Career Center

The Gooden School is an independent Episcopal kindergarten - eighth-grade school set in the foothills of Sierra Madre. We seek an enthusiastic, committed, and creative individual to serve as a kindergarten through eighth-grade Learning Support Specialist. 

The Learning Support Specialist position is an exempt position and reports to the Head of School and Assistant Head of School. In all of its various facets, the K-8 Learning Support Specialist exercises the utmost discretion and honor confidentiality in all matters. As an employee of The Gooden School, the Learning Support Specialist helps ensure that the school motto, “Respect for self, Respect for Others, and Respect for the World,” is adhered to in all areas of school life.

The Gooden School is committed to professional development; teachers are encouraged to collaborate with their school peers and those at other schools. Faculty have leadership opportunities within the school and participate in professional and curriculum development opportunities throughout the year.  Our benefits and friendly community inspire excellent teacher retention.

The Gooden School is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to an inclusive, welcoming community, where all are accepted and are treated with respect. The Gooden School does not unlawfully discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of age, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, religion, veteran status, national, or ethnic origin, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

This job description provides a general outline of duties and responsibilities. The position entails a variety of responsibilities, listed, but not limited to the following, as well as any others assigned by the Head of School:

• Provides appropriate instruction and intervention based on educational best practices supported by neuroscience research
• Works cooperatively and collaboratively with teachers and other staff members to plan programs for meeting the needs of a diverse population of learners
• Helps ensure that the School identifies and serves students who learn differently
• Helps ensure that the School identifies and serves students who are strong academically and need more challenge and enrichment
• Consults and collaborates with teachers, parents, and staff as requested and needed.
• Meets weekly with the School Counselor to coordinate student support throughout the school
• Meets monthly with the Educational Leadership Team to ensure communication and coordination 
• Provides resources and suggestions to teachers and parents 
• Provides intensive and personalized instruction to below grade level students in reading, math and support in other such areas as executive functioning, study and organization skills, etc.
• Provides small group and individual instruction in phonics, reading, writing, spelling, math, expressive and receptive language, organizational and study skills
• Observes students in the classroom and on the playground environment to gather contextual data
• Performs and interprets informal assessments on an individual or class-wide basis at the request of the School Psychologist or a member of the Educational Administrative Team
• Works with the Specialist Teachers, Associate Teachers and interns to provide them with suggestions and resources to help them work effectively with all learners
• Serves, with the School Counselor, as a community liaison (professional and School networks) for the School regarding student learning support issues
• Attends all-faculty staff meetings
• Completes three reading assessments per school year for grades K-5.