The Natick Public Schools Seek a

LTS Special Education Reading Specialist

at the Kennedy Middle School

Estimated Start Date: 12/15/2024

We invite you to explore a career with Natick Public Schools. 

The Natick Public Schools educate approximately 5,300 students from Pre-K through age 22. We are an innovative, supportive, and high-performing district whose outstanding staff provides high quality services for our diverse students and their families from Natick and Boston. Natick Public Schools is a community dedicated to all students achieving high standards in a safe, trusting, respectful environment where learning is exciting, dynamic, and engaging, and where connectedness and belonging are valued and actively cultivated. We are home to families that speak almost 60 different languages and our student population is approximately 29% Students of Color and 71% White students. With a graduation rate of 97% and 90% of our students attending post-secondary schools, we are proud of our commitment to excellence in educating students to be informed and successful citizens of a global world. 

We enthusiastically welcome educators to our district who seek and thrive in a diverse environment that focuses on the whole child in a strengths-based approach. Please partner with us in our mission to support the diversity of our school community, promote and deliver equitable practices for all of our staff, students, and families, and create meaningful connections that enable everyone to feel included and thrive.

• Education: Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree from an accredited college/university in a related field

• Professional Certification: 
• MA DESE licensure in Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities Prek-8/5-12 or Reading
• MA DESE SEI Endorsement
• Additional certification in general education and/or ESL highly desirable
• Trained in a Multi Sensory Systematic Approach to Reading (Certification in Wilson Reading or Orton Gillingham Preferred)

• Specialized Knowledge: 
• Experience with teaching reading to small groups with a highly systematic approach
• Ability to identify both formal and informal assessments that measure students reading skills
• Evaluating/analyzing formal and informal data and providing recommendations based on data

• Preferred Experience:

• Teacher training in reading programs and/or extensive experience with teaching highly systematic reading approaches 

• Skills:

• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Superintendent or Director of Student Services may find appropriate and in conformity with state certification requirements.
• Successful completion of Criminal Records Check (C.O.R.I.), Sexual Offender Record Check (S.O.R.I.), and fingerprints

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustration of the various types of work that may be performed.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. This job description is subject to change in a manner consistent with law and any applicable bargaining agreement by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer, as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.

Resource to classroom teachers 

• Discuss and share ideas with teachers about help for struggling readers, materials and ideas that enhance reading instruction and assessment.

• Hold collaborative planning sessions to develop lessons and strategies for working with students.  These are held either on a systematic, regular basis (once a week during planning time), as needed, or “on the fly.”

• Serve as a mentor to new teachers by modeling, providing feedback and coaching.

• Demonstrate strategies (especially those that are new) for teachers, observe and provide feedback.

• Participate in observations (teachers observing each other) for professional growth.

• Lead study groups (reading a professional book or article and then discuss).

• Provide professional development for teachers as part of the school staff development program; also teach classes that teachers can take for credit.  Work with teachers in planning and conducting professional development in the schools.  

• Provide a “friendly ear” for teachers who want to talk about issues, problems, or ideas that they have about reading instruction.

Resource to allied professionals, parents, other community members, volunteers and tutors

• Work closely with the principal in setting a schedule and making decisions about professional development.

• Work with special educators and serve on instructional support or pupil personnel teams.

• Work with librarians, speech therapists, counselors and psychologists.

• Serve as a resource for parents (communicate with parents, providing and accessing information); conduct workshops on how they can work with their children; provide workshops for parents of preschool students.

• Work with volunteers (provide training sessions, coordinate schedules, recruit).

• Collaborate with Title I teachers, where applicable.

Coordinator of the reading program

• Assist in the writing of the curriculum.

• Look for and assist in the selection of new materials (including development of criteria for determining quality of those materials); assist in the piloting of new materials.

• Serve as a leader on curriculum committees. 

• Coordinate schedules for reading specialists and classroom teachers.

• Maintain a literacy center or location for various literacy materials.

Contributor to assessment

• Assist in the development of assessment instruments (retelling protocols and running records) and selection of assessment instruments.

• Conduct assessments for individuals or groups of students (i.e. assess all entering first graders).

• Assist in interpretation of test results with teachers and parents.

• Coordinate testing schedules.

• Share results of assessments with the public.

Instructor

• Provide instruction for individuals or small groups of students, especially those identified as struggling readers.  Such instruction tends to be supplemental to that provided by the classroom teachers.

• Collaborate with classroom teachers to identify specific student needs (individual or small groