About the Opportunity

The Director of Student Support Servicesat Montessori Center School is a collaborative and strategic educational leader responsible for overseeing and strengthening the school’s approach to supporting diverse learners. This role leads the development and implementation of programs and systems that support students with learning differences, neurodiverse learners, and multilingual students as they access and thrive within the Montessori curriculum. It’s a multi-faceted role where you will provide direct services, case manage, and guide our staffulty on best practices. 

Working in close partnership with teachers, administrators, and families, the Director of Student Support Services ensures that students receive thoughtful, individualized support aligned with Montessori principles and whole-child development. The role also includes designing and facilitating professional learning for faculty and staff to build shared capacity for supporting a wide range of learners in inclusive classroom environments.

This is a hybrid teacher–administrator position. Approximately 50% of the Director’s time will be spent working directly with students in elementary classrooms, providing targeted learning support and implementing individualized learning plans in collaboration with teachers.

Roles & Responsibilities

Director of Student Support Services at MCS performs the following duties:

Leadership  of Student Support Services Program

• Coordinate and align student support services, Toddler through 6th grade, ensuring a cohesive approach to student support amongst the Student Support Services team.
• Design, facilitate, and evaluate professional development programs for MCS Staffulty that focus on effective strategies for supporting students with learning needs, as well as those with social-emotional and behavioral needs.
• In collaboration with the Head of School, co-supervise and co-evaluate the student support services team (Learning Specialists). Foster a collaborative environment within the Student Support Services team, and amongst MCS Staffulty to support all students in accessing curriculum. 
• Plan and facilitate Student Support team meetings as needed and serve as the primary consultant for the team.

Elementary Case Management, Stakeholder Communication & Stewardship

• Actively oversee the implementation of all Elementary support plans in a highly systematic manner.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for Elementary parents when navigating evaluation timelines and the establishment of new support plans. Facilitate Student Support plan meetings with parents of students on the caseload on a regular, planned basis.
• Develop, source and deliver high quality parent education opportunities in the Student Support Services sphere.
• Manage confidential records and reviewing of assessment while determining the information teachers need in working with students

Direct Services & Best Practices for Elementary 

• In the Montessori classroom setting, serve as a resource teacher 50% of the time, delivering strategies and services for children in the elementary program in alignment with their plans. Additionally, support the needs of children in the Toddler and Primary classrooms who have documented learning disabilities.
• Stay informed about the latest research and trends in special education and learning support services for neurodiverse learners and English Learners while integrating this knowledge into program development and professional development offerings. 
• Support teaching students executive functioning skills and monitor students’ growth in using those skills effectively. 

Data Analysis & Reporting 

• Collect and analyze data related to student progress and program effectiveness, using findings to inform decision-making. 
• Oversee Student Support Services assessment (ASQ, academic progress-monitoring, etc.).
• Prepare reports for the leadership on the status and impact of student support services programming. 

Advocacy & Awareness 

• Advocate for students with diverse needs, ensuring their voices are heard in decision-making and school initiatives. 
• Promote awareness and understanding of students with diverse needs across the school community.

Qualifications

Successful candidates for this role will evidence the following qualifications:

Recommended Experience & Professional Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university
• Master’s degree and/or a valid teaching and/or administrative credential in Special Education or School Psychology from a US-accredited program
• Five+ years of combined experience teaching special education and/or leading a special education or student support services program as a senior administrator
• Previous teaching experience or Montessori experience is a plus; a strong desire to take an active role in the classroom supporting is essential to this role
• Strong understanding of learning difference & intervention strategies coupled with a proven track record delivering excellent academic and social-emotional learning outcomes & support for your students with diverse learning needs
• Theoretical knowledge and experience working with students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, auditory processing, ADHD, 2E, and/or autism spectrum disorder.
• 3+ years of experience designing and delivering high quality professional development trainings and supports equipping general education teachers working with children with learning disabilities and differences
• Excellent written and oral English communication skills and the ability to communicate extremely well with parents and colleagues; Spanish language skills is a plus

Required Mindsets & Skills

• Commitment to MCS’ mission, vision and core values
• Passion for serving children with diverse learning needs 
• High level of professionalism, emotional intelligence, and personal integrity
• Sound professional judgment and decision-making skills 
• Demonstrated capacity to collaborate effectively as a member of a results-oriented, high-performing team; commitment to sharing, receiving and implementing feedback with grace and agility
• Commitment to living out principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• High level of personal organization, planning and follow-through

Essential Job Functions

The physical demands described here represent essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• The role is performed primarily in a school setting and requires the physical stamina necessary to engage with elementary-aged children throughout the day.
• Duties include frequent standing, walking, bending, kneeling, crouching, stooping, reaching, and sitting at children’s level, including teaching full lessons while seated on the classroom floor.
• The position requires the ability to lift, carry, push, or pull items weighing up to 50 pounds, such as classroom materials or emergency supplies, and to assist a child if needed for safety purposes.
• The employee must be able to use hands and fingers to handle or manipulate materials, including Montessori materials of various sizes, shapes, and textures.
• The employee must be able to move quickly and safely in response to student behaviors or emergency situations, both indoors and outdoors.
• Vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus, necessary for observing children, reading instructional materials, and using a computer.
• Hearing and speaking abilities are required to communicate clearly with students, staff, and parents; give instructions; participate in meetings; and respond to safety concerns or emergencies.
• The employee is regularly exposed to indoor and outdoor environmental conditions, including varying weather, moderate noise levels, and the typical hazards associated with supervising active children.
• The role requires daily direct interaction with students, including close physical proximity, to provide instruction, guidance, redirection, and classroom management.
• Regular in-person communication and collaboration with parents, colleagues, administrators, and other members of the school community is required.

All MCS employees must be eligible to work in the United States, clear a DOJ/FBI background check (LiveScan), must provide a negative TB test, must know the school emergency procedures, and must perform other duties not specifically stated as directed by the Head of School.

About Montessori Center School

Connections working at Montessori Center School