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Teacher, Elementary Reading Specialist (2379)

Natick Public Schools
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JOB GOAL: Profile of a Natick Educator

The Reading Specialist facilitates the growth of students' literacy skills as they share ideas with teachers about help for struggling readers, determining best materials and ideas that enhance reading instruction and assessment.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Bachelor’s degree required, Masters preferred

 

Professional Certification:  

  • MA DESE licensure in Reading
  • MA DESE SEI Endorsement
  • Additional certification in special education and/or ESL highly desirable
  • Trained in a Multi Sensory Systematic Approach to Reading
  • Certification in Wilson Reading or Orton Gillingham preferred

Specialized Knowledge: 

  • Ability to identify both formal and informal assessments that measure students reading skills
  • Ability to evaluate/analyze formal and informal data in order to provide recommendations based on data 
  • Knowledge of best practices in teaching reading to individuals and small groups with a highly systematic approach
  • Thorough understanding of and commitment to the principles and practices of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice as they relate to student  engagement and opportunity

Preferred Experience: 

  • Teacher training in reading programs and/or extensive experience with teaching highly systematic reading approaches.
  • Experience teaching in a diverse public school preferred
  • Experience working with students with disabilities/special abilities preferred
  • Experience working with students who are English language learners preferred
  • Experience with Google Suite (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Classroom, etc.) and PowerSchool preferred, but will train the right candidate   

Skills

  • Demonstrated aptitude for work to be performed
  • Bilingual skills, especially in Spanish and Portuguese, are highly desirable
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Strong interpersonal skills
  • Candidates should have a passion for working with students, families, and colleagues
  • Candidates must be flexible and collaborative
  • Candidates must be able to multitask in a fast-paced, supportive environment that nurtures student growth
  • Candidates must be organized and able to meet ongoing, time-sensitive deadlines for work production
  • Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Superintendent may find appropriate and in conformity with state certification requirements.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED

  • Phone, intercom, personal computer and software applications as outlined above, scanner, copy machine, calculator, camera, printers and fax machine.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB (not limited to)

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.

 

Resource to classroom teachers 

  • Discuss and share ideas with teachers about help for struggling readers, materials and ideas that enhance reading instruction and assessment
  • Hold collaborative planning sessions to develop lessons and strategies for working with students.  These are held either on a systematic, regular basis (once a week during planning time), as needed, or “on the fly”
  • Serve as a mentor to new teachers by modeling, providing feedback and coaching
  • Demonstrate strategies (especially those that are new) for teachers, observe and provide feedback
  • Participate in observations (teachers observing each other) for professional growth
  • Lead study groups (reading a professional book or article and then discuss)
  • Provide professional development for teachers as part of the school staff development program; also teach classes that teachers can take for credit  
  • Work with teachers in planning and conducting professional development in the schools 
  • Provide a “friendly ear” for teachers who want to talk about issues, problems, or ideas that they have about reading instruction

Resource to allied professionals, parents, other community members, volunteers and tutors

  • Work closely with the principal in setting a schedule and making decisions about professional development
  • Work with special educators and serve on instructional support or pupil personnel teams
  • Work with librarians, speech therapists, counselors and psychologists
  • Serve as a resource for parents (communicate with parents, providing and accessing information); conduct workshops on how they can work with their children; provide workshops for parents of preschool students
  • Work with volunteers (provide training sessions, coordinate schedules, recruit)
  • Collaborate with Title I teachers, where applicable

Coordinator of the reading program

  • Assist in the writing of the curriculum
  • Look for and assist in the selection of new materials (including development of criteria for determining quality of those materials); assist in the piloting of new materials
  • Serve as a leader on curriculum committees
  • Coordinate schedules for reading specialists and classroom teachers
  • Maintain a literacy center or location for various literacy materials

Contributor to assessment

  • Assist in the development of assessment instruments (retelling protocols and running records) and selection of assessment instruments
  • Conduct assessments for individuals or groups of students (i.e. assess all entering first graders)
  • Assist in interpretation of test results with teachers and parents
  • Coordinate testing schedules
  • Share results of assessments with the public

Instructor

  • Provide instruction for individuals or small groups of students, especially those identified as struggling readers
    • Such instruction tends to be supplemental to that provided by the classroom teachers
  • Collaborate with classroom teachers to identify specific student needs (individual or small groups) and deliver appropriate, short-term or long term instruction 
  • Work on a short-term basis with targeted students, then provide a program for classroom teachers to follow
  • Work in either small group or in-class settings or both
  • Provide instruction, using research supported programs (i.e. Reading Recovery, Junior Great Books).

Equity

  • Works with district and school leadership to combat systemic barriers that limit students’ equitable access to opportunity.
  • Identifies and addresses bias and its impact on rigor and opportunity for students 
  • Updates policies and equitable access procedures as needed

Any other duties assigned

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the job satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to: 

  • move about the classroom, school, school grounds, office, and/or off-site locations. 
    • On some occasions, it may be necessary to move quickly across even or uneven surfaces; 
  • remain in a stationary position for periods of time; 
  • operate a computer and other school/office productivity machinery (i.e., iPad, copy machine, computer printer, assistive technology, etc.); 
  • read material from a computer monitor as well as handwritten or printed matter with or without visual aids; 
  • position oneself to maintain files and access school/classroom/office materials;
  • communicate with others so that information received and given is understood and accurately communicated;
  • communicate and collaborate effectively with students, parents, and other staff members in person, via video conference, on the telephone, and/or in writing;
  • observe details at close range
  • in the school setting, ensure the safety of students;
  • multitask and meet multiple demands from several people;
  • may need to teach and support students with life skills development such as eating, cleaning, and toileting 
  • lifting up to and including 25 lbs
  • the noise level in the work environment is moderate to loud.

 

SELECTION GUIDELINES

  • Formal application
  • Rating of education and experience
  • Oral interviews 
  • Reference check
  • Strong record of work performance in current and previous roles required
  • Successful completion of Criminal Records Check (C.O.R.I.), Sexual Offender Record Check (S.O.R.I.), and fingerprints.

 

The Natick Public Schools do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, religion, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, physical and intellectual differences, immigration status, homeless status, or any other class protected by law.