| Position Title: Director of Learning Support Date Modified: March 22, 2021 FLSA Classification: Exempt Reports to: Director of Student Formation and Counselor About St. John’s Episcopal School St. John’s is an independent, coeducational Episcopal school serving up to 500 students in grades pre-k through eight. Located in a park-like setting on 10 acres in East Dallas, the School offers its employees and students a supportive esprit de corps fueled by a common mission – one dedicated to a program of academic excellence designed to train the mind, strengthen the character, and enrich the spirit of each student in a Christian environment. We think of St. John’s not only as a School, but also as a very special kind of community. We seek to employ people who – regardless of the role they play in the School –understand that they impact the lives of our students, families, and colleagues. The St. John’s Code calls us to model honesty and respectfulness in our relationships, responsibility in the performance of our assignments, and a caring attitude that extends to all members of our community. Do you dream of becoming the best employee you can be? Of coming to work each day with a sense of mastery, belonging, and purpose? Of working with fun, collegial, collaborative, growth-minded professionals? If so, you could thrive at St. John’s. Position Purpose: This full-time role is responsible for leading St. John’s Academic Learning Support Program for pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade students, as well as for providing individual and small-group direct support to middle school students through the Middle School Learning Lab, which aims to help students with diagnosed learning differences maximize their potential at St. John’s. The Director of Learning Support is a key collaborator with students, parents and caregivers, Division Heads, Director of Student Formation and Counselor, Dean of Students, other learning support personnel, wellness clinic staff, faculty, admissions and enrollment personnel, leadership and administration, and outside professionals. Key Accountabilities: - Craft, implement, and manage a school-wide academic support process.
- Serve as student advocate and liaison by ensuring consistency and compliance and maintaining regular contact with parents and educators.
- Lead team meetings to plan and follow up on interventions and support.
- Make recommendations and referrals for psychoeducational evaluation, screening, tutoring, and other services as appropriate.
- Manage the scheduling of outside specialized professionals providing services to Lower and Middle School students virtually or on campus, depending on current pandemic protocols.
- Monitor student involvement and student progress with outside professionals.
- Manage the School’s learning accommodation process for pre-school through eighth-grade students with a diagnosed learning difference, medication condition, or long- or short-term injury, which includes but is not limited to:
- Develop and write Student Support Plans based on review and synthesis of psychoeducational evaluations, academic files, and standardized testing.
- Consult with students, parents and caregivers, teachers, evaluators, tutors, and treating professionals.
- Meet annually with students, parents, homeroom teachers, and middle school advisors to approve accommodation plans.
- Work directly with faculty to ensure accommodations are implemented appropriately and effectively.
- Monitor student outcomes and adjust the accommodations process, requirements, and deadlines.
- Meet with individual parents and families to discuss the academic progress of a student.
- Provide faculty guidance related to effective teaching strategies for students with learning differences.
- Lead in seeking out ongoing professional development opportunities for all faculty related to serving the needs of students in need of additional academic support.
- Educate and advise faculty, staff, and administrators on learning differences, remediation, accommodations, and the general difficulties and needs of specific students.
- Supervise, organize, and staff the Middle School Learning Lab, which will be available to students who have a Student Support Plan on file with the School.
- Develop and maintain a program to teach Middle School students academic and executive functioning study skills. This includes but is not limited to meeting with groups of students daily to assist in time management, organization, study skills, test-taking strategies, and workload balancing.
- Potentially teach study skills classes to Middle School students.
- Review progress with students and assist in setting attainable goals for success.
- Lead the appropriate process for support when a student demonstrates a concerning pattern of performance.
- Facilitate grade-level team meetings to monitor the progress of students who have Student Support Plans or are demonstrating a concerning pattern of performance.
- Consult and facilitate extended time accommodations for Middle School during regular school days.
- Coordinate and proctor extended time for Lower and Middle School standardized tests and semester Middle School semester.
- Coordinate applications for accommodations for standardized testing (ISEE, ERBs, etc.).
- Monitor eligibility and file applications in a timely manner.
- Advise families about documentation.
- Provide supplemental testing and documentation, if appropriate.
- Maintain up-to-date records so support and progress can be confidentially monitored.
- Coordinate reading and speech-language screenings and subsequent reporting conducted by outside vendor.
- Assist the Director of Student Formation and Counselor in organizing and coordinating Parent University initiatives, especially as those relate to learning.
- Partner and collaborate directly with the Lower School Learning and Reading Specialist.
Opportunities and Challenges: The Director of Learning Support plays a pivotal role in the life of many St. John’s families. The Director is a strong and valued member of the community who helps students develop the habits, skills, and attitudes they will hone throughout their lower and middle school years. The Director of Learning Support must: - Model the St. John’s Code of respect, responsibility, honesty, and care.
- Develop trust and rapport with students, their families, and faculty and staff.
- Demonstrate clarity and promptness in verbal and written communication.
- Demonstrate strong listening skills.
- Demonstrate and exercise confidentiality regarding student personal and educational information.
- Embrace the School’s Episcopal identity, ethos, and commitment to respecting the dignity of each individual.
Growth Mindset: - Collaborate with colleagues on the development of curriculum and practice of instructional strategies.
- Leverage the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the Student Formation Team in support of students’ academic, social, and emotional needs.
- Pursue growth in relevant technology skills.
- Network with peers at other local and national independent and Episcopal schools.
- Demonstrate commitment to personal and professional growth. Able to meaningfully receive, reflect on, and apply feedback to one’s professional growth.
- Attend conferences and professional meetings to remain current with subject-specific curriculum, instructional strategies, culturally responsive instruction, and social and emotional learning to advance the role of the Director of Learning Support.
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