10/1/19

Learning Specialist at Chicago Jesuit Academy

Job Description: Students who attend Chicago Jesuit Academy will be the next generation of leaders in the city of Chicago. Talented men and women who wish to be employed by Chicago Jesuit Academy as teachers must demonstrate a past and continued commitment to academic excellence, professional development and the best ideals of the Roman Catholic faith. Strong candidates for teaching positions are disciplined workers, compassionate listeners and tireless advocates for the children they serve. Most importantly, they recognize that Chicago Jesuit Academy will ask them to approach their work as a vocation and make substantial contributions of their time and talents in the service of the students of the Academy. The success of each Academy student hinges upon the determination and excellence of each teacher.

Chicago Jesuit Academy (CJA) is looking for a Learning Specialist to run interventions in the Learning Resource Center (LRC). The specialist will work in close partnership with the Head of School, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and Director of Learning Supports to oversee and implement special education services at CJA. Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Identifying and grouping students in need of academic intervention using academic data, teacher referrals and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).
• Supporting internal academic service providers, including faculty, staff and volunteers who provide academic interventions for students.
• Identifying, securing and managing external resources and providers including services provided through IDEA (proportionate share services)
• Managing student IEP and 504 plans, ensuring they are kept current and accurate.
• Facilitating high-quality professional development for faculty and staff related to special education.
• Collaborate with grade level teams on how to best support our diverse learners academically in the general education classroom
• Instruct small group reading interventions across a variety of grade levels, including progress monitoring and parent communication
• Co-teach two sections of 4th grade language arts

There is no greater relationship at CJA than the relationship between teacher and student.

All faculty will be expected to serve as classroom teachers as well as proctors for a variety of daily and co-curricular activities. He/she is expected to: 

• Model the best ideals of the Roman Catholic faith as a “person for others” in the Jesuit tradition.
• Demonstrate a profound commitment to excellence in teaching through professional development.
• Participate in the continued curricular and cultural development of the Academy.
• Be a highly effective classroom manager who adheres to and promotes all Academy policies set forth in staff and student handbooks, especially those regarding student conduct.
• Actively participate in all required orientations, retreats, staff meetings and department meetings.
• Teach up to 15 hours per week of Language Arts/Reading, Mathematics, Science or Social Studies in rotating blocks.
• Maintain detailed and accurate records of student performance as well as unit curriculae, weekly learning plans, and daily lesson plans.
• Plan and chaperone supplementary educational experiences, including retreats and field trips.
• Regularly submit to both peer and formal observations and volunteer for demonstration lessons.
• Communicate regularly with parents about student performance and classroom expectations.
• Perform additional duties as assigned, including but not limited to one minor duty, such as proctoring breakfast, and one major duty, such as teaching a daily half-hour formation course or proctoring lunch/recess.
• Support the development of the Academy by sharing the school’s mission with friends and the benefactors who support the scholarship needs of Academy students.
• Strong candidates will have knowledge of the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm and believe in an education that forms the whole person — cura personalis in the Jesuit tradition. These candidates will also be expected to have outstanding interpersonal skills, excellent organizational skills and relevant teaching experience. Certification and a master’s degree in one’s desired subject area are preferred.

Please apply on our website, www.cjacademy.org

Mission: Chicago Jesuit Academy (CJA) is a full-scholarship lower and middle school for young men from modest economic backgrounds who could not otherwise access a well-resourced, faith-based college prep education in the Catholic tradition. We support and advocate for CJA students and alumni as well as other children of modest means as they progress to and through college prep high schools, post-secondary education and the transition to meaningful careers and citizenship. CJA invites students to become persons for others who aspire to be open to growth, loving, intellectually competent, religious and committed to doing justice.

Means: Located in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side, CJA enrolls students without regard for their past levels of academic achievement. We use small class sizes, rigorous extended school days and an 11-month school year to develop each student as a whole person in accord with the Jesuit mission and tradition. CJA shares best practices with other schools, and we partner with the broader community to promote access to better educational resources and a deeper understanding of the obstacles to educational equity. The disciplined sacrifices of CJA’s students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, volunteers and benefactors make the success of our mission possible.

