Program Specialist, K-5 Literacy

Job Title:

Program Specialist, K-5 Literacy

Grade Level/Terms of Employment:

Grade 123, Unified Pay Schedule

FLSA Status:

Exempt

Work Location:

RPS Division Central Office & Elementary Schools

Immediate Supervisor:

Manager, K-5 Literacy

General Description:

Performs professional and administrative work planning, monitoring, and supervising elementary literacy programs, activities, and staff. Assists with implementation of the Division Literacy Plan and ensures compliance under the Virginia Literacy Act. Supervises tiered literacy supports, including tutoring programs, at the elementary level. Helps implement, develop, and monitor district and state literacy assessments. Possesses effective verbal and written communication skills for expressing or exchanging ideas, hearing to perceive information at a normal spoken word level, and visual acuity for preparing and analyzing written or computer data.

Work requires frequent standing, sitting, walking, and light lifting up to 10 pounds.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Stays up-to-date on information pertaining to the Virginia Literacy Act in order to help implement and monitor the Division Literacy Plan.
• Develops content to support implementation and continuous improvement of the district’s elementary literacy program.
• Designs and facilitates literacy professional development for school leaders, literacy coaches, interventionists, teachers, and literacy support staff that supports execution of the Passion4
  
  Reading initiative within the Dreams4
  
  RPS strategic plan. Monitors and supervises tiered literacy supports in all elementary schools.
• Provides ongoing support and technical assistance for principals, building-level literacy tutoring coordinators, school-based literacy teams, and tutors in the implementation of the division’s literacy program.
• Provides ongoing staff development and technical assistance for tutors in various skill areas to improve the delivery of the reading intervention.
• Models lessons and coaches tutors in instructional delivery, progress monitoring, and data analysis. Prepares presentations, materials, and handouts for training and directs support needed from school staff.
• Distributes appropriate curriculum materials to schools as needed.
• Assists with maintaining accurate and current inventory records of intervention materials.
• Assists the Literacy Assessment taskforce with developing and revising Tier 1 curriculum-based literacy assessments and performance tasks.
• Assists schools in analyzing and interpreting reading data across Tier 1 and intervention programs to make instructional decisions.
• Monitors schools’ intervention plans through regular school visits and observations.
• Performs other related tasks as required.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, elementary education, or a related field is required;
  Masters degree preferred.
• Postgraduate Professional License with a reading specialist, curriculum and instruction, or administration and supervision endorsement, with a minimum of three years of successful experience required; endorsement in English as a Second Language preferred.
• Excellent oral and written communication, public relations, and organizational skills are required.
• Must be able to provide instructional leadership and management of the division’s literacy programs and achieve high levels of student performance across grades kindergarten through grade five.
• Knowledgeable in data analysis, using data to inform instruction and monitor student progress.
• Must have an understanding of the knowledge, skills, and processes for teaching reading at the elementary level and have experience with technology integration strategies in the classroom.
• Must be able to work in a cooperative manner with teachers, administrators, parents, and community representatives.
• Must have extensive knowledge of child growth and development and instructional best practices for teaching reading.
• Musthave a successful track record of providing professional development and technical assistance to teachers.
• Must have applied knowledge of successful teaching techniques, technology, instructional materials, and current research in teaching reading.
• Must be versed in the strategies and skills related to the Virginia Standards of Learning and how curriculum may be organized to teach these standards to diverse learners.

HOW TO APPLY: All applicants (including RPS employees) must submit an online application. Please access website at:

Please upload the following information with your application: a current resume, transcript, and license if applicable.Three references names and contact information will be required if you progress to the interview step of the selection process.Richmond Public Schools will conduct a background investigation, fingerprinting, and tuberculosis screening as a condition of employment. EOE.