Upper School Academic Support Coordinator
Fort Worth Country Day is seeking an experienced learning specialist beginning July 1, 2025. Reporting to the Head of Upper School and the Assistant Head of School for Student Services and Academics, the Upper School Academic Support Coordinator holds a vital role in the daily support of the Upper School students and faculty. By connecting with students of all different learning needs and communicating comfortably with parents of students struggling with a variety of academic issues, the Upper Learning Specialist plays a vital role partnering with faculty to maximize student potential and advance the school’s commitment to student well-being.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Form strong partnerships with students with learning differences and their families to ensure each student has the necessary skills, tools, and resources to achieve at their highest level. What this looks like at FWCD:
- Conduct effective, warm, and supportive individual appointments before the school year begins with students, their families, and the Upper School administration
- Be relational with students in order to best facilitate learning support
- Schedule and maintain recurring check-in meetings with students and their families to monitor the learning plans and progress of each student with a learning difference
- Facilitate interactive 1:1 workshops with students to help bolster their executive functioning skills, study strategies, and internalization of content
- Collaborate with Upper School administrators to support students with learning differences. What this looks like at FWCD:
- Interpret and summarize diagnostic testing in order to develop learning profiles and make recommendations for adaptive and/or accommodative strategies.
- Write student learning plans based on their psychoeducational evaluations, best practices for their areas of learning need, and what is deemed reasonable in the Upper School
- Help lead student support team meetings to monitor patterns and progress, identify priority learning needs for individual students, and discuss optimal strategies for furthering each student’s growth.
- Help with accommodations for semester and final exams
- Collaborate with and support Upper School Faculty. What this looks like at FWCD:
- Partner with faculty to determine when there is a need to recommend educational testing and how to initiate that process
- Design and implement division-wide professional development workshops to help faculty better meet the needs of students with learning differences
- Develop and maintain online resource collections grounded in cognitive science and a growth-mindset for teachers
- Observe students in classrooms and serve as both a resource and thought-partner for teachers in supporting students with diverse learning needs
- Maintain a database of student records including psychoeducational evaluations and learning plans. What this looks like at FWCD:
- Partner with families to ensure that students receiving accommodations have a diagnostic evaluation on file within 3 – 5 years.
- Work with students and parents to facilitate accommodations requests for national standardized testing such as College Board and ACT
- Coordinate accommodations for on-campus standardized tests alongside the College Counseling Office and Head of Upper School as needed
- Support all constituents when students are having academic difficulty. What this looks like at FWCD:
- Manage division-wide tutoring and support services. Communicate with students and meet with parents/guardians on the implementation of any new academic improvement plan with subsequent feedback on the efficacy of those plans
- Develop intervention plans with students, parents/guardians and faculty, when necessary, such as sessions with the academic support coordinator, study halls, and other supports deemed necessary
- Facilitate the Student of Concern Process
- Ensure students with long-term absences have a plan for makeup work and assessments by liaising with families, students, and teachers and checking in on progress
- Support Student Learning and Study Skill Development:
- Create, plan and teach study skills to 9th grade students and new students entering 10th-12th grade
- Assist students with executive functioning and organization
- Maintain presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex learning services community
- Participate in the School community with other duties as assigned
Qualifications:
- 5+ years’ experience as a learning specialist, school psychologist or related field
- Bachelor’s degree, preferably with a special education endorsement at the high school level
- An advanced degree with a focus on instruction and/or learning is preferred
- Teaching experience at the high school level is preferred; preferably within an independent school
- Experience with standardized testing, such as College Board and ACT
- Knowledge of learning needs and related legalities
- Experience providing professional development for faculty around learning differences/disabilities, reasonable accommodations, and teaching strategies
- Experience using a variety of pedagogical strategies
All employees of FWCD must:
- Embody, model and communicate the School’s mission and core values (courage, integrity, kindness, respect, responsibility, and scholarship)
- Exhibit generous community spirit, professional flexibility, a sense of humor and a positive attitude
- Collaborate and work well with colleagues, parents and students
- Execute duties in a positive and punctual manner
- Be an enthusiastic lifelong learner driven toward professional self-improvement and personal growth
Equal Opportunity Employer / Statement of Inclusivity:
Fort Worth Country Day is an Equal Opportunity Employer that maintains a policy of nondiscrimination with respect to all employees and applicants for employment. The ideal candidate should possess a thoughtful approach and knowledge of intercultural communication and inclusion of underrepresented groups. Employment decisions at FWCD are based on merit, qualifications, abilities and performance, and are subject to the academic and business requirements of the School.
The FWCD Inclusivity Statement confirms: We believe that understanding and respecting differences not only inspires compassion and empathy, but also fosters intellectual curiosity and creativity. We embrace the diverse cultures, experiences and perspectives that comprise and enhance our learning environment. We commit to sustaining and growing an intentionally inclusive community.
About Fort Worth Country Day and the City of Fort Worth:
Fort Worth Country Day earned the distinction of being ranked one of the Best Companies to Work for in Fort Worth in 2018.
Fort Worth Country Day is a co-ed, junior kindergarten through grade 12 college-preparatory day school with approximately 1,100 students and 250 faculty and staff. The School seeks to promote inclusivity and retain a diverse faculty. The 104-acre campus offers excellent facilities for academics, arts and athletics. Faculty and administration nurture a collegial professional environment in which innovation is encouraged. Opportunities for ongoing professional development are exceptional. Fort Worth Country Day is proud of its school community where students, parents, faculty, staff and administration join together to develop an effective and enjoyable place to teach and learn.
Fort Worth ranks as one of the top 12 largest cities in the United States and is known for its vibrant arts, music and cultural life. The Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan region is home to over 6.5 million people. More information about the School is available at www.fwcd.org.