Non-discrimination Policy: Chicago Jesuit Academy, in accordance with our Jesuit tradition, is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs and activities, without regard to an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex (except in matters of admission and enrollment), gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic or military status. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the CJA community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law, or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected identity.

9/21/19

Middle School Learning Specialist Job Description(Part-time Leave Replacement)

North Shore Country Day School

North Shore Country Day School, a JK-12 independent school near Chicago, seeks a part-time Middle School Learning Specialist to cover a parental leave starting in early November.  It is anticipated the leave will conclude in late February or early March. 

Qualifications:

●A Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education, Master’s Degree in Special Education preferred

●Type 10 Special Education teaching certificate

● 3+ years junior high school teaching experience in a learning disability setting

●Experience working in an independent school is a plus

●Knowledge of interpreting diagnostic testing evaluations

●Excellent written and oral communication skills

●Strong organizational and interpersonal skills

Essential responsibilities include:

●Provide individual curricular support, as well as study skills development, to students with learning challenges due to learning disabilities, attention issues or weak organization and study skills

●Collaborate with the Middle School Learning Specialist to develop and implement formal school plans (Individual Achievement Plan) that detail a student’s learning profile, recommendations for strategies and support, and accommodations

●Partner with faculty to coordinate and implement recommendations and accommodations and to facilitate faculty’s understanding of student’s learning style

●Maintain confidential student records and keep accurate documentation of sessions and meetings

●Communicate with parents through writing individual student narratives that detail student progress, as well as email and phone calls

●Attend staffings with parents and faculty to develop a support plan for students that includes strategies, recommendations, and accommodations

The position entails working individually with about 9 students, usually once a week per student, with 3-4 students meeting twice a week.

Candidates are asked to submit a cover letter that includes their philosophy/approach to their work, a resume, and a listing of professional references (it is helpful to know the context in which the reference worked with the candidate and have both email and phone contact information for each reference). All information should be submitted to electronically to careers@nscds.org

We are fully committed to a culturally diverse faculty and student body. North Shore Country Day School is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. North Shore does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.

8/10/19

Part-time Learning Specialist

Summary/Objective

Ancona School seeks an education professional with a successful track record to provide support to classroom teachers and their students with diverse learning needs, particularly those experiencing challenges in reading, writing, and math, as well as in areas related to executive functioning. 

The Learning Specialist will work closely with colleagues on the Student Support Team (SST) and Ancona faculty to assist students with learning differences that require differentiated instruction, classroom modifications. accommodations. and remedial instruction. The Learning Specialist will participate in established relevant student record keeping and the development of individualized learning plans (i.e., Student Support Plans). 

This position is part-time, averaging 25 hours per week, for the 2019-2020 academic year, beginning in August 2019. 

Specific Duties

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Essential Job Functions

• support students with learning challenges in the areas of reading, writing, math, executive functioning, and self-advocacy, both in the classroom and in small pullout groups.
• assist classroom teachers in differentiating instruction in a manner consistent with evidence-based educational practices, including modeling lessons and co-teaching.
• work with multi-level teachers and auxiliary program staff to integrate knowledge and strategies across all aspects of a student’s school life.
• support students in their use of assistive technology.
• identify and utilize special materials and teaching strategies pertinent to individual student and staff needs.
• assist in the implementation of behavior management plans.
• provide appropriate activities and opportunities to enhance students’ understanding of their learning profiles and to develop self-advocacy skills.
• meet regularly with classroom teachers and the Student Support Team to discuss students and their progress.
• participate in multidisciplinary staffings that include parents, speech-language therapists, occupational therapists, tutors, psychologists, etc.
• meet with parents and teachers on a regular basis to discuss student progress and making needed adjustments to the Student Support Plan.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children with learning difficulties in the areas of reading decoding, reading comprehension, math computation and reasoning, written expression skills, and organizational strategies.
• Degree in special education, learning disabilities, and/or language-based learning disabilities.

