Director of Learning Support - Manzano Day School

Director of Learning Support

Job Description

Position Logistics

• Full-time position
• Exempt, 12-month position
• Serves as a member of the Academic Administration and Student Support Team

• Salary commensurate with experience, and competitive with comparable positions locally and regionally

Organization Overview

Founded in 1938, Manzano Day School is an Independent, nonprofit elementary school for pre-k through fifth grade, nestled between Old Town Albuquerque and downtown. Our historic six-acre campus is a charming blend of adobe and contemporary buildings, warm and inviting classrooms, spacious play and meeting areas, and unique learning spaces like our Placita, garden, and meadow. We are a community of professionals who work together to provide an exceptional educational experience for approximately 450 students, where our mission, core values, and Joy in Learning® are at the center of our work.

Position Overview

The Director of Learning Support plays a lead role in ensuring that the Manzano Day School academic program meets the needs of the broad range of learners comprising the student body by overseeing student support processes and plans and working directly with students, families, and teachers. The Director of Learning Support works with the Academic Administration, Student Support Team, and faculty to create a school environment where children thrive, promoting the academic, social-emotional, behavioral, and physical well-being of students in grades pre-k through fifth grade and empowering learners at all levels.

This includes coordinating services for students, identifying students who need support, both intervention and extension/enrichment, and working with our faculty to provide a learning experience that effectively reaches all learners. This role provides leadership, strategic direction, and oversight, fostering collaboration among teachers and families and assuring alignment with the school’s mission and academic goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Enhance current student support systems and structures to meet the needs of a broad range of learners.
• Work with MDS Academic Administration and faculty to establish a student support team with clear roles and lines of communication.
• Serve as the primary liaison to students, families, and faculty, as well as to external learning supports, including tutors and other interventionists (e.g., speech therapists, occupational therapists)
• Facilitate meetings with families to address academic, social-emotional, and/or behavioral issues.
• Support and enhance current learning support programs, including the Peterson Learning Center, with an emphasis on literacy and math
• Work directly with students as needed, individually and/or in small groups
• Assess, design, and implement professional development opportunities, both formal and informal, to ensure that faculty are supported in providing a differentiated learning experience for students
• Administer and oversee standardized testing and classroom assessments
• Document student progress using testing and assessment data to inform decision-making, for students and for the program
• Assist in resource allocation, including scheduling, to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the academic program

The Ideal Candidate: Skills, Qualifications, and Characteristics

• An advanced degree in education, with a focus on subjects such as Learning Support, Special Education, School Leadership/Administration, Gifted/Talented Education, etc.
• Previous classroom teaching experience in early childhood and/or elementary school
• Experience in school administration, particularly in overseeing and coordinating student support, special education, and/or gifted and talented programs
• Previous experience and expertise in designing and implementing intervention strategies, student support frameworks, and differentiated instruction, including enrichment
• Training and experience with Orton-Gillingham methodologies preferred
• Experience designing and delivering professional development and supporting teachers in their ongoing professional growth and development
• Possesses strong organizational, problem-solving, technology, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to partner effectively with families when addressing academic, social-emotional, and behavioral issues, establishing a relationship rooted in trust and care
• Extensive experience working directly with teachers, using a collaborative, inclusive approach to guide continuous improvement
• Experience working with and coordinating external learning supports, including tutors and other external interventionists (e.g., speech therapists, occupational therapists)
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Aligned with the school’s mission, core values, and vision, including Joy in Learning®

Application Process

If you meet the requirements of the position and are inspired by the opportunity to help a school build structures and processes that empower all learners, energized by a mission-driven community and dedicated faculty, and eager to be a part of an organization making a lasting impact in the lives of children, we invite you to apply.

Please submit your cover letter, resume, statement of philosophy, and list of three references (references will not be contacted without prior notice and permission) to Leanne Kimbrough, Assistant Head of School, at lkimbrough@manzanodayschool.org.