Part-Time Social Emotional Specialist

for Thursdays and Fridays in the 2024–2025 school year

Who We Are

Sulam, an inclusion education program for students with learning differences in the Greater Washington area, is seeking a dynamic, skilled, and empathetic English teacher for our Upper School program. We are a family-friendly organization with a warm and supportive culture.

Sulam is a K–12 Jewish special education inclusion program that provided high quality educational, social, and emotional support for students with disabilities, while teaching the entire community that everyone belongs and can make a vital contribution to the world.

Sulam aspires to create an educational approach where people with learning differences are recognized as vital contributors to a diverse world, and are integrated naturally into the fabric of a school community and broader society.

We believe:

  • Every student has the right to a rigorous Jewish education alongside his/her peers.

  • Every student can be a contributing member of the Jewish community and society at large.

  • Every student has strengths and wants to be successful.

  • Everyone benefits from an inclusive classroom environment in which there are diverse learning styles.

Job Description

The role of Social-Emotional Specialist is an exciting opportunity to enable the social-emotional growth of Sulam students and to work with a team of dedicated professionals who are passionate about facilitating the success of every individual student.

Salary Range

$22,000–$25,000

Responsibilities: 

  • Providing real-time, push-in social and emotional support to students across the school day, both in and out of the classroom

  • Meeting individually with students, as needed, to proactively build school-based social and emotional skills 

  • Responding to social and emotional challenges reactively to support students in getting back to their school day

  • Developing social-emotional growth plans and individualized goals for students 

  • Delivering practical strategies for staff to use in their daily work with students

  • Creating materials for staff and students to support implementation of strategies 

  • Planning and facilitating social-emotional learning groups for students

  • Designing behavior intervention plans, as needed

  • Evaluating and reporting on student progress

  • Participating in weekly team meetings; providing a social-emotional perspective on student performance

  • Communicating with parents and outside service providers (e.g. therapists, physicians)

  • Collaborating and planning with partner school 

  • Planning and facilitating staff development around social-emotional learning

  • Completing duties as assigned by the Division Director

Qualifications and characteristics: 

  • Master’s degree in Social Work, School Counseling or Special Education

  • Five years of school-based experience

  • Expertise in a range of approaches to social-emotional learning

  • Confidence and experience managing and responding to student behaviors in a supportive manner, both proactively and reactively

  • Personal belief in every child’s desire to do well

  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written

  • Exemplary organizational and time management skills

  • Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills

  • Collaborative working style; a “team player”

  • High emotional intelligence and maturity; ability to navigate complex dynamics and nuanced situations

  • Flexibility to adapt to circumstances and challenges in the moment

  • Positive energy and enthusiasm; passionate commitment to inclusion

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to Lianne Heller, Executive Director of Sulam, at lheller@sulam.org.