Lower School Educational Support Specialist

Lower School Educational Support Specialist

The Buckley School, Los Angeles' oldest all-gender learning institution, is seeking a Lower School Educational Support Specialist for the 2026-2027 school year. This individual serves the academic needs of our K-5th grade students. The Educational Support Specialist provides support services to students with learning differences and their families.
The specialist works closely with administrators, teachers, and other student support staff to promote overall student wellness and academic performance.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Academic Support:
● Work with teachers, administrators, and parents to help identify students with learning differences, including follow up guidance to faculty and families for identified students and/or referrals to outside professionals as needed.
● Interpret psycho-educational evaluations and create Individual Learning Plans (ILP) when appropriate, including obtaining family endorsements of ILPs and dissemination of ILP to faculty and administration
● Meet and work with faculty, students, and families to understand the identified student's strengths and weaknesses as well as ensuring proper implementation of accommodations.
● Monitor progress of students with ILPs and assist them in utilizing accommodations
● Coordinate extended testing time for Buckley assessments and standardized testing, which may include proctoring ERBS in the testing center.
● Proctor standardized testing for all LS students with accommodations as well as assist families with the application process when applying for testing accommodations to outside organizations.
● Pull out and work with students who are having academic difficulty.
Coordinating:
● Promote the coordination of academic responsibilities, school activities and wellness resources, including appropriate communication between school, home and outside support specialists.
● Function as a liaison among faculty, parents/guardians, and those providing outside support to students. Communicate often with faculty and advisors.
● Coordinate classroom observations of students with faculty and administration.
● Periodically conduct professional development workshops for faculty and parents/guardians.

Pr ofessionalism:
● Adhere to the ethical standards and preferred practices of related state and national professional associations.
● Demonstrate knowledge of local policies and state and federal laws pertaining to children.
● Demonstrate a commitment to personal growth and professional development.
● Maintain professional confidentiality and discretion at all times.
● Be comfortable working with teachers and administration in a collaborative environment.

Procedural Responsibilities:
● Upholds all expectations, policies and practices outlined in the school's employee handbook, the collective bargaining agreement, other foundational documents, and directives from senior administrators
Students/Staff/Community Relations:
● Creates warm and uplifting professional relationships with students, families, and all constituencies of the school
● Communicates in a timely and effectively manner
● Serves as an ambassador for the school at all times, on and off campus and speaking positively about the school and its community members

OTHER DUTIES
● Assist in the transition to and from school divisions, communicating regularly with student support staff in Middle School, including an annual transition meeting in the spring.
● Articulate the school counseling program and learning differences support program to students, parents, teachers, advisors, staff, and community.
● Plan, implement and evaluate the systems necessary for the educational support program.
● Track individual student progress and overall case load (numbers of students, types of diagnoses, type of intervention/accommodation, etc) and conduct year-over-year analysis.
● Observe students in classroom settings to help teachers with behavior management and learning issues.
● Maintain a current referral list of outside professionals for both mental/social/emotional health services and learning difference support, acting as a liaison between the school and outside professional support.
● Meet weekly with Lower School Administration and other student support staff to consult and collaborate. Attend all faculty and grade level meetings.
● Participate in Child Study Team meetings, student support team meetings and other meetings to streamline communication at Buckley.
● Chaperone Outdoor Education and school events, attend grade level meetings, and get involved in Lower School life.
● Conduct admission interviews for possible incoming students who have been identified as having a learning difference.
● Develop and maintain skills needed to utilize technology systems and participate in professional development activities.
● Supervision duties to include lunch, recess, and possibly serving as a substitute when needed. EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE
● Bachelor's degree, preferably in special education; Master's degree or educational therapist certification preferred
● A minimum of two years of experience working with Lower School children and families in a school setting
● Strong knowledge base in the area of learning differences, especially dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia, as well as a deep knowledge base regarding ADHD and Executive Functioning issues.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES
● Strong interpersonal, counseling and facilitation skills.
● Kindness, compassion, sensitivity, and the ability to listen carefully.
● Knowledge of and demonstrated competency in diversity, equity, and inclusion
● Demonstrated knowledge of early childhood development, elementary-aged development, and social-emotional learning.
● Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse populations, including students, parents, and faculty.
● Genuine interest and excitement in working with students and a desire to support their learning and growth.
● Familiarity with programs including Wilson Fundations Phonics, Singapore Math, writing workshop, Responsive Classroom, and RULER.
● Highly organized and detail-oriented
● Comfortable being visible and engaged on campus
● Models the highest standards of professionalism and creates warm, uplifting, and trusting learning environments and working relationships marked by humor, positivity, humility, empathy, and excellent emotional intelligence.
● Demonstrates great individual integrity, initiative, self-awareness, commitment to personal and professional growth, and the ability to receive and apply feedback
●Possesses a passion for education, particularly in an independent school environment,conveyed by a solid understanding of educational practice and philosophy grounded in DEI
●Relishes the joys and challenges of working with K-12 students and possesses a deepunderstanding of the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of children
●Demonstrates adaptability, dependability, good judgment, strong social skills and theability to read, assess, imagine, evaluate, calculate, & make wise decisions
●Experience with developing scope and sequence, working in collaboration withdepartment peers
●Demonstrates strong communication skills in person, in writing, by phone, and throughother electronic means (such as Zoom)
●Knowledge of Google Drive (Sheets and Docs), Blackbaud/Education Edge, and the abilityto learn new and evolving technology

COMPENSATION

$80,000 - $105,000 per year depending on experience.

The base salary is separate from fringe benefits, such as retirement contributions, daily lunch, on-site parking, contributions to medical, dental, vision, life/AD&D plans, our generous time off policy, or potential stipends (for eligible employees). Our pay ranges are reasonable estimates of what the School anticipates paying for a role but are not guaranteed. If hired at The Buckley School, your actual base salary will be determined by your education and experience.

TO APPLY

Interested candidates should visit:

Please note that you must upload your resume AND cover letter to be considered for the position. Incomplete applications will not move forward in the hiring process.

ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The Buckley School proudly carries on the mission of its founder, Dr. Isabelle Buckley, who in 1933 set out to provide students with an education characterized not only by academic excellence, but also a sense of self-esteem, responsibility, and character. An independent, all-gender day school for students in kindergarten through grade 12, providing students with a program based on critical thinking, creative self-expression through arts, physical development, and moral education lies at the heart of Buckley's ethos.

At The Buckley School, faculty and staff believe in their students, see their capacity for growth, and nurture their ability to create and evaluate. Students are honored for their diverse backgrounds and admired for their ability to lead with empathy and courage. Inspired by its mission, the Portrait of a Graduate, Dr. Buckley's Four-Fold Plan - education with equal emphasis on Academics, the Arts, Athletics, and Moral Education - and the Buckley Commitment of Honesty, Loyalty, Respect, Kindness, Self-Reliance, and Self-Discipline, faculty uplift students, partner with parents, and build community every day.