Durango School District 9-R is accepting applications for an anticipated position; K-3 Early Literacy Specialist under the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Department, for the 2024/2025 school year.  Existing Durango School District 9-R 183 Day Licensed Staff hired into this position will be placed on the Cell they currently reside on times 1.05 index plus an additional 10 days for the total salary, per the 2024/2025 Licensed Compensation System guidelines.  New hires to the District will be placed within the range below. Begins August 01, 2024.

Job Title: Early Literacy Specialist        Pay Grade:  Licensed Compensation System 

Job Family: Licensed                          FLSA Status:  Exempt

Department: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Prepared Date: February 28, 2023

Typical Work Year:  193 days  

SUMMARY: The Early Literacy Specialist will support K-3 teachers in the implementation of all elements of Durango 9R’s Comprehensive Language Arts Program. The Specialist will work directly with teachers in school to provide classroom demonstrations in rigorous standards based teaching. They will provide collaborative and one-on-one instructional coaching and will facilitate teacher inquiry and related professional development. The Specialist will work with administrators and teachers to align their work with district & CDE Early Literacy Grant priorities.  They will lead data sessions that look at both formative and summative assessment results and suggest and monitor intervention strategies and materials for struggling students. The Early Literacy Specialist will focus on enhancing teachers’ abilities to provide instruction that builds students’ literacy skills, is academically rigorous, addresses the curriculum standards and enhances students’ engagement and ownership of their learning. In addition as a member of a professional coaching community, the Literacy Coach will participate in professional development and inquiry into their own practice.  The Early Literacy Specialist is not a supervisory position and will not include the formal evaluation of teachers.  However, this individual will provide calibrative feedback to individual teachers to achieve CDE Early Literacy Grant (ELG) goals. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Collaborate with multiple stakeholders to support the achievement of Early Literacy Grant (ELG) goals.
• Model research-based instructional approaches and collaborate with the teacher to determine those approaches that best meet the students’ needs.  
• Observe the teacher as they implement standards-based curricular resources and district approved curriculum to provide feedback to the teacher.   
• Provide ongoing professional development to teachers in a school-based setting.  
• Assist teachers in aligning their teaching with appropriate standards, curriculum and assessments.  
• Provide assessment support to teachers through collaborative analysis of student work and formal and informal assessments.  
• Serve as a resource to literacy educators.  
• Monitor the progress of struggling students and offer suggestions for intervention to meet students’ reading needs.  
• Facilitate inquiry groups among teachers where current research and writing on effective literacy practice is read and discussed.  
• Support the administrator and leadership team in the creation of the school’s professional development plan with specific, measurable and attainable benchmarks for teacher and student performance.  
• Participate fully in professional development for specialists, including peer observations, professional research and reading, and inquiry sessions.

ADDITIONAL JOB REQUIREMENTS:  

• Demonstrate faithfulness and promptness in attendance at work.
• Submit required reports promptly at the times specified.
• Demonstrate care of and protection of School District property
• Report suspected child abuse or neglect as required by law.
• Use the District’s internet and E-mail system as specified in Policy.
• Fulfill other duties as assigned by the Director, Superintendent or their designees.
• Models continual improvement, demonstrates lifelong learning, and applies new learning to help all students achieve. 
• Demonstrates evidence of professional growth, including leadership and participation in a wide range of significant professional development activities. 

EDUCATION AND TRAINING: 

Minimum:  Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university & met CDE requirements for K-3 Teachers of Reading by start date.  

Preferred:   MA in Education and/or training in Literacy.

EXPERIENCE: 

Preferred:  3+ years  of successful teaching experience in K-3 Early Literacy.  

Experience in teacher leadership and/or coaching methods. 

Experience implementing standards-driven instructional practices and curriculum resources.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, & REGISTRATIONS  

Valid driver’s license required.  Colorado Teaching License & CDE K-3 Teacher of Reading designation required by start of position.

TECHNICAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & ABILITIES:

• Excellent interpersonal relations and oral and written communication skills.
• Strong decision making, analytical and organizational skills.
• Ability to work with teachers with diverse needs in various contexts.
• Ability to develop and implement lessons and programming that lead to student success in meeting the graduation standards.
• Ability to lead others.
• Critical thinking and problem solving skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the job. 
• Ability to promote and follow Board and District policies, Superintendent policies and building/department procedures. 
• Ability to communicate, interact and work effectively and cooperatively in a team setting
• Ability to recognize the importance of safety in the workplace, follow safety rules, practice safe work habits, utilize appropriate safety equipment and report unsafe conditions to the appropriate administrator. 
• Ability to utilize formative and summative assessments to assess student learning.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT OPERATING KNOWLEDGE: 

• Computers and general office equipment.
• Online assessment platforms
• Microsoft Office & Google applications.
• Student Information Systems.
• Presentation tools.

Durango School District 9-R is an equal opportunity educational institution and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability or need for special education services in admissions, access to treatment, or employment in educational programs or activities which it operates, or any other applicable status protected by federal, state or local law. For information regarding civil rights or grievance procedures, contact Laura Galido, Compliance Officer, Durango School District 9-R, 201 E 12th Street, Durango, CO 81301, (970) 247-5411, lgalido@durangoschools.org, or the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1244 Spear Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582, (303) 844-5695.