Reading Specialist - BART Charter Public School - Adams

POSITION SUMMARY

The Reading Specialist at BART strives to nurture in our Middle School and High School students a love of reading and writing while growing in them the fluency, comprehension, and higher order thinking skills they need to succeed in school, college, and beyond. 

The Reading Specialist supports, supplements, and extends classroom instruction, primarily in the Middle School grades 6 through 8, but also works with High School students. He or she works collaboratively to implement a literacy program that is research-based and meets the needs of students in need of literacy intervention. 

The Reading Specialist has specialized knowledge of assessment and diagnosis that is vital for developing, implementing, and evaluating the literacy program in general, and in designing instruction for individual students. He or she can assess the reading strengths and needs of students and provide that information to classroom teachers, parents, and specialized personnel such as psychologists, special educators, or speech teachers, in order to provide an effective reading program.

The Reading Specialist will also: 

• Work closely with Special Education staff to assist with the preparation of language arts specific areas of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) 
• Attend Team meetings for students with language arts deficits
• Facilitate the implementation of IEPs in areas specific to language arts
• Monitor students’ progress relative to language arts
• Collaborate with faculty, families, paraprofessionals, and other providers
• Identify students who are eligible for the MCAS-Alternative Assessment
• Administer MCAS-Alternative Assessment portfolio testing in language arts

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Direct Instruction of Students: The Reading Specialist extensively provides small group and individual instruction designed to enable the development of literacy skills by selecting appropriate instructional materials that challenge students at the optimal level. Instruction will be aligned with Common Core, interim testing, performance benchmarks, and IEPs. As a member of the faculty, the Reading Specialist is a teaching position. The role will include delivery of Tier 2 academic interventions in a classroom setting, and may include teaching up to two classes within the general education program.

Assessments: The Reading Specialist will administer both formal and informal literacy assessments and interpret results in order to identify students who have a weakness or specific learning disability in a literacy area, and in designing effective curriculum and intervention strategies. The Reading Specialist will continue to administer progress monitoring assessments in order to calculate the rate of growth for students and ensure literacy needs are met. 

Literacy Leadership: The Reading Specialist will collaborate with administration, classroom teachers, special education teachers, and other providers to develop and implement a comprehensive literacy intervention program; to establish appropriate reading instruction strategies; to consult with teachers on literacy best practices; to prepare literacy goals and objectives for IEPs of any special education student requiring a literacy goal. The Reading Specialist serves as a resource to all members of the BART community in areas of reading instruction, curriculum, literacy assessment, and remediation.The Reading Specialist will remain an expert resource to the BART community by continually updating knowledge of new information, research, and strategies by reading professional materials, maintaining professional relationships with other Reading Specialists in the area, and attending field focused professional development opportunities. Continually update knowledge of new information and strategies by reading professional materials and through professional development opportunities. 

MCAS-Alternative Assessments: The Reading Specialist will participate in identifying students who are eligible for the MCAS-Alt; he or she will prepare and administer materials for students taking the MCAS-Alt. 

BART Community and Outreach: Reading Specialist will communicate regularly with parents, seeking their support and advice, so as to nurture a cooperative relationship that supports their child in school; he or she will maintain an inventory of instructional materials and resources; and will assist with the planning and delivery of parent workshops and informational sessions involving language arts. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Massachusetts Reading Specialist license, preferred and /or 
• Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities, grades 5-12 with experience teaching students with disabilities in language arts
• Certification in a research-based reading intervention program, preferred
• A minimum of one year of experience in a similar role and/or in the classroom
• Measurable evidence of driving student achievement gains
• Experience with a range of assistive technologies applicable to remediating disabilities in reading and writing
• A commitment to the principle that all children are capable of progress in school
• The ability to focus and thrive in a fast paced, demanding environment
• The desire to work effectively in a team environment
• An eagerness to support others in doing their best work
• An enterprising spirit that is open to change, willing to problem-solve, interested in new ideas and programs

In addition to the qualifications listed above, all BART employees are expected to: 

• Be able to handle unforeseen challenges of a dynamic organization
• Possess a strong work ethic, be willing to work until the job is done
• Collaborate effectively and diplomatically with parents, teachers, administration and providers
• Be detail oriented
• Have a sense of humor

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Applicants for the Reading Specialist position should apply here. Review of completed applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
Review of completed applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERBART Charter Public School is an equal opportunity employer. BART does not discriminate in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its services, programs, or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, or age. For more information about BART and its programs, visit www.bartcharter.org.