DIRECTOR OF LITERACY

Belmont Charter Network is a family of 5 community schools centered on the central mission to promote the academic, social and emotional well-being of each child. Our schools are supported by a non-profit partner to provide holistic services to the school including out-of-school time, our social work project and Head start. How do we do this? We do it by ensuring our students have access to complete support both in and out of the classroom through a talented team of teachers, leaders, social workers, and partners.

We believe that schools and learning should be joyful!

You can find more about our core values and vision here. We believe that education is the single biggest way we can disrupt the systemic racism that impacts Philadelphia and by extension our country. We are a mission centered organization that has grown since its founding over 20 years ago to be the organization that serves Philadelphia today. Learn more about our partners who support this vision by creating a full scope of community support for our students and families. Our approach is grounded in trauma informed practice which you can read more about here.

Your areas of knowledge and expertise:

• Demonstrated skill in working with students from diverse cultural, economic and ability backgrounds.
• Creative problem solving
• A commitment to being a lifelong learner, commitment to refining your craft
• A knack for connecting with people across differences including parents, colleagues and students.

Position Summary: The Director of Literacy is a member of the networks Academic Team. This position supports the 5 schools on literacy practices across grades prek-12 by managing curriculum, developing network leaders and teachers in best practices, driving literacy assessment, leading professional development, helping set vision and direction for literacy instruction, and being the networks resident literacy expert.

This is a 12 month position that is supervised by the Managing Director of Academics.

Core Responsibilities:

• Manage implementation of Literacy Curriculum across grades and campuses, including the creation of pacing guides, Tier 1 intervention plans, and supplemental materials to pair with the curriculum

• Lead an on-going data review cycle with school leaders utilizing classroom based and benchmark reading scores to drive support.
• Develop school leaders and staff in ELA content to drive student outcomes through meetings, professional development, group coaching, and individual coaching
• Lead walkthroughs across grades and schools to gather and share data with school leaders to drive decision making

• Develop both short and long term, responsive and proactive plans to address data (student and school)

Additional responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the Academic Team to problem solve, research best practices, and keep abreast of new instructional practices, curriculum and resources, and trends in education.
• Provide targeted instructional support based on learning walk needs (individual coaching, modeling, small group practice sessions)
• Collaborate with school leaders to develop ELA block, create an assessment strategy for ELA across grades,lesson planning, and goals.

• Manage ordering and deliver of curriculum materials in tandem with school leaders.

• Other duties as assigned by supervisor

Skills and Abilities:

• Coaching teachers to strengthen instructional strategies and lesson plans.
• Experience giving feedback and supporting growth in teachers progress
• Proven ability in using student-level data to guide instructional decisions.

• Strong pedagogical knowledge and content expertise.
• Demonstrated expertise in oral and written communication.
• 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.

Qualifications:

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree required; Master's preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years teaching Literacy in an urban environment with demonstrated student success
• 3-5 years of management/ coaching in a school setting required
• Experience creating and adapting literacy curriculum
• Must be able to demonstrate a capacity for leadership through previous professional experience.
• All employees must be able to provide Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Background Check Clearance (Act 34), Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151), Federal Bureau of Investigation Record Check Clearance (Act 114), and Sexual Misconduct/Abuse Disclosure Clearance (Act 168) before starting work on campus