MDE Literacy Positions Available

Transcription

1 MDE Literacy Positions Available In an effort to support the recently passed Literacy-Based Promotion Act, the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) is accepting applications from Mississippi educators with expertise in literacy to join the Office of Curriculum and Instruction. The MDE is seeking candidates for two types of positions - one state literacy director and up to 75 literacy coaches. Individuals currently working in a local school district as well as individuals not currently employed by a district are eligible to apply. Local district employees may apply through the Educator in Residence (EIR) program as approved by the State Board of Education (SBE). Individuals who are not currently employees in a school district may apply for a position as an MDE contractual employee. In either case, the initial application process is the same. All positions will require a full-time commitment to the MDE for a specified period of time (1-3 years, depending on funds appropriated by the legislature). Currently, funding has only been approved for the school year. About the Educator in Residence program: The EIR program was approved on April 20, 2012, by the SBE as an innovative way of building capacity within both school districts and the MDE. It is envisioned that this reciprocal relationship will allow educational professionals at the school, district, and state levels to work in a new professional setting for a specified period of time on focused projects, innovations, or initiatives. Eligibility: See the job descriptions below for minimum criteria for both the state literacy director and literacy coach positions. Application process and timeline: Click here< to complete the online application. Applications will be accepted until positions are filled. An initial screening will take place on May 17, In addition to completing the online application, interested applicants are required to a cover letter of interest and a current resume' to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. Assignment dates: Subject to SBE approval, the start date is expected to be in July or August of Assignment may be renewed annually, contingent upon legislative appropriation and satisfactory job performance. Salary and benefits: The literacy coach salary is expected to be approximately $55,000 annually. The state literacy director salary is expected to be approximately $75,000 annually. For payroll purposes, the successful EIR candidate will remain an employee of the local school district and will be eligible for normal state benefits such as health insurance and retirement. All EIR salary and benefit costs will be paid through a grant to the local school district. For individuals who are selected as MDE contractual employees, no benefits apply. Questions: Please direct all questions to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. The link to the online application is as follows:

2 Mississippi Department of Education Office of Curriculum and Instruction Literacy Coach Criteria General Responsibilities Literacy Coaches will work with the Mississippi Department of Education to coordinate the Literacy-Based Promotion Act and provide appropriate services to schools so that there can be a cohesive, sustained, intensive and classroom-focused approach that is rigorous, engaging, and relevant for students. Literacy Coaches will provide a non-threatening, open, professional, and collaborative work relationship with district-level school personnel, school-based literacy coaches, principals, and teachers. They will be required to effectively identify the needs of assigned schools in order to prioritize, schedule, organize, and provide technical assistance so that students in assigned schools achieve grade level reading by the end of 3 rd grade. Responsibilities School Level Provide daily technical support (at least 85% of the school week) to school-based coaches or lead teachers in their capacity to support instruction of the 5 components of reading, implement curriculum, administer assessments, analyze data, and utilize technology. Model effective coaching and conferencing techniques. Assist administrators, school-based literacy coaches, and teachers in addressing grade specific curriculum by developing an effective school-wide literacy plan and providing strategies for monitoring the plan s implementation. Design and conduct professional development to meet the varied needs of school-based literacy coaches and teachers. Conference with individual coaches or lead teachers to ensure that teachers assigned to them have specific goals and plans for improving practice. Provide clear, practical, timely, and candid written and oral feedback to school-based coaches about their coaching practices and to teachers about their instruction. Meet regularly with principals, school-based coaches, and teachers to review data and make recommendations for adjustments in instructional practices. Maintain an organized system for documenting coaching services (e.g., MS SOARS). District and Regional Level Collaborate with other Literacy Coaches to support the Literacy-Based Promotion Act. Assist principals, school-based literacy coaches, and lead teachers in providing regular and user-friendly data reports to their respective districts and other stakeholders. Provide on-going training and support for school-based educators within and across regions. Provide guidance for sharing data with a variety of audiences.

3 State Level Communicate a consistent message as established by the Mississippi Department of Education in support of the Literacy-Based Promotion Act. Participate in on-going training, support, and networking to promote grade-level reading. Maintain and promptly submit reports on progress of teaching and learning specific to literacy in K-3 schools assigned. Provide training to educators across the state. Required Qualifications The applicants must hold the following credentials: Masters Degree in Education with 3 years documented successful experience teaching reading -OR- Bachelors Degree with 5 years documented successful experience teaching reading with a minimum of 3 years of literacy experience at the State, District, or School Level, Valid Mississippi Educator Professional License, Successful experience facilitating adult learning and delivering professional development specific to literacy instruction (e.g., professional development feedback / surveys, letters from participants, etc.), Experience mentoring, coaching, and providing feedback about instruction to classroom teachers, Experience leading others in a collaborative process, Experience analyzing and using student achievement data for instructional purposes, and Ability to travel on a daily basis. Desired Qualifications The following are preferred credentials, but not required of the applicant: Masters Degree in reading/literacy or related field, Minimum of 3 years documented successful teaching experience in teaching PreK-3 reading (e.g., school assessment data, principal reviews, classroom assessment data, etc.), and/or Successful experience designing professional development specific to literacy instruction. Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes Knowledge: A thorough understanding of the following is vital: o Reading processes, acquisition, assessment, and instruction, o Systematic, explicit instructional process, o Instructional coaching approaches and strategies for teaching adult learners, o Scientific reading research and its application to effective classroom instruction, structure, and practices, as well as intervention, o Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (CCSS for ELA), o Mississippi Response to Intervention Model, and o Data analysis and application.

