The Upper School Learning Specialist plays a key role in supporting students, teachers, and families by promoting student understanding, confidence, and academic success. This position involves direct student support, faculty collaboration, and leadership in learning support practices across the division.

Anticipated start date: August 2025

Responsibilities:

Student Support

• Work individually and in small groups with students to teach: study skills, organizational and planning strategies, reading comprehension techniques, and writing skills
  
  

• Deliver an introductory unit on Learning Support to Grade 9 Health classes, including topics such as time management, organization, and metacognition.
  
  

• Create learning profiles and strategies for students with formal psychoeducational evaluations.
  
  

• Develop preliminary plans and recommendations for students who may need formal testing.
  
  

• Write narrative progress reports twice a year for students on caseload.
  
  

• Maintain ongoing communication with students, families, and external support providers about student progress and needs.
  
  

• Serve as an advisor to a group of Upper School students.
  
  

Collaboration & Consultation

• Partner with the Upper School Psychologist and Director of Learning Support to review testing and classroom data and determine eligibility for accommodations.
  
  

• Support teachers in understanding students’ learning profiles and implementing differentiated instructional strategies.
  
  

• Participate in grade-level team meetings and the Upper School Student Support Team.
  
  

• Attend evaluation debriefs for students on caseload, alongside the Director of Student Support, families, psychologists, and other professionals.
  
  

Professional Development & Leadership

• Provide professional development to faculty on topics related to learning differences and learner variability.
  
  

• Lead faculty and parent workshops in collaboration with other Learning Support professionals.
  
  

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Special Education or a related field.

• Certification in Special Education or a related field (preferred).

• Experience supporting or teaching Upper School students.

• Deep understanding of neurodiversity, learning differences, and evidence-based intervention strategies.

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills.

• Commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment.

• Training in multisensory instruction or specialized intervention approaches is a plus.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions absent undue hardship.

Packer's values and vision of educational excellence include embracing diversity, fostering community, nurturing a sense of belonging, and ensuring all learners are valued and challenged. Faculty members are required to actively and thoughtfully engage in work around identity, anti-bias, and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from candidates whose backgrounds and perspectives may be underrepresented.

Salaries are determined based on a scale reflecting years of experience and level of education.

The Packer Collegiate Institute is committed to complying with all federal, state, and local equal employment laws. It is Packer’s policy that there shall be no discrimination with respect to employment or any of the terms and conditions of employment on the basis of age, race (including hairstyles), religion/creed, color, national origin (including ancestry), gender or sex, sexual orientation (including transgender status, gender identity or expression), pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), disability, sexual and reproductive health decision making (including, but not limited to, the decision to use or access a particular drug, device, or medical service), marital status, partnership status, caregiver status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking, military status, unemployment status, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information (including genetic characteristics), salary history, credit history, height and weight, arrest or conviction record, any other protected status under federal, state, or local laws.