Director of Literacy and English Language Arts, PreK-12

Overview of the Malden Public Schools:

The Malden Public Schools (MPS) is a richly diverse school district located within the Greater Boston area and accessible by the MBTA orange line train. Malden’s student body comprises approximately 6,500 students who represent 59 different countries and speak 67 different languages. We have 1 early learning center, 5 K-8 schools, and 1 high school. We are committed to providing high expectations for all learners through rigorous instruction and culturally culturally and linguistically sustaining practices and pedagogy. MPS is a safe, welcoming, and collaborative district where we encourage and embrace a growth mindset. We believe that our diversity is an asset, and we are seeking candidates that reflect, embrace, and contribute to the strengths of our community.

Objective: 

Malden Public Schools (MPS) seeks a Director of Literacy and English Language Arts, PreK-12 who ensures all educators have access to the knowledge, skills, and resources that they need to provide every MPS student with a high-quality, culturally and linguistically sustaining, and well-rounded education that prepares them to actively and responsibly read, write, reason, communicate, create, and compute effectively within a global society.

Overview of position: 

The Director of Literacy and English Language Arts leads district-wide teaching and learning efforts in their content area, with an explicit focus on closing opportunity gaps for students with disabilities, multilingual learners and students living in poverty, as a means to ensuring that all Malden students thrive and are fully prepared for the future. 

Responsibilities:

Ensure all students have access to curriculum and instruction aligned to Massachusetts Frameworks and the WIDA2020 standards: 

Lead efforts to ensure access to standards-aligned, high quality curriculum across the district; work to ensure curriculum is aligned with the Massachusetts Frameworks and the WIDA 2020 standards and that instructional materials meet state guidance and definitions of high quality, across all three tiers of instruction.

• Lead district-wide curriculum adoption and implementation aligned to state curriculum frameworks   and WIDA2020 standards; 
• Take part in the design and implementation of intervention block programming, after school interventions, vacation week & summer programming and programming for advanced learning in collaboration with the Director of Intervention and Instructional Support
• Lead the selection of meaningful universal screeners and interim assessments that are valid for diverse populations of students
• Ensure procurement of appropriate instructional software, instructional materials and supplies as needed to successfully attain the goals of the instructional program;
• Ensure cohesive alignment with curriculum and instruction from preK-12 gradespans.

• Develop with principals, directors, and teacher leaders the projected needs for supplies, professional learning, materials, and physical facilities in literacy, to assist principals in the development of annual budgets and plans based upon the individual and collective school needs.

Provide high-quality support for teaching and learning:  

Lead teaching and learning efforts in literacy and English Language Arts across the district.  Provide high-quality instructional leadership support to school leaders, leadership teams, coaches and educators across the district, including but not limited to leading professional development, providing coaching and facilitating data cycles.

• Provide leadership to ensure that instructional strategies and materials meet the needs of Malden’s diverse student population, including but not limited to differences in skill-acquisition, developmental level, gender, interest, race, ethnicity, and experience.
• In collaboration with the Director of Intervention and Instructional Support, lead content-specific implementation of the district-wide vision for effective coaching and instructional leadership at the district and building level, supporting building-based coaches, APs and Principals.
• In collaboration with the Director of Intervention and Instructional Support, lead content-specific implementation of district-wide professional learning efforts, including but not limited to New Teacher Induction and year-round programming, district-wide Professional Development Days, and Summer Professional Development opportunities;
• Lead content-specific data cycles at the district and building level, anchored in meaningful formative assessment data 
• Engage in an ongoing evaluation cycle of existing programs of instruction, presenting annual and ad hoc reports.
• Work with the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning to ensure that the district is in compliance with content-related state and federal guidance, laws and expectations
• Seek and apply for appropriate private, state, and federal grants that support teaching and learning in literacy and English Language Arts

Advance systems of collaboration across Malden Public Schools and the Office of Teaching and Learning; 

Work collaboratively with stakeholders across the district to set the the vision for world-class instruction  in grades preK-12;  Center the needs of professional learning, data analysis, and curriculum implementation on the needs of student populations that have historically experienced the least success in the Malden Public Schools, particularly students with disabilities and Multilingual Learners

• Develops methods for giving voice to students, families, educators and school leadership teams in district-level decision-making processes; 
• Ensures content-specific decision making is consistent with district-wide vision, other district expectations, and the instructional needs of students with disabilities and multilingual learners
• Effectively communicates district decisions and expectations in literacy and English Language Arts with school stakeholders
• Works to create meaningful, trusting partnerships between school based teams and central office
• Proactively and consistently responds to classroom, school, and district needs
• Commits to the goal of excellence and consistent delivery, with a service-delivery mindset
• Serves as a member of the Malden Leadership Team and is the district’s point-person for inquiries related to this content area.
• Serve as a liaison between the Malden Public Schools and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for Literacy and English Language Arts
• Assist principals in the selection of and evaluation of staff members,  in their content area, as directed.

Supervision and Evaluation:

• This position reports to the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning

• Director-level job descriptions involve comprehensive lists of responsibilities under the purview of each individual Director.  However, in the course of implementing a multi-year district strategic plan, various responsibilities from the job description will be prioritized for the Director’s focus in each year.  At the beginning of each school year, the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, in collaboration with the Director, will jointly identify three areas of priority for the Director’s work during that year, which will provide a focus for evaluation and supervision.  These areas may include: specific grade spans and content areas for focus of curriculum implementation efforts; a particular school or schools identified for coaching and support; or a particular approach (such as support for a particular student group, or staff role).

Qualifications:

• Will possess a master’s or higher degree from an accredited college or university
• Will show evidence of at least three years of satisfactory full-time paid experience as a public-school teacher; experience in urban settings strongly preferred
• Will show evidence of experience as a school or district administrator, with experience as Principal or Assistant Principal in an urban setting strongly preferred. 
• Must hold current DESE Licensure as a Supervisor/Director in their content area or as a Principal/Assistant Principal; they must also possess a DESE SEI Endorsement
• Must be able to exhibit knowledge of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks  in their content area, of WIDA 2020 Standards, and of state MCAS and ACCESS testing programs (and emerging programs as information becomes available)

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Malden Public Schools is committed to cultivating an ethnically, racially, and linguistically diverse and inclusive environment where different backgrounds and perspectives are celebrated. We believe the differences within our environment will positively impact student outcomes and benefit our employees and community. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.

Salary: 

In accordance with Malden Public Schools’ Unit B contract. 

https://malden.massteacher.org/local-contracts/unit-b-2022-2025-contract/

To Apply: 

Please submit a letter of interest for the position that includes related experience and qualifications as well as a resume on School Spring.

This posting is expected to close on Sunday May 5, end of day.