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Turnaround: Literacy Coach [Part-Time 0.8FTE]

Employer
Boston Public Schools
Location
Boston, MA, US
Salary
Competitive

Job Details

***This school has been designated as a Level 5 School by the State of Massachusetts. This designation allows districts to utilize the new tools granted in the landmark education reform law that was passed in 2010 to provide additional services for these schools. Some of these tools will allow for extended time and extra compensation where needed.

SCHOOL YEAR: 2019-20
POSITION TITLE: Turnaround: Literacy Coach:Elementary Grade focus (SEI Endorsement Required)
REPORTS TO: DIRECTOR OF ACADEMICS
The Literacy Coach is an experienced educator who has demonstrated capacity in producing dramatic and sustained improvements for students in a safe and welcoming environment. The Literacy Coach has the capacity to inspire others toward similar, ambitious results and the leadership skills to deliberately and thoughtfully drive the work of a team of his or her peers through cycles of inquiry and reflection that lead to improved instructional practice across the grade level team and ultimately to higher learning outcomes for all students.
The Dever instructional strategy in brief, is Connected Professional Learning : culturally responsive, high quality, Common Core-aligned instructional materials (curriculum and assessments) and practices are used as the basis for professional learning and capacity-building in all elements of teacher support:
  • Instructional Leadership Team (ILT)
  • Faculty Professional Development
  • Common Planning Time (CPT), and
  • Informal and Formal Observation and Coaching

We seek leaders of adult learning with a growth mindset, a deep belief in racial and social equity, experience with culturally responsive teaching practices, and an openness to learning and growing with like-minded colleagues to reach the Dever's goals.

Focus and Expert Support:
At the Dever there is a relentless focus on keeping a through-line for all teacher-touch points, and that those touch points will be relevant and immediately applicable, using our curriculum as content from which to build understanding and skills. The Director of Academics and Literacy and Math Coaches work with ILT members to design and facilitate ILT meetings and faculty professional development (PD). The capacity-building in the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) members is extended to co-facilitate Common Planning Time with the Math / Literacy Coaches.
Allocation of Time:
The primary activities that the ILT, Faculty Professional Development, and Common Planning Time support are lesson study, using lessons from Dever curricula to deepen understanding of learning targets, questioning, and academic discourse; and using student data (exit tickets, daily work, unit tests, interim assessments, benchmark tests) to adapt and improve instructional strategies. The instructional priorities, set by the ILT annually, are themes that anchor the focus throughout the year.
Though there is an ebb and flow to the weekly balance of the below activities, the Literacy Coach's time on average is dedicated in the following way:
  • 40% organizing and studying data and curriculum to co-prepare and co-facilitate Common Planning Time, faculty Professional Development, and ILT - all in deep collaboration with ILT grade-team representatives. This includes the coach being well out ahead on scope and sequences, unit plans, texts, assessments, and professional learning needs for either grades k1-2 or 3 to 5.
  • 20% observing and coaching teachers, including through co-planning and -teaching and the use of video
  • 40% working directly with students on interventions and assessments
In addition to the primary responsibilities of capacity-building for literacy instruction, the Literacy Coaches are accountable for upholding the literacy goals of the school's turnaround plan and represent those goals on the school's ILT and in the co-facilitation of CPT meetings focused on literacy instruction and data analysis.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
All Dever Instructional Coaches...
  • Support Connected Professional Learning, including
    • the co-facilitation of weekly common planning time (CPT) meetings to intentionally observe, analyze, refine, and improve teaching and learning, and the advancement of equity for all students.
    • the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) to continually develop and implement the instructional vision, measure progress toward school goals, and develop and deploy school-wide systems and structures to support student learning.
    • Faculty Professional Development
  • Consistently champion and model practices that are culturally and linguistically affirming for peer teachers and students.
  • Actively participate in and support a culture of collaboration and mutual support among teachers on grade level teams.
  • Collaborate effectively with other staff members to provide integrated supports for students.
  • Inspire school-wide and local support for the Dever through his or her own enthusiasm.

