Learning Specialist

Bellarmine College Prep•San Jose, CA

8h•Onsite

About The Position

Bellarmine College Preparatory, a Jesuit secondary school, has been educating young “men for and with others” in the Jesuit tradition of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, since 1851. Bellarmine College Preparatory, located in San José, California, invites applications for a full-time Learning Specialist position. This position supports the Academic Resource Center (ARC) and Office of Accessible Education (OAE). Bellarmine's commitment to fairness and justice extends to providing academically qualified students, including those who are neurodivergent, an equal opportunity to access the school's programs and activities. We commit to ensuring an opportunity for academic and personal success to all students, emphasizing growth and individual achievement. We address this goal through our provision for academic support and adjustments. This role combines classroom instruction with individualized student support, serving a broad range of learners including those with formal academic support plans through the OAE. Instruction is designed to build academic self-efficacy and the habits of mind that lead to long-term success. Working at Bellarmine College Preparatory requires a commitment to the mission and values of the school, as well as an enthusiasm for contributing to its co-curricular programs.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and a valid teaching credential or equivalent professional qualification
A minimum of three years of classroom teaching experience at the middle or high school level
Demonstrated ability to differentiate instruction and scaffold content-area material for students with diverse learning profiles within a college preparatory or similarly rigorous academic environment
Experience planning and delivering instruction across reading, writing, and mathematics, or providing academic support to secondary students across multiple disciplines
Strong knowledge of executive functioning and its relationship to academic performance in adolescents
Knowledge of research-based strategies for literacy and reading comprehension instruction, and for scaffolding mathematical reasoning and problem-solving, for adolescent learners
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to interact clearly and effectively with students, families, faculty, and administrators
Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to learn applicable software and assistive technology tools
Demonstrated commitment to cultural proficiency
Ability to lift 20 pounds, using proper lifting techniques
Ability to sit, stand, and/or move around the applicable working environment as needed
Ability to travel around our campus safely and comfortably
Ability to use a keyboard (or an alternative input device) and other office equipment
Ability to read information in printed material, on a computer screen, (often for extended periods of time) and/or on a mobile device/laptop

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in education, special education, educational therapy, or a related field
Special Education credential or Educational Therapist (ET/Associate) qualification
Experience working with neurodivergent students in a college preparatory or independent school setting
Experience facilitating skill-building workshops for students, informational sessions for families, and professional development for faculty
Familiarity with case management in an educational setting
Familiarity with assistive technology tools and applications

Responsibilities

Teach a structured academic support class for incoming freshmen, delivering instruction across two complementary areas: a sequenced foundational skills curriculum addressing literacy, reading comprehension, academic writing, and study strategies; and responsive scaffolding of content from students' current courses, including reading, writing, and mathematics
Design and differentiate lessons that serve a wide range of learners, including students with identified or suspected learning differences, maintaining high expectations while providing appropriate scaffolding and embedding executive functioning instruction within real academic tasks
Plan and execute instruction across a block schedule, establishing and maintaining classroom routines that build student metacognitive awareness, self-advocacy habits, and independence over time
Coordinate and deliver individualized support services in the ARC, collaborating with the Directors of OAE and ARC to establish student learning goals and develop individualized plans that support metacognition, self-advocacy, study habits, and executive functioning skills
Communicate student progress with stakeholders, including counselors, teachers, and parents, and empower students to understand how they learn and develop the skills needed to succeed at Bellarmine and beyond
Supervise the ARC and its students throughout the school day, including before and after-school hours.
Assist with the administration of classroom assessments for students receiving extended-time or other testing accommodations