The Quad Preparatory School·New York
Provide personalized academic and social-emotional support to neurodiverse students in one-to-one or dyad sessions. Collaborate with an integrated team of educators and therapists to implement inquiry-based projects and monitor student progress.
The Quad Preparatory School Lower School Learning Specialist Immediate Opening Classification: Exempt Reports to: Lower School Senior Learning Specialist Annual
$68,000-$96,000 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. Now in our 2nd decade, we are excited to welcome fellow innovators and collaborative colleagues to our team to be a part of this inspiring and impactful mission. At Quad Prep, a New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) Accredited School, we are eager to create challenging and engaging learning experiences for our students, to seek diverse perspectives, and to work together to continuously refine and redefine best practices in neurodiverse education. The Quad Preparatory School 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 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, consummate innovators and are at their happiest collaborating to create personalized solutions for each student. STUDENTS We guarantee that you will learn something eye-opening every single day from our students — and have a lot of joy and laughter along the way! DEEP PROFESSIONAL LEARNING: Quad Prep supports mission-driven educators and clinicians to grow their professional skills and influence in the neurodiversity educational space. Close collaboration with colleagues, coaching from supportive leaders, and thoughtful, in-depth professional learning programs keep us growing. GENEROUS AND COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS Health: Medical, Dental, Vision Student Loan repayment Retirement Plan contribution Group Life Plan Disability Insurance Generous Parental Leave WORK LIFE BALANCE: In addition to a ten-month school year during which our staff are offered on average 33 days off (approximately 7 weeks) for scheduled holidays and school breaks, we provide generous preparation periods throughout each week, limiting the number of after work hours you will need to work — so that you can live the life you wish for — inside and outside of our school. Additionally, our students are dismissed midday each Friday in order for you to meet with your team and division, as well as plan, and prep. EXTRAS You can build a private practice or tutor non-Quad Prep students onsite during after school hours at low-cost reduced rates, available only to our Quad Prep staff.
(If Quad Prep is for you, you'll read what's below and feel, "That's me!") At Quad Prep, we are guided by values that we hold dear and we have developed an innovative set of practices to meet our mission. We are: Groundbreaking: We ignite our students’ talents and are passionate about their futures. You are: Passionate about our work and our mission Creative and excited about reaching each and every learner in new ways Excited to help create new, evidence-based best practices in this rapidly evolving field Able to set high expectations of both students and yourself and discover ways to meet them Collaborative: We function with an exceedingly deep degree of collaboration.
Communicate effectively with colleagues Seek to understand yourself and others in order to welcome new perspectives Are generous of spirit and willing to give and receive feedback and input freely
Are kind, welcoming, and inclusive
Trustworthy: We are steadfast and are accountable to our students and each other.
Can be counted on to do what you say you will do Have a high level of ownership for personal and team results Can purposefully develop skills to find success in your work and our learning community Ask for support when you need it Project an unflappable, firm, and kind presence to our students
Constantly
Learning and
Growing: We value continued growth and learning.
Are highly effective and dedicated Show initiative Display good judgment and sensibility Excellent at supporting students inside and outside the classroom
Flexible: At Quad Prep, we never give up on each other and are driven by the ethos of “not if, but how.”
You are: Open to new ideas Nimble in fluid, changing environments Excited by growth, change, and innovation 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.
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/specific 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 the growth of students in areas needing support, and to support teachers in periodic benchmark assessments schoolwide. Empower students to take charge of their learning by providing all necessary scaffolding, modeling, materials, and resources, and consistently maintaining a high level of expectation for student success. Collaborate with other academic staff and psychosocial staff members to plan, integrate, and facilitate cross-curricular, inquiry-based projects. Communicate with parents and guardians to provide feedback on pupils’ academic and social-emotional progress through parent-teacher conferences, written reports, phone calls, and emails. Follow the professional code and policies of the school and conduct oneself in a way that promotes the mission of the school. Utilize Google Suite, in particular Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets. Attend all faculty and staff meetings, professional development sessions, and required special events (e.g., open houses, Curriculum Night, Carnivale). Perform other duties as assigned.
Requires a Master's degree in education or special education and at least two years of experience working with children with special learning needs. Training in the Orton-Gillingham methodology is mandatory.
Market context
New York lower school learning specialists commonly support students with dyslexia and other learning needs, making advanced preparation and classroom experience important in a competitive candidate pool. This role lists a $68,000–$96,000 salary range, requires a relevant master’s degree, two years of experience, and mandatory Orton-Gillingham training, with medical, dental, vision, disability insurance, and parental leave. Use the AI-summarized requirements and benefits to compare the original description efficiently before applying.