Additional Requirements

• CPR/First Aid certification (preferred)
• Pass a background check
• Have the physical capacity to work with children preschool through 8th grade

Physical Demands

• Reaching, standing, walking, lifting, feeling, talking, hearing
• Repetitive motion
• Sedentary work, light work, medium work
• Close visual acuity

Travel

0-5%

EEO Statement

It is the policy of Ancona School not to discriminate against any employee or any applicant for employment because of age, race, religion, color, handicap, sex, physical condition, developmental disability, sexual orientation or national origin.  This policy shall include, but not be limited to, the following: recruitment and employment, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, selection for training, including apprenticeship, layoff and termination.

To Apply

Please fill out a job application form and send it along with your resumé and cover letter to learning-specialist-job@anconaschool.org

All inquiries are treated confidentially.

8/7/19

• Student Services Teacher - Junior High   Kenilworth School District No. 38 JobID: 341 

• Position Type:
    Student Support Services/Student Services Teacher
  
  
• Date Posted:
    7/26/2019
  
  
• Location:
    The Joseph Sears School
  
  
• Date Available:
    Fall 2019

• Student Services Teacher for Junior High.

  Special Education teacher or LBS 1, Illinois PEL Licensure (or equivalent) required.

  Salary and benefits commensurate with current agreement between the District and the Kenilworth Educators Association.

• 8/7/19
  

• Classroom Instructional Assistant Kenilworth School District No. 38 JobID: 337 

• Position Type:
    Instructional Assistant/Classroom
  
  
• Date Posted:
    3/8/2019
  
  
• Location:
    The Joseph Sears School
  
  
• Date Available:
    Immediately
  
•   

  Full Time Classroom Instructional Assistant
  
  Professional Illinois Educator License Preferred (PEL). PEL or Para Professional license Required
  
  Annual Full Time Salary $19,674
  
  Optional Opportunities for paid Extra Duties

You may access the Kenilworth School District No. 38 AppliTrack Employment Portal 

8/7/19

Researcher Dr. Kenn Apel posted this on the SPELL-link'd PASS forum. Any assistance or leads would be greatly appreciated 

I am in the final year of my 3-year research grant that is developing a morphological awareness test. This coming academic year, I am looking to expand my data collection to include school districts outside of my immediate area (i.e., outside of SC). As for one of those sites, I am hoping to collect data in the Chicago and/or surrounding areas (e.g., Evanston). To do this, I need two tasks to occur. First, I need to hire an individual who would be willing to serve as the site supervisor in his/her area. This person will ensure the project is completely correctly and with fidelity. S/he also will oversee 3-4 research assistants. Details are on the attachment. Second, I need district permission. This is becoming trickier and trickier nowadays because so many districts (and schools within those districts) are so focused on passing the state test. Any “pull” that a person has to help with this process would be wonderful.

Thank you for “listening” to my request.

Kenn

Kenn Apel, PhD, CCC-SLP

Professor and Chair

University of South Carolina

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (COMD)

1705 College St., Room 215

Columbia, SC 29208

803-777-8114

803-777-3081 (fax)

Knowledge of Orthographic Learning Lab (Kool2)

1)    We are entering Year 3 of the grant project next year (starting in the Fall). For this coming year, the main focus is on reliability and validity of the morphological awareness tasks we have honed over the last 2 years. So, we will be administering those MA tasks.  We provide all measures and forms needed.

2)    Originally, I was not scheduled to test kids outside of SC, but I have enough carryforward funds to allow us to do that. We want to increase our number of participants to ensure our results represent a larger snapshot of first through sixth grade students across the country.

3)    I can pay the site supervisor $15,000 to help with the process.

4)    We also would hire about 3-4 local RAs to help collect data. They would get $12/hour for about 20 hours per week for an estimated 25 weeks (actually, I don't think they will be needed for 25 weeks to collect the data- I need to go back and figure that out). We would work with the site supervisor and other contacts to find those folks.

5)    All of the team (site supervisor, RAs) would need to have TB tests and background checks (all districts pretty much require this). We would pay for those.

6)    We would need to obtain district and then principal-level permission to test in the schools. We have all of the paperwork for that.

