Learning Specialist
Overview
Our Lady of Grace Catholic School is blessed to work with students with a wide range of gifts and talents. Our staff is committed to helping students along with the support of their families to reach their fullest potential spiritually, socially, emotionally and academically. In keeping with this commitment, we strive as a staff to differentiate instruction to meet the unique needs of each learner.
The role of the Learning Specialist is to directly assist administration, elementary & middle school staff, students and parents with the specialized tools and strategies needed for students with unique learning profiles to succeed throughout their day.
Mrs. Hannan provides direct instruction in reading to students who benefit from additional, systematic and explicit instruction in reading skills. Mrs. Seymour provides one-on-one support of organizational skills and study skills for students in need of extra support.
Mrs. Hannan and Mrs. Seymour are the acting liaisons with the public school attending ISP meetings and coordinating services to create an effective program for students qualifying for public school special education.
Tasks Related to Students
We work with students to supplement their classroom experience and make sure they are being challenged at their level.These students are capable, yet challenged, due to some identifiable learning difference. We work with students to develop strategies that will allow them to be successful in the classroom setting.
Main Duties:
1) Identifying students who are most in need of help, based on one or more of these criteria:
a. Diagnosed learning differences
b. Parent/teacher referrals
2) Gathering student information to assist in their academic success
3) Working directly with students regarding their learning needs (organization, executive functions, etc.)
4) Creating Accommodation Plans for students with diagnosed learning differences
5) Monitoring the progress of all students in the program (students with Accommodation Plans, ISPs, etc)
Tasks Related to Teachers
Suggestions, insights, and resources are provided to help teachers better understand how particular students learn. Our duties with teachers include:
1) Acting as a liaison between the Administration, Edina Public Schools, parents, and others with the teacher. In this capacity, we serve as resources to teachers regarding teaching strategies, learning styles, and classroom situations, which may be of benefits to students
2) Conferring with teachers regarding the strategies that they are using so that we am better informed regarding the nature of teaching at Our Lady of Grace
3) Communicating with faculty regarding the students that are being served
Tasks Related to Parents
Parents are informed of the relative expectations of learning at Our Lady of Grace. We help parents become partners in our efforts to bring about better academic success for their child(ren) in these ways:
1) Conferencing with parents to discuss ways they may be able to help their child(ren)
2) Facilitating/attending conferences with teachers, learning specialists, Edina School representatives, and administration to act as a resource person for those involved
3) Attending parent/teacher conferences, open houses, etc., to be available to parents as resources
