CBVRCE 2025 NSTU-028, Learning Support Teacher Terms (Sydney River Elementary & Rankin School)

The Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education is responsible for the administration of the public school system within the boundaries of Cape Breton and Victoria Counties, supporting approximately 12,000 students in 38 schools.

We foster a caring, dynamic, and creative environment that provides educational opportunities, promotes a love of learning, respect for others and challenges all persons to develop their full potential to become confident, versatile, lifelong learners and thinkers. We are committed to ensuring the success and achievement of all students within a culturally responsive, safe, and inclusive school environment.

The CBVRCE invites applications for the above noted position as we work together to create success for all students in our region.   Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the students we serve.  The Centre for Education welcomes applications from Indigenous People, African Canadian and Other Racially Visible Persons, Members of the 2SLGBTQI++ community, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented.  If you are a member of one of these equity groups, we encourage you to apply and self-identify on your application. Applicants with disabilities who require assistance during the application process may contact Claudette Vickers at 902-562-6812 or c-vickers@cbvrce.ca to request reasonable accommodations.

Application Deadline:    Sunday October 19, 2025 by Midnight

This posting is for any upcoming terms in the area of Learning Support.  We currently have the following vacancies but this interview process may also be used for any positions (long term substitute or terms) that may arise:

Sydney River Elementary: Learning Support Teacher BEH/RES (Position is Behaviour/Resource Support and may include any Learning Centre Support to be responsive to student need as identified at the school and regional level).

Rankin School of the Narrows - Learning Support Teacher HNLC (Position is primarily High Needs Learning Centre, but may include Behavior and Resource Support to be responsive to student need as identified at the school and regional level).

Qualifications

• Master's in Education in Curriculum Studies with emphasis in Diverse Learners or equivalent education and/or experience.  Teachers who may not have the Master’s but have experience working with students or adults with ASD or behavioural challenges are encouraged to apply.
• Experience working with students with behavioural challenges. 

Competencies

• Awareness of the role of universal design for learning and adaptations in supporting the learning, achievement, and well-being of  students with learning, behavioural, and/or social-emotional challenges (e.g., Learning Disabilities, ADHD, ASD, Intellectual Disabilities, Anxiety, etc.).
• Awareness  of the IPP development process.
• Proficiency in the use of assistive technology to support students with learning, behavioural, and/or social-emotional challenges (e.g., Learning Disabilities, ADHD, ASD, Intellectual Disabilities, Anxiety, etc.).
• Knowledge of developmental trauma, the impact on learning, communication and social engagement throughout the lifespan.
• Be able to provide services/supports to students and teachers in alignment with Multi Tiered Services and Supports (MTSS).
• Knowledge and competence in the use of a variety of evidence based instructional strategies and interventions to enable students to meet curriculum outcomes as part of Tier 1, 2 and 3 support.
• An understanding of the educational implications of various cognitive, physical and social-emotional conditions of students with special needs.
• An ability to engage in the assessment of and for student learning as a way to inform appropriate instructional practices for individual and/or groups of students.
• Possess well developed collaboration skills to facilitate positive working relationships with students, parents, school staff and regional centre staff.
• Must have knowledge and experience with program planning, inclusive practices, and culturally responsive practices.
• Proficiency in the use of PowerSchool and TIENET student information systems.
• Possess excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Able to function with great flexibility within a school setting.
• Must be able to engage in a co-teaching model of service delivery as recommended by the Program Planning Team.

Applicants must:

• upload a completed resume with their application
• enter 3 references, one of which is the applicant's immediate supervisor
• update Worksite with the name of the school for each entry in Employment at NSSB in Employee File (internal candidates only)
• update the Assignment (course and/or grades taught) for each entry in Employment at NSSB in Employee File (internal candidates only

 Applicants must demonstrate, through their application, the necessary competencies and qualifications in this posting.  The process may include an interview.

Learning Support Teachers 

Learning Support Teachers are experienced and skilled teachers who provide direct, collaborative support to teachers and students. They may be a teacher or specialist that does not have a class assigned to them. Learning Support Teachers support classroom teachers by developing and implementing strategies to promote students' well-being and achievement. They may also work directly with individual or small groups of students.

