Learning Specialist

The Girls' Middle School • Palo Alto, CA

1d

About The Position

The Learning Specialist leads the school’s work to ensure that every student at The Girls’ Middle School experiences equitable supports for learning. Reporting to the Assistant Head of School, this role partners closely with the School Counselor, Teaching and Learning Facilitator, and Grade Level Leads to facilitate intervention services and wellness services. The Learning Specialist will also be the point person for responding to student learning needs, recommending and receiving evaluations and designing learning accommodations plans in partnership with families. This is a leadership role for a professional with experience in learning support. At the core of GMS is our extraordinary faculty. Every teacher at GMS has a passion for working with middle school students and believes in the fundamental value of the middle school experience. They are attentive to, value, and support every student in the school. The GMS teachers are middle school specialists and subject matter experts, bringing passion to their work and sharing it with the students. Whatever interests a GMS student – from physics to programming, sculpture to skateboarding, musical theatre to metal shop – there is an adult ready to help them advance that interest as far as they can go. The Learning Specialist, like the members of the GMS Faculty, participates in a joyful, inclusive, and respectful community of students and adults. You will be surrounded by enthusiastic, dedicated, and mission-driven faculty who appreciate autonomy in creating learning experiences while thriving in a collaborative environment. Our teachers enjoy opportunities to create multi-faceted, interdisciplinary projects and participate in engaging field trips and travel experiences.

Requirements

• Enthusiasm for the mission of The Girls’ Middle School
• Demonstrated skill in designing learning accommodations for students with learning differences and mental health needs
• Experience in equitable and inclusive educational experiences and learning environments that incorporate themes of diversity and belonging
• Excellent organizational and communication skills
• Openness to feedback and a growth mindset
• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Counseling, Special Education, Psychology, Social Work, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience supporting middle school students and families
• Demonstrated cultural humility, cultural responsiveness, and commitment to equity-driven practice
• Strong communication and coaching skills with adolescents and adults.
• Ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders, balance competing needs, and hold a “students first AND teacher-supportive” mindset
• Eagerness and ability to work in a collaborative environment that requires flexibility, creativity, humor, self-awareness, endurance, and resilience
• Ability to communicate professionally in English and at least one other language spoken in our school community such as Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, or Hindi a plus
• Excitement and willingness to participate in all school events, which may include overnight trips
• Passion for supporting girls in discovering their strengths and finding their voice
• A love for the middle-school age

Nice To Haves

• Master’s Degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Student Support Team’s work to identify students in need of additional support and monitor the success of their intervention plans.
• Develop accomodations plans for newly admitted or newly identified students with learning differences and/or diagnosed medical conditions, learning disabilities or mental health needs that impact their experience in the school environment
• Partner with the counselor, instructional coach, teachers, and families to coordinate student-centered supports that can be implemented in progressive classrooms
• Support students’ participation in restorative practices, including community building efforts, student leadership programs, cultural programming, advising programs, and wellness programming
• Manage student intervention protocols, including prevention and tiered interventions
• Provide direct service to students such as push-in classroom support, testing accommodations, executive function coaching during Office Hours, or support with modified assignments
• Partner with faculty to implement and monitor accommodations; co-develop family and student support plans
• Consult with teachers to develop support strategies that maintain high expectations alongside developmentally appropriate scaffolds
• Coordinate and/or deliver professional learning for faculty/staff on universal design for learning, neurodiversity, culturally responsive pedagogy, and adolescent brain development
• Track student support data to monitor progress and trends; communicate trends to the Senior Leadership Team and support data-driven decision-making as needed
• Partner closely with families through proactive communication, shared problem-solving, and tiered intervention planning
• Coordinate transition systems for new students entering the school, and for rising 8th graders preparing for high school
• Support the Admissions Team with major admissions events and processes, such as weekend preview days or school tours
• Support planning for off-campus learning programs and participate as a chaperone for outdoor/community-engaged learning and travel as needed
• Manage major assessments such as MAP Growth Testing and Student/Family Surveys to monitor student progress and program quality
• Contribute to campus programming and supervision as needed (such as lunch duty, teaching an intersession class, or staffing an evening/weekend event)
• Other duties as assigned

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees