Reports To: Director of Academic Support, Lower School
FLSA Status: Nonexempt
Position Summary:
Glenelg Country School is a coeducational independent school in Howard County, Maryland. It has approximately eight hundred students, 2-year-old through twelfth grade. GCS offers a competitive salary including a full benefit package.
The Academic Support Teacher, in the Lower School, provides academic interventions, teacher support, and small group instruction to help students make progress in the curriculum.
Typical Education and Experience:
A bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Special Education, or a closely related field is required. A master’s degree is desirable. The applicant should have three or more years of teaching experience in a Lower School (Kindergarten through 5th grade). Additional training in reading methodology, and math or writing interventions is desirable.
Overview of essential functions:
- Provide Academic Support in Reading, Math, and Written Expression for students in grades K-5.
- Conduct assessment to determine areas for targeted instruction.
- Conduct small intervention groups (1-5 students per group) to provide targeted instruction.
- Track and monitor student growth through a Learning Plan, during the intervention period.
- Work in grade-level classrooms to offer support for students, individually, in small groups, or whole class, as needed.
- Write report card narratives for students receiving academic support.
- Provide Support for Classroom Teachers
- Advise teachers on the best instructional practices for students with diverse learning styles.
- Assist in identifying students who may need additional academic support.
- Support implementation of classroom accommodation plans for individual students.
- Evaluation and Assessment
- Conduct small group testing sessions for standardized or classroom assessments.
- Create and implement student learning plans, based on assessments, to determine areas for targeted instruction.
- Student Support Team & Academic Support Team Involvement
- Participate in monthly Student Support Team meetings, with the School Counselor, Administrators, and Academic Support Team members.
- Participate in Academic Support Team meetings with the Director of Academic Support for the Lower School and Academic Support Teachers.
- Participate in grade-level team meetings, when available and appropriate.
- Additional Responsibilities
- Regular participation in faculty meetings.
- Supervise students during faculty duties, recess, and arrival/dismissal times as assigned.
Key Skills and Attributes:
Collaboration with the Student Support Team and the Academic Support Team is regularly required. Collaboration with grade-level teachers and using data to set individual learning goals are key responsibilities. Patience and empathy to work with students of varying abilities is central to this position. The candidate must have the ability to adapt teaching methods to cater to individual student needs. This position requires organizational skills to track student growth and plan for engaging, targeted instruction. Additional duties may be assigned as needed.
This role requires creating a safe, collaborative learning environment aligned with the school’s focus on equity. The candidate should be adaptable, innovative, and able to solve problems effectively. A strong understanding of diversity is essential, as is experience in teaching a diverse student body with culturally and historically relevant methods. Effective communication and the ability to modify teaching styles to suit unique needs are important.
Understanding of research-based, evidence-based intervention and teaching strategies are required. Familiarity with positive behavior interventions is required. The candidate should be adept at using technology in an educational setting and committed to ongoing professional development.
Typical Level of Interaction:
Requires strong interaction with all School divisions and departments.
Competencies:
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
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Ability to participate in Professional Development and Curriculum Implementation- Recognizes the importance of learning and motivates others by own enthusiasm. Must be able to implement reading, math, and writing interventions including technological implementation or attend training as needed.
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Time Management Skills – Conducts at least 4-5 small group or individual interventions per day in addition to providing classroom and teacher support. Planning time is given to plan engaging, effective, research/evidence-based interventions.
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Organizational Skills – Plans implementation of intervention as needed for students. Organizes and creates individual learning plans to help students meet educational goals and objectives. Must be able to gather, organize, and track growth data.
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Communications Skills –Must be able to reply to emails or texts promptly. Must have excellent oral and written communication skills, and high levels of empathy and patience.
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Written Communication Skills – Must be able to participate in email, text, and phone calls. Effectively communicates with faculty, students, administration, or families.
Administration:
All prospective employees must be able to clear background checks, as required by the State of Maryland.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to listen, physically direct, and speak. The employee is required to stand, walk; use hands to finger, compute, handle, clean spills, tie shoe, zipper coats or feel and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus with screens, white boards, printed material, and ability to see children in detail. The employee must be able to lift at least thirty pounds. The employee is also regularly required to climb two flights of stairs.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those of a school and what an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is moderate; however, variations in noise level may occur when the employee attends school functions such as assemblies, school dances, and other events.