Reading Specialist; Secondary Education

Position: Reading Specialist (Secondary Education)
Position Type:
Professional
- Student Services/Reading Specialist

Date Posted:
7/15/2024

Location:

West Chester
At the present time, a vacancy exists in the Middle School and High School Student Services Department

LOCATION:

The incumbent in this position would report to our West Chester campus.

Our main campus location is located in West Chester: "An active university town, nestled in the heart of the Brandywine Valley just 30 minutes from Wilmington and 45 minutes from Center City Philadelphia, downtown West Chester Pennsylvania reflects the small-town charm and cosmopolitan tastes that prompted The Philadelphia Inquirer to call West Chester ". one of the world's most perfect small towns."

SUMMARY OF POSITION:

The Reading Specialist, using multiple sources of assessment data, works collaboratively with other professionals to address the strengths and needs of learners at all performance levels in reading, writing, speaking and listening.

The role of the Reading Specialist is to provide high quality instruction, support and leadership in order to produce high quality outcomes in the area of reading and literacy for students. The reading specialist assists with establishing school wide and individual reading goals. Additionally, the reading specialist will provide interventions to students and work with teachers to implement additional supports in the classroom.

The Reading Specialist will lead the charge with creating a culture of reading that ensures strong reading instruction, excitement about books, and a genuine, institutional love for reading.

In collaboration with the administrative instructional team, the Reading Specialist will be expected to develop and implement an individual instructional program for students based on data gathered for and through the analysis of student performance. The Reading Specialist will monitor students' progress and communicate this information to the classroom teacher(s) and parents.

The following categories of duties and responsibilities is illustrative of (but not limited to) the expectations of the incumbent in this position.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

School wide

In collaboration with the administrative team, coordinate the development and facilitate the implementation of a school-wide literacy program.

Select, implement and adapt effective instructional strategies, curriculum resources and technologies in collaboration with other educators to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Provide leadership and support in teaching and integrating reading/language arts skills in all content areas.

Collaborate with teachers in all departments to promote the learning and implementation of best practices in literacy instruction.

Serve as a resource person for administrators, classroom/special education teachers, parents and students to improve the instruction of reading/language arts.

Conduct individual and school wide screening and assessments in order to evaluate levels and recommend targeted interventions to improve literacy skills.

Lead and facilitate literacy team efforts. Participate in the construction and selection of literacy assessments.

Review student achievement and assist with placing students in appropriate reading and writing intervention and support services.

Instructional

Meet regularly with classroom teachers to plan literacy instruction that correlates with the individual student's needs and aligns with core instruction.

Present and utilize screening and diagnostic processes to identify students needing remedial or corrective help.

Provide targeted literacy interventions to individual or small groups of students using research-based strategies and resources.

Motivate students and address specific reading/writing needs within multiple contexts.

Provide reading enrichment to students reading above grade level, as needed.

Model and demonstrate lessons that improve students' literacy performance.

Interpret assessment information into implications for instruction and prepare written documentation for the student's cumulative records. Complete individual ability assessments, as needed.

Data Collection and Communication

Select, develop and administer assessments that involve multiple indicators of student progress and maintain records of information

Create and examine data to measure the success of literacy programs and instruction, and provide information for program monitoring as requested.

Provide weekly/quarterly updates to the data team to review student progress. Communicate to the principal any reading/language arts program concerns.

Interpret students' needs and progress in remediation and communicate that information to the classroom teacher and the parents.

Provide assistance as requested by:

• Participating in parent teacher conferences regarding student progress throughout the school year.
• Answering parent concerns in formal and informal settings to encourage support for their child's reading/language arts development.
• Providing suggestions for reading/language arts activities.
• Serving as a resource to…