The Leelanau School is currently seeking a Learning Specialist to work in our Learning Skills Program, supporting academic skill growth, especially in areas of executive function and language based learning differences.  A Learning Specialist at The Leelanau School provides support for the building of skills and strategies for success in and outside of the classroom. While providing academic support for a college preparatory curriculum, Learning Specialists need to develop in depth and comprehensive awareness of each students’ strengths, learning differences, learning preferences, and personalities to develop a Learner Profile, which drives goals and informs the work of the School with each student as an individual learner. This position requires a high level of collaboration with others, including the student’s family, academic faculty, residential faculty, outside professionals, and, most importantly, with the input of the individual student.

Learning Specialists facilitate Learning Skills classes (designed by grade level) to deliver strategy instruction that is responsive to the learning occurring in the core academic classes and with attention to the development of our community values. In addition to this strategy instruction, Learning Specialists will attend to the development of each learner’s goals through conferencing with the student, analyzing his or her progress through the curriculum, assessing the development of skills, and observing the extent to which skills and strategies are transferring throughout the student’s development as a student and as a person. This journey is unique for each learner, so it is critical that Learning Specialists be flexible, intuitive, professional, approachable, and relentless in his or her commitment to a student’s personal and academic growth. 

The ideal candidate for this position will be flexible enough to teach students from grade 9 through grade 12 and have an understanding of how to teach to a variety of learning preferences by differentiating instruction. 

In addition  to meeting classroom and philosophical expectations, all Leelanau School faculty are expected to participate in decision-making related to curriculum, policies, and activities of the greater school and its mission.  The faculty are required to act as student advisors, participate in morning energize, chaperone weekend activities and support study hall.

• Bachelor degree (or higher) in Education, Special Education or related learning specialty
• Prior experience in teaching, coaching, mentoring  in a similar setting. 
• An understanding of and proficiency with formal cognitive and achievement assessments
• A knowledge of learning differences and interventions related to specific diagnoses as well as classroom strategies related to teaching students who are neurodiverse.
• A knowledge of experiential teaching and learning
• Excellent organizational skills
• Knowledge of and experience with helping students develop the aspects of study skills: organization (time and materials), cognition/metacognition, memorization, note taking, and annotation. 
• Respect for learners and a passion for their social, emotional, and intellectual development.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with teams to develop curriculum, deliver instruction, support individual students, and advance programming.
• Willingness to engage in the school community beyond the classroom, participate in and chaperone student activities.
• Excellence in communication (verbal and written; formal and informal).
• Respect for parenting and the inherent partnership of school and home.
• Experience in communicating with parents.  Expertise in adolescent development that can be effectively applied in student and parent communication.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development. 
• Successful clearance of FBI background checks and iCHAT (State Police).

About The Leelanau School

The Leelanau School is an independent boarding and day high school that is committed to meeting the educational and emotional needs of each of our students. Its beautiful and historic campus is situated within the Leelanau Peninsula on the shores of Lake Michigan. Our staff and faculty view the school community as an extension of their own family and are willing to do the great work of educating the next generation of leaders by making connections with students and helping them hone their natural strengths. The mission of The Leelanau School is to ignite a passion for learning in a boarding school environment where students thrive by engaging academically and by celebrating everyone’s unique learning styles in a culture of acceptance, preparing for successful and meaningful lives in higher education, careers, citizenship, and service.

Connections working at The Leelanau School