4 Skills: Acquisition of the following expertise is crucial: o Systematic, explicit, instructional delivery, o Ability to effectively prioritize, schedule, manage, and organize multiple daily tasks to achieve goals, o Ability to administer and interpret reading assessments and use data to determine professional development needs, and recommend changes to improve school-wide and/or classroom instructional practices, o Ability to rapidly acquire and apply new skills and information, o Ability to provide effective instructional feedback, o Ability to identify problems and develop appropriate solutions, and o Use effective written and oral communication skills, including the ability to engage in difficult and candid conversations with a variety of stakeholders. Attributes: The following personal qualities are essential: o Sense of urgency for literacy achievement, o Motivating others to perform at high standards, o High degree of professionalism to ensure and protect the confidentiality of educators and students, o Strong work ethic, self-directed and reliable, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively, o High quality interpersonal skills and the ability to relate to and interact with adults exhibiting a range of abilities and dispositions, o Persistent in spite of obstacles, o Ability to orchestrate change, o Valuing lifelong learning, o Belief that a coach can make a difference, despite the nature of the challenges, and o Desire to grow professionally.

5 Mississippi Department of Education Office of Curriculum and Instruction State Literacy Director Job Description General Responsibilities The State Literacy Director will work with the Mississippi Department of Education to coordinate the Literacy-Based Promotion Act and provide support to schools so that there can be a cohesive, sustained, intensive and classroom-focused approach that is rigorous, engaging, and relevant for students. The State Literacy Director will provide a non-threatening, open, professional, and collaborative work relationship with regional literacy coaches and literacy coaches. The State Literacy Director will also with work with regional literacy coaches to prioritize, schedule, organize, and provide technical assistance so that students in assigned schools achieve grade level reading by the end of 3 rd grade. Responsibilities Provide daily technical support to literacy coaches and regional literacy coaches in their capacity to support instruction of the 5 components of reading. Model effective coaching and conferencing techniques. Provide strategies for monitoring the implementation of school-wide literacy plans. Design and conduct professional development to meet the varied needs of literacy coaches and regional literacy coaches. Conference with coaches to ensure that teachers assigned to them have specific goals and plans for improving instructional practice. Provide clear, practical, timely, and candid written and oral feedback to literacy coaches and regional literacy coaches about their coaching practices. Meet regularly with coaches to review data and make recommendations for adjustments. Coordinate an organized system for documenting coaching services. Work with literacy coaches and regional literacy coaches on providing regular and userfriendly data reports to their respective districts and other stakeholders. Provide guidance for sharing data with a variety of audiences. Communicate a consistent message as established by the Mississippi Department of Education in support of the Literacy-Based Promotion Act. Coordinate on-going training, support, and networking to promote grade-level reading. Maintain and promptly submit reports on progress of regional coaches.

6 Qualifications The applicants must hold the following credentials: Masters Degree in Education with 10 years documented successful experience in the area of reading -OR- Terminal Degree in reading/literacy or related field, with 5 years documented successful experience in the area of reading, Valid Mississippi Educator Professional License, Successful experience facilitating adult learning and delivering professional development specific to literacy instruction (e.g., professional development feedback / surveys, letters from participants, etc.), Successful experience designing professional development specific to literacy instruction. Experience mentoring, coaching, and providing feedback about instruction to classroom teachers, Experience leading others in a collaborative process, Experience analyzing and using student achievement data for instructional purposes, and Ability to travel on a frequent basis. Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes Knowledge: A thorough understanding of the following is vital: o Reading processes, acquisition, assessment, and instruction, o Systematic, explicit instructional process, o Instructional coaching approaches and strategies for teaching adult learners, o Scientific reading research and its application to effective classroom instruction, structure, and practices, as well as intervention, o Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (CCSS for ELA), o Mississippi Response to Intervention Model, and o Data analysis and application. Skills: Acquisition of the following expertise is crucial: o Systematic, explicit, instructional delivery, o Ability to effectively prioritize, schedule, manage, and organize multiple daily tasks to achieve goals, o Ability to administer and interpret reading assessments and use data to determine professional development needs, and recommend changes to improve school-wide and/or classroom instructional practices, o Ability to rapidly acquire and apply new skills and information, o Ability to provide effective instructional feedback, o Ability to identify problems and develop appropriate solutions, and o Use effective written and oral communication skills, including the ability to engage in difficult and candid conversations with a variety of stakeholders.

7 Attributes: The following personal qualities are essential: o Sense of urgency for literacy achievement, o Motivating others to perform at high standards, o High degree of professionalism to ensure and protect the confidentiality of educators and students, o Strong work ethic, self-directed and reliable, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively, o High quality interpersonal skills and the ability to relate to and interact with adults exhibiting a range of abilities and dispositions, o Persistent in spite of obstacles, o Ability to orchestrate change, o Valuing lifelong learning, o Belief that a coach can make a difference, despite the nature of the challenges, and o Desire to grow professionally.