Job Title/Position Code: Reading Specialist/Resource Teacher
Grade Level: Grades 5-8
Terms of Employment: 11 month contract
FLSA Status: Exempt
Term: 2 Year Grant Funded Position
Work Location: James H. Cary Intermediate School
Immediate Supervisor: Principal and Executive Director of Teaching and Learning
General Description:
The Reading Specialist provides school level leadership in English/Language Arts (ELA) by working with students, classroom teachers, building level administrators, and central office to plan and implement quality Tier 1 reading instruction. The Reading Specialist is also responsible for the development, implementation, and data analysis of Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions for students in need of differentiated support. The Reading Specialist provides professional development (PD) directly connected to the division level instructional models and the alignment of the written, taught and assessed curriculum. The Reading Specialist works directly with at risk students.
Essential Job Functions:
Collaborates with individual teachers or teams by co-planning, co-teaching, modeling lessons, and more to improve student outcomes in reading and writing.
Supports teachers’ understanding and delivery of the Virginia Standards of Learning in English through extensive professional development, planning, and coaching on the alignment of the written, taught, and assessed curriculum.
Coaches teachers and plans professional development as related to the division level instructional models.
Provides direct teacher support related to the implementation of daily guided reading instruction, quarterly reading level assessments, routine running records, data analysis, and more.
Assists teachers in creating aligned formative assessments, collecting, analyzing and interpreting formative and summative assessment data, and designing or selecting targeted, developmentally appropriate aligned interventions to meet the needs of students in each performance tier.
Facilitates teachers’ use of successful, research-based instructional strategies, including differentiated instruction for diverse learners.
Analyzes and uses data to identify professional development needs of individual teachers or groups of teachers in reading.
Assists administration in identifying school strengths and weaknesses in English and supports responses that maximize student engagement and student achievement outcomes at the school.
Incorporates and models appropriate selection and use of technology to support reading instruction.
Conducts non-evaluative observations of English teachers followed by a coaching cycle of improvement.
Meets regularly with school administration and central office to outline goals, objectives, and program needs.
Collaborates with staff on instructional programs and initiatives to provide extended day/extended year learning opportunities in ELA (field trips, after-school activities, family events, and summer programs).
Participates in professional development for personal growth and to increase knowledge of trends and best practices in classroom instruction; applies and shares new learning with colleagues as appropriate.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Advanced knowledge of content, concepts, principles and methodologies of reading instruction in a public school setting including knowledge of multiple reading assessments and assessment-driven instructional strategies.
Knowledge of the Virginia Standards of Learning (including Curriculum Framework and Standards of Learning assessments), the Essex Strategic Plan, and the Essex Instructional Models.
Knowledge of current curriculum development theory and practice, program implementation in reading, learning theory and current trends and research in education.
Proven ability to effectively plan and deliver research-based practices in teaching reading; to assess student reading through observation and data analysis; to respond to data by selecting appropriate strategies to meet individual and/or group need; and to monitor students over time to ensure maintenance and use of reading processes and skills.
Demonstrated ability to access and use a variety of media and technology to support effective reading instruction and job performance.
Demonstrated leadership qualities and personal characteristics necessary for working effectively with students, teachers, and administrators in a variety of settings requiring organization, collaboration and professional communication in oral, written, and presentation formats.
Education, Training and Experience Requirement:
Virginia teaching license is mandatory, unless licensed in another state and seeking VA licensure.
Preferred - Virginia endorsement as a Reading Specialist or eligibility for Virginia endorsement as Reading Specialist. If not endorsed, extensive experience in teaching reading, student intervention, as well as extensive leadership experience in leading reading teams and professional development may be considered (Reading Resource Teacher).
Completed at least three (3) years of successful full time classroom teaching in a public school, preferably at more than one grade level, in which the teaching of reading was an important responsibility.
Professional development leadership experience and participation in professional development opportunities related to Reading/ELA education are desirable.
