SCHOOLSMARTKC BACKGROUND 

SchoolSmartKC (SSKC) is a charitable, non-profit organization that works toward significant improvement in the performance of schools in the Kansas City Public Education system. With substantial funding from key investors, including the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Hall Family Foundation, and the Walton Family Foundation, SSKC aims to close the opportunity gap between students in our local District and Charter schools and their higher-performing peers across the state of Missouri and the nation. Our efforts are designed to build a common purpose within our local community, including parents and families, district and charter schools, resource providers, and others to ensure young people reach their incredible potential. Working collaboratively, we seek a school system that, in ten years, will have more than double the current percentage of schools showing performance on par with the state on key educational measures.

Our Students. Our City. Our Youth: Focus on Literacy

The city-wide effort aimed at addressing the city-wide crisis in the Kansas City Public School District (KCPS) and the Charter Schools within the KCPS boundaries, by offering strategic resources and support to all 40 elementary schools. Achieving the necessary progress to ensure literacy for all requires active involvement from schools, families, and the wider community.

SSKC is committed to supporting local students, families, and schools, focusing on a funding strategy that addresses student reading growth in grades K - 3. This multifaceted campaign will provide support essential to increasing literacy achievement across KCPES. These supports include literacy-focused instructional coaches, high-dose tutoring for all students in K-3, fellowships for both building leaders and instructional coaches, and intentional engagement complemented by literacy resources for families. 

ROLE DESCRIPTION

The K-3 grade Literacy Coach is critical to improving student reading achievement, ensuring on-grave level proficiency by third grade for all students. The Literacy coach provides collegial, job-embedded support to align data-informed strategies and student-centered literacy instruction. Coaches accomplish this by collaborating with teachers and leaders, engaging in practices such as co-teaching, co-planning, modeling, reflective conversations, learning walks, and data deep-dives with teachers to build teacher and school capacity, improving student achievement for all. This is NOT a supervisory position and DOES NOT include evaluating colleagues. This position IS exclusively focused on K-3 literacy instruction.

The K-3 Literacy Coach will work alongside the building leader to ensure the effective implementation of the following programming - the Science of Reading and/or the National Reading Association‘s 5 key components of effective reading instruction, including high-impact tutoring and parent participation at the school level. The first round of positions includes the following schools: Academy for Integrated Arts, Banneker Elementary, Border Star Montessori, Citizens of the World, Crossroads – Quality Hill, Ingels Elementary (Hickman Mills), James Elementary, Scuola Vita Nuova Charter, Whittier Elementary.

Successful candidates’ work responsibilities and expectations will be exclusively focused on supporting improving literacy in grades K-3 at the site and will be a member of the site’s school-based staff. The LEA, not SchoolSmart KC, will employ them.

Specific Responsibilities include:

• Support teachers in grades K-3 in developing and implementing effective instructional strategies aligned with the science of reading, assessments, and/or activities related to improving reading performance for all K-3 students.
• Regularly be in classrooms (several times a week, across all grades, K-3rd), to work with teachers in developing clear instructional plans.
• Collaborate with teachers to design and implement compelling literacy programs that align with students' needs and learning capabilities.
• Provide professional development and mentorship to educators in literacy instruction methodologies aligned with the science of reading.
• Conduct assessments, data-tracking, and refining systems to monitor student progress.
• Support teachers and principals in using data to inform decision-making.
• Complete a 2-year literacy fellowship to further knowledge and skills related to effective change management, the science of reading, and instructional coaching.
• Serve as the liaison with the contracted tutoring organization selected by the school.
• Travel: Requires local travel around Kansas City and occasional business travel regionally and/or nationally.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree with 7 years of documented successful experience teaching reading (formative and/or summative assessment results) with a minimum of 3 years experience teaching K-3 reading. A Master’s degree in Reading or Literacy Education (preferred).
• Valid/current MO Educator Professional License
• Successful experience facilitating adult learning and delivering professional development specific to literacy instruction.
• Training in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS®) or other Science of Reading-related training.
• Experience analyzing and using student achievement data for instructional purposes.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Qualified candidates for this position must be highly motivated, capable of self-direction, detail-oriented, student-focused, and able to work well in a highly collaborative, team-oriented environment. They must exhibit a keen sense of responsibility and enjoy working with multiple demands, aligned priorities, and change management. A successful candidate will also possess:

• Ability to maintain a cooperative and collaborative attitude, demonstrate consideration of others, and maintain rapport with others.
• Skill to motivate others to achieve.
• High degree of professionalism to ensure and protect the confidentiality of educators and students.
• Strong work ethic, self-directed and reliable, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Persistence despite obstacles and ability to anticipate the needs of staff.
• Ability to orchestrate and successfully manage change.
• Value and demonstrate lifelong learning and professional growth.
• Belief that a coach can make a difference despite the nature of the challenges.

All the statements in this position description are intended to describe the general nature of the work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. 

COMPENSATION 

• The starting salary for this position is $60,000. Benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and professional development, align with those of the hiring LEA.

NON-DISCRIMINATION 

SchoolSmartKC firmly supports the principle and philosophy of equal opportunity for all individuals, regardless of age, race, gender, creed, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category pursuant to applicable federal, state, or local law.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send a cover letter and resume to hr@schoolsmartkc.org with application reviews beginning by June 18, 2024.