Career Center

Founded in 1961, Sandy Spring Friends School is a progressive, coed, academically-rigorous day and boarding school serving approximately 600 students from age three through 12th grade. The campus is located on 140 acres in the historic Sandy Spring area of Montgomery County, Maryland, and the School is approved by the Maryland State Board of Education and accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland Schools.

SSFS offers an inquiry-based college preparatory program that emphasizes deep understanding throughout the curriculum while encouraging collaboration, instilling confidence, fostering practical experience, and cultivating respect for others. The School's teachers help students internalize a process we call "QRA” —Question, Reflection, Action—which ensures that they think critically, integrate new knowledge, and apply what they learn. We help students develop their individual sense of purpose as they become caring citizens of the world.

Our school’s culture, rooted in the idea that collaboration engenders achievement, can be traced to our Quaker heritage and abiding belief in the Quaker values of simplicity, equality, honesty, stewardship of the environment, and peaceful resolution of conflict. Our teachers are lifelong mentors and strive to identify and cultivate each student’s intellectual, extracurricular, and social passions. In doing so, we help shape students whose actions speak volumes and whose lives become exemplars—not only among their peers and families today but also in their personal, educational, and professional communities long after high school. Sandy Spring Friends School students are taught to act upon what they learn. This call to action propels their accomplishments as graduates, in college, and beyond. 

2022 - 2023 Lower School Learning Specialist, Part-time, 10 months, Exempt 

Summary: Under the guidance of the Lower School Head, the Learning Specialist(s) serve as the coordinator and service provider for students needing educational support services. This position is a part of the Student Support Services Team, which reports to the Director of The Learning Resources Collaborative. This team works in collaboration with the school counselors and the school nurses under the direction of the Office of the Assistant Head of School. 

Essential Job Functions: 

• Collaborate with the Learning Resource Collaborative and the Lower School Learning Specialist to assure continuity of support for students. 
• Meet regularly with classroom teachers to discuss student needs and provide support for teaching methods.
• Make in-class observations to determine learning needs and strengths
• Collaborate with teachers to create strategies to support student learning using MTSS language
• Provide 1:1 or small-group academic interventions, remediation, and support as necessary. 
• Support teachers’ efforts to advance students with varied learning needs within the classroom.
• In conjunction with SRT, offer referrals to parents for outside service and support providers.
• Serve as liaison between the School and academic tutors, academic therapists, and occupational therapists.
• Collaborate with teachers to organize and administer benchmark assessments in literacy and numeracy
• Maintain records of benchmark data to track progress over time and communicate frequently with teachers and SRT.
• Maintain records of educational testing, accommodations, and parent meetings. 
• At the direction of the Head of Lower School, provide professional growth for faculty and parent education
• In collaboration with Head and Asst Head of Lower School, help to analyze teaching and learning practices within the Lower School
• Assists with Admissions responsibilities which may include Open Houses, tours, observing and assessing applicants, and reviewing applicant files as needed
• Participates in shared student supervision duties including daily lunch and recess with students, and arrival/departure processes 
• Collaborates extensively with other teaching faculty within the Division
• Attends regular faculty meetings as well as All-School assemblies, Meetings for Worship, Back-to-School Night, and other required events during the day and occasionally on evenings and weekends
• Continues professional growth through ongoing education and/or professional development 

Functional Competencies:

• Leadership/Integrity- Effectively communicates the School’s shared purpose; builds trust among colleagues; is accountable; lives up to commitments 

• Team Player/Commitment- Understands the big picture and manages areas of responsibility in a manner consistent with the School’s mission and culture 

• Interpersonal Skills- Relates to employees, students, parents, and clients in a cooperative manner

• Productivity/Organizing/Planning- Meets deadlines, demonstrates effective use of time and handles multiple assignments successfully 

• Professional Growth- Understands and acknowledges the need for growth and is receptive to constructive feedback  

Knowledge and Skill Set Requirements: Candidate must have a Bachelor’s degree in education or a related field; a Master’s degree with an emphasis on special education or curriculum and instruction preferred; specialty training in learning support for language based learning disabilities and/or other educational diagnoses; demonstrated successful classroom teaching experience working with elementary aged children; a reflective and growth mindset driven educator; technology proficiencies with Google Suite; a thoughtful and professional communicator skilled in fostering partnerships with adults and children; a passionate educator with a deep understanding of child development; an advocate for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in early childhood and elementary education; and the ability to embrace Quaker values and use Quaker process as applicable.

Physical Requirements: Daily desk work including computer time; as part of daily routines, mobility around a large campus with uneven pavement and managing stairs; bending and squatting as required to participate in classroom activities; shifting furniture as needed, lift/carry boxes up to 25 pounds; the ability to maneuver as necessary within a classroom setting; frequent walking inside and outside as part of general job duties and responding to students and/or incidents. 

Commitment to Diversity: Sandy Spring Friends School embraces the Quaker testimony of Equality and seeks applicants who represent all backgrounds and demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We greatly value our diverse student population with 42% of students self-identifying as people of color and 89 international students representing 21 different countries. We actively seek faculty representative of our students’ diversity. Click to learn more about diversity at Sandy Spring Friends School. Special consideration may be given to members of The Religious Society of Friends.

Sandy Spring Friends School educates students for a global world and welcomes, without discrimination, faculty and staff representative of all backgrounds including race, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or a person's status as a qualified candidate with a disability.

Please submit a letter of interest, resume, completed application, and three professional references by selecting the link