7)    There would be participation incentives for the teachers who help us/allow the team to test the kids. We pay $5/student and an extra $20 for the teacher (so, if she has 5 kids, she gets $45). She would get a "Visa-like" card.  We say it is to help her buy materials for her classroom, but I don't check on that and I don't really care.

8)    I or my project coordinator (Alexis Mitchell) would fly out to "train" the site supervisor/the RAs on the measures.  The site supervisor's main responsibility is to ensure the RAs are collecting data correctly. It also would be nice if the supervisor collected some data, just so the RAs know how important it is to be diligent/detailed.

9)    The idea is to get school/district permission early Fall/school year so testing can start shortly after that.

10)    We THINK the project will take about 3-4 months to do all the training of the team and the collection of the data.

7/1/2019

5th & 6th Grade Special Education Teacher

This position is for the 2019-2020 School Year. 

Job Summary 
To create a flexible elementary grade program and a class environment favorable to learning and personal growth; to establish effective rapport with students; to motivate students to develop skills, attitudes and knowledge needed to provide a good foundation for elementary grade education in accordance with each student’s ability; to establish good relationships with parents and other staff members; to assist in school programs subject to the SSDS Mission. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 
Duties of this job include, but are not limited to: 

A. Teaches reading, language arts, social studies, mathematics, science and social/emotional skills to students with special needs in a separate setting or in a co-taught classroom, utilizing a course of study adopted by the Board of Directors, and other appropriate learning activities. 

B. Instructs students in citizenship and basic subject matter. 

C. Develops lesson plans and instructional materials and provides individualized and small group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each student. Modifies and adapt teacher lesson as applicable. 

D. Uses a variety of instructional strategies, such as inquiry, group discussion, lecture, discovery, etc. 

E. Translates lesson plans into learning experiences so as to best utilize the available time for instruction. 

F. Establishes and maintains standards of student behavior needed to achieve a functional learning atmosphere in the classroom. 

G. Evaluates students’ academic and social growth, keeps appropriate records, and prepares progress reports. 

H. Communicates with parents through conferences and other means to discuss students’ progress and interpret the school program. 

I. Identifies student needs and cooperates with other professional staff members in assessing and helping students remediate health, attitude, and learning concerns. 

J. Creates an effective environment for learning through functional and attractive displays, bulletin boards, and interest centers. 

K. Maintains professional competence through in-service and professional growth activities. 

L. Collaborates with grade-level colleagues about curriculum and educational programming. 

M. Selects and requisitions books and instructional aids; maintains required inventory records. 

N. Supervises students in out-of-classroom activities during the school day. 

O. Administers standardized tests in accordance with state testing program. 

P. Participates in curriculum development programs as required. 

Q. Serves as case manager for assigned students. 


R. Identifies the needs of students through formal and informal assessments and progress monitoring. 

S. Writes and implements ISP and 504 plans in accordance with student needs and attends and/or facilitates special education staffings. 

T. Reviews referral data, history, and assessment data to develop appropriate goals for each student and creates behavioral and academic intervention plans. 

U. Reviews ISP and 504 plans with families and school teams and assists with understanding and supporting educational objectives. 

V. Develops and implements interventions to meet individual student needs while maintaining current on best practices for special education. 

W. Collaborates and consults with school staff and outside providers regarding student needs. 

X. Collaborates and consults in educational planning while serving as a special education teacher in a separate setting or as a co-teacher. 

Y. Participates in faculty committees and the sponsorship of student activities. 

Z. Demonstrates a commitment to best practice in all dimensions of effective teaching as defined by the Thoughtful Classroom framework, including organization, rules and routines; positive relationships; engagement and enjoyment; a culture of thinking and learning; preparing students for new learning; presenting new learning; deepening and reinforcing learning; applying learning; and reflecting on and celebrating learning. 

Qualification Requirements 

a. Bachelor’s degree in related subject from accredited university 
b. Illinois teaching certificate. 
c. Experience is preferred but not necessary for hiring. 

Reports To: Director of Student Support Services 

At Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago, we ignite our students’ Jewish souls, educate them to their highest potential, and empower them to use their knowledge, skills, and creativity to enrich our world.