QUALIFICATIONS - REQUIRED
  1. Experience and demonstrated expertise as an elementary teacher of Literacy (particularly systematic phonics instruction and/or Expeditionary Learning (EL))
  2. Demonstrated success working with teachers and administrators as a professional development provider, team leader, and/or facilitator
  3. Elementary license or Reading Specialist license
  4. Strong organizational skills
  5. Current authorization to work in the United States - Candidates must have such authorization by their first day of employment

QUALIFICATIONS - PREFERRED
  1. Early Childhood K-2 License
  2. Experience working in an urban setting.
  3. BPS values linguistic diversity and believe that candidates who speak another language bring added value to the classroom, school, and district culture and diversity. BPS is particularly interested in candidates who are fluent in one of BPS' official languages: Spanish, Creole (Cape Verdean), Creole (Haitian), Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, & Somali.
  4. In order to best serve all students, BPS prefers all core content teachers to be certified in their subject area and one or both of the following: Moderate Disabilities, English as a Second Language (at the appropriate grade level(s)).
  5. Has worked with standards-aligned ELA curriculum, such as EL, as well as with early childhood curriculum, such as BPS's FOCUS.
  6. Has experience teaching systematic phonics instruction and Fundations.
  7. Has experience with progress monitoring and the effective use of resultant data to adjust instruction:
  1. Has experience with adult learning principles and practice, including diverse characteristics, abilities, and learning styles.
  2. Has experience with the consistent implementation of the instructional vision through best practices, including co-teaching, peer observation, task analysis, and co-facilitation of professional learning.
  • Analyze and incorporate the use of data into the daily life of the grade level team, consistently tracking and analyzing a variety of metrics against goals to continually improve teaching and learning.
  1. Can successfully balance the roles of peer-colleague and coach and effectively navigate difficult conversations around improvement, bias, and other topics as they surface.
  2. Is culturally and linguistically affirming. They know their own biases, can develop strong relationships with students, and can effectively utilize the cultural and linguistic knowledge of students, families, and the school community to adapt practices, materials and environments to engage, motivate, and facilitate deep learning.
  3. Designs lessons and units using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Understanding by Design (UbD).

Additional Information:
  • The Literacy Coach at Dever Elementary School is a member of the Boston Teachers Union (BTU).
  • The Dever Elementary School's pay schedule differs from the BPS model by offering career ladder consisting of five tiers-Novice, Developing, Career, Advanced, and Master-that will compensate teachers commensurate with their experience, development and impact on students.
  • As a Level 5 School, the standard workday for teachers at the Dever Elementary School will be nine hours (7:15am to 4:15pm) and the school year consists of 186 days.
  • Teachers will receive 10 days of high-quality professional learning and collaborative planning time in the summer.
All candidates will be provided with a copy of the working conditions and Level 5 Turnaround Plan at the time of their interview.

Terms:
BTU, Group I, plus additional compensation equal to 5% of the individual's annual base salary.

Please refer to www.bostonpublicschools.org/ohc (under "Employee Benefits and Policies") for more information on salary and compensation. Salaries are listed by Unions and Grade/Step.

Next year, many BPS schools will have a longer school day through the "Schedule A" Extended Learning Time (ELT) agreement. To learn more about ELT at BPS and whether or not this school is a "Schedule A" ELT school, check here: bostonpublicschools.org/elt

The Boston Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, does not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, age, criminal record (inquiries only), disability, homelessness, sex/gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetics or military status, and does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals' dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.

Company

As the birthplace of public education in this nation, the Boston Public Schools is committed to transforming the lives of all children through exemplary teaching in a world-class system of innovative, welcoming schools. We partner with the community, families, and students to develop in every learner the knowledge, skill, and character to excel in college, career, and life.

Company info
Telephone
(617) 635-1550
Location
2300 Washington Street
Roxbury
MA
02119
United States

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