academic interventions

Effective oral and written communication skills

Teamwork and collaboration

Education

Masters in education, special education, or a related field

Job description

Overview

The Quad Preparatory School

Lower School Learning Specialist - Leave Replacement

Opening for the 2025-26 School Year

Classification: Exempt

Reports to: Lower School Chief Learning Specialist

Annual Salary Range: $72,000-$85,000

At Quad Prep, we are on a mission — to transform the lives of neurodiverse, twice-exceptional people by redefining the experience of school. Through the collective, collaborative, and empathic work of our teachers and clinicians, we are empowering our students to engage with the exciting and wonderful diversity of this world. As we enter our 13th year, we are excited to welcome fellow innovators and collaborative colleagues to our team to be a part of this inspiring and impactful mission.

Quad Prep is NYSAIS accredited and actively seeks to advance diversity through its programs and hiring.

Why work at Quad Prep?

• ACCREDITED SCHOOL: Quad Prep was recognized as an outstanding school when it received accreditation last year through NYSAIS.
• COMMUNITY: We are committed to building a joyful and inclusive culture where everybody is celebrated for who they are.
• COLLEAGUES: Our colleagues are inspiring innovators collaborating to create personalized solutions for each student.
• STUDENTS: You will learn from students and enjoy joy and laughter along the way.
• DEEP PROFESSIONAL LEARNING: Quad Prep supports mission-driven educators with strong professional learning opportunities.
• GENERous and comprehensive benefits
• WORK LIFE BALANCE: Ten-month school year with generous time off and scheduled planning time.
• EXTRAS: Opportunities for private practice or tutoring onsite at reduced rates for staff.

Who We Are

At Quad Prep, we are guided by values and practice-driven mission. We are committed to being Groundbreaking, Collaborative, Trustworthy, Constantly Learning and Growing, Resourceful, Flexible, and aligned with a culture of growth and innovation. You are invited to be part of a team that values collaboration, feedback, and student-centered practices.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

The Quad Preparatory School is looking for a Lower School (grades K-5) Learning Specialist to provide students with personalized support in one or more academic content areas or developmental academic skills beyond the personalized support available in the Quad Prep classroom 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.

Responsibilities

• Provide personalized educational support for students whose needs cannot be met in the regular classroom setting.
• Follow the guidance of the clinical, psychosocial, and classroom-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 resources in the classroom; 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 student growth and support teachers with periodic benchmark assessments schoolwide.
• Empower students to take charge of their learning with scaffolding, modeling, materials, and high expectations for success.
• Collaborate with other academic and psychosocial staff to plan cross-curricular, inquiry-based projects.
• Communicate with parents/guardians about academic and social-emotional progress through conferences, reports, calls, and emails.
• Follow the professional code and policies of the school and promote the mission of the school.
• Utilize Google Suite (Drive, Docs, Sheets).
• Attend all faculty and staff meetings and required 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

Required Education and Experience

• Masters 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.
• Training with Orton Gillingham Methodology or related program.

Preferred Education and Experience

• At least three years experience as a learning specialist or special education teacher in an elementary setting.
• Experience with multisensory math
• Master’s degree in education or special education; experience with twice-exceptional youth.
• Orton-Gillingham certification.
• Certification/training in specific learning intervention approaches beyond Orton-Gillingham.
• Training with SRSD, Writing Revolution, and/or Project Read.

Work Environment

This job operates in a school setting. School is located on the 4th floor of the building with an elevator. This role requires regular walking to various locations around the school and occasionally traveling 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 continuous standing, walking, and climbing stairs. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move items under 20 pounds. Typing is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Position Type and Hours

This is a full-time exempt position in an educational facility that is open eight hours a day. Teachers, psychosocial teachers, and staff clinicians work ten months per year (late August to late June). Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required, but typically Monday-Friday 8am - 4pm, with about three events per year.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation is dependent upon experience and degree obtained.

Full-time employees have access to medical, dental, and vision coverage; HSA/FSA options; pre-tax transit; dependent care FSA; 401K match; and student loan repayment contributions after one year. Professional development opportunities include the First Year Support Program, Leadership Development Institute, and a full tuition waiver for the annual Certificate Program in Meeting the Needs of Twice-Exceptional Students.

All staff engage with wellness groups, social events, and committees such as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce; Staff Ambassador Program; and Peer Mentorship Program.

Want to learn more about Quad Prep? Do not hesitate to connect with us and inquire about opportunities.

Note: All employees are required to be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19. Medical and Religious Exemptions may be provided.

ADA/AAP/EEO Statement: Quad Preparatory School is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. Reasonable accommodations are provided upon request. For accommodation requests, contact the People and Culture department at [e-mail]. Quad Prep does not discriminate in its hiring procedures and policies on protected characteristics.