Assistant Director of Elementary & Middle School Literacy

About Mastery:

We believe educational inequity is the most pressing social problem facing our country and the civil rights issue of our day. Mastery exists to help solve this problem. Our ultimate goal is to create a model urban school district that serves all students with excellence. We are organized around one driving mission: All students learn the academic and personal skills they need to be truly prepared for postsecondary success and able to pursue their dreams. To fulfill this mission, we attend to the whole child - academically and emotionally - matching high expectations for students with high levels of support.

Mastery Charter Schools is a nonprofit network of more than 24 schools serving over 14,000 students in Philadelphia and Camden. We are the largest turnaround school operator in the nation and have been lauded by President Obama and the US Department of Education for our ability to dramatically boost academic achievement in historically low-performing schools.

We know neighborhood schools matter, all students deserve access to a great education, and the people in our buildings can grow and develop sustainably to make the biggest impact possible in this work.

Mastery's Equity Vision:

We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to achieving our mission.

We strive to be an anti-racist school district that eliminates the inequities in academic achievement that limit our students' choices; that cultivates classrooms where every student is affirmed, supported, and held to high expectations; and that nurtures a diverse organization where students, staff, and families are valued, respected, and included.

Position Summary:

The Assistant Director of Elementary & Middle School Literacy ensures that Mastery Charter students produce breakthrough results in reading and writing as measured by standardized State and Mastery Benchmark assessments. The AD of Elementary & Middle School Literacy reports directly to the Director of Elementary & Middle School Literacy and ensures that academic programming is executed at a high level throughout the network.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate a deep understanding of and an ability to hold an incredibly high bar for academic programming
• Provide effective supports to Assistant Principals and teachers. Primary assigned supports include but are not limited to the following:
• Direct teacher coaching
• Direct assistant principal coaching
• Establishing model classrooms and capturing video exemplars
• Coordinating cross-site collaboration (for teachers and assistant principals)
• Audit school programming (at grade, content, or program level) and develop recommendations for design and/or execution improvements
• Support design of and facilitate centralized teacher and Assistant Principal professional development sessions
• Produce high quality curricular resources (i.e. pacing guides, assessments, guidebooks) to support implementation of A Common Foundation curriculum
• Provide support to Academic Operations as needed (standardized assessment auditing, teacher interviews, etc.)

Qualifications:

• Results-oriented individual - a flexible thinker willing to do "whatever it takes"
• Belief in the Mastery Charter School mission and instructional model
• A ferocious desire to provide our students with a world class education
• Strong knowledge of teaching strategies in literacy and humanities
• Familiarity with PA and NJ State standards and national Common Core Standards for ELA
• Familiarity with elementary school intervention and evidence-based literacy strategies
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated high level measurable success working with urban youth
• Detail-oriented and highly organized with strong analytical writing skills
• Zest and a sense of humor

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree required
• At least five (5) years' experience in teaching, teacher coaching and curriculum/assessment writing
• Background in effective leadership and management, preferred

Physical/Environmental:

• Ability to physically perform the essential duties of the role - either on-site or remotely, and to work in the environmental conditions required, such as: traveling to network campuses; maneuvering in office spaces (including standing, walking, sitting for long periods of time, speaking loudly and clearly, seeing and hearing things both near and far away); stooping, kneeling, reaching file cabinets/shelves; fine finger and hand manipulation in use of computer, chalkboard, dry erase, &/or projectors; filing, faxing, scanning, coping, typing, mailing, and making phone calls; sitting for up to two (2) hours looking at a computer monitor, using a keyboard/mouse, and typing.

Other Requirements:

• Position requires local &/or regional travel to Mastery and other sites. Must have valid driver's license and vehicle, and/or access to reliable transportation.

Mastery Charter Schools is an equal opportunity employer and actively encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. We offer a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth.

UPDATE AS OF OCTOBER 2021 - Please review Mastery's Health and Safety Plans here to learn about our approach to vaccination and testing as well as our response to COVID-19 for the 2021-22 school year. For ongoing positions, Mastery roles are designated as in-person, with regular on-site responsibilities, unless otherwise noted. As such, Employees must be able to support Mastery Schools' academic plan and business strategies on-site - at a Mastery campus - as required.

Exceptions to this requirement will be considered on an individualized basis.