Learning Support Teachers:

• responsive to student need as identified at the school level by the school principal as leader of the Teaching Support Team and at the regional level by the Programs and Student Services team.
• are flexible in service delivery models that align with Multi Tiered Services and Supports (MTSS) in order to address academic, social/emotional, and behavioural needs across the three tiers
• are expected to adhere to the principles of inclusive education by Learning Support Teachers

Learning Support Teacher Responsibilities:

• value student voice and choice and provide opportunities for them to speak to their strengths, challenges, and preferred ways of learning.
• work with parents/guardians to help them feel welcome in the school community and to empower them as essential decision makers regarding programming and/or supports for their child, including, but not limited to, participating on Student Planning Teams.
• work with parents/guardians to understand their preferred ways of working with teachers, principals, and other staff, and to accommodate it, as much as possible.
• provide direct support to classroom teachers to meet the identified needs of their students.
• promote students’ well-being and achievement by developing and implementing strategies with teachers and other staff.
• provide specific interventions and support(s), primarily in classrooms or common learning environments, to individual students or small groups of students who may require additional supplemental and intensive interventions.
• work collectively with school-based and regional support staff, as appropriate, to support teachers in the delivery of instruction, assessment, and interventions to students.
• maintain regular communication with students, parents/guardians, and other teachers and school staff with respect to students’ progress.
• are accountable for adherence to the principles of inclusive education.
• work with the Teaching Support Team to meet the needs of teachers and students.
• work with Student Planning Teams through the Program Planning Process for individual students as needed.
• assess and evaluate the effectiveness of their practice.
• Participate in the program planning team process to assist in determining appropriate intervention for students with academic challenges. This will be based on student achievement data, and the students strengths,  challenges, and interests.
• Assist staff in using a variety of assessment approaches to determine student achievement in learning outcomes.
• Model appropriate strategies for classroom teachers to support students within the classroom setting.
• Use collaborative strategies in working with students, teachers, parents and community personnel.
• Provide tier 1 (classroom interventions) and tier 2 (targeted interventions) supports as identified through student achievement data and Teaching Support Teams.

Learning Support Teacher - Behavior/Resource Focus

Learning Support Teachers provide programming in academics, behaviour, and social/emotional skills to students across all three tiers.  Students receiving Behaviour Intervention Teacher Support may have challenges that include, but are not limited to academic, behaviour, and/or social-emotional concerns.    Students receiving resource support may have diagnosed Learning Disabilities and/or other learning challenges impacting all academic areas. 

In addition to the competencies and responsibilities noted above the following are more specific components to the Behaviour Intervention Support. 

• Ability to implement and monitor Safety Regulation plans with the guidance of the Behaviour Support Teacher Specialist.
• Ability to provide whole class programming around behaviour skills and social/emotional regulation strategies
• Ability to work with small groups of students on more targeted academic, behaviour and social-emotional intervention both within and outside of the classroom
• Assist in developing more individualized programming and support for students exhibiting complex needs academically and behaviourally.
• Knowledge of social/behavioural programming (e.g., social explorers, mind-up curriculum, whole body listening, zones of regulation, options to anger, leaky breaks, self-reg, etc.)
• Collaborate with the classroom teachers to examine the classroom environment with regards to universal design for learning and situations which may act as triggers that maintain stress behaviour and develop methods to reduce these stressors and regulate emotions.

In addition to the competencies and responsibilities noted above the following are more specific components to Resource Programming.

• Understand and engage in structured literacy instruction (UFLI Foundations) for both whole class and small group instruction.
• Training in evidence-based literacy/math interventions (e.g., UFLI, LIPS, Seeing Stars, Wilson Reading System, Diagnostic Assessments, etc.) is required.
• Track the achievement progress of students receiving resource intervention through pre and post screening and diagnostic assessments and record in student intervention plans.
• Experience administering and interpreting universal screening assessments (e.g. Dibels) is an asset.

Learning Support Teacher – High Needs Learning Centre Focus

Students receiving Learning Center programming (e.g. HNLC) may have complex challenges that include, but are not limited to medical/personal care, behavioral, social/emotional, communication, and/or developmental delays.  In addition to the competencies and responsibilities noted above the following are more specific components to this role.

• Provide direct instruction based on identified student needs as outlined in the program plan, in collaboration with the classroom teacher and other student services staff.
• Work collaboratively with administrators, teachers, student services specialists, parents and students in the design, implementation and review of comprehensive individual program plans.
• Design, implement and evaluate instructional and behavioural programs that enhance the student’s social participation in family, school and community activities.
• Assist students in the use of alternative and augmentative communication systems in collaboration with the Speech-Language Pathologist.
• Assist parents and other professionals in planning appropriate transitions for students with developmental disabilities, including job placement, school-to-work and independent living.
• Promote and maintain confidentiality regarding records and documentation.
• Maintain ongoing collegial support through professional support sessions.
• Be able to assume a leadership role in a Program Planning Team.
• Be able to collaboratively plan, implement, and evaluate programming for students with special needs.
• Be able to demonstrate an expertise in a variety of assessment and programming approaches.
• Be able to integrate students in the regular classroom with peers where/when appropriate, in consultation with the Program Planning Team.

Salary is as per NSTU Provincial Collective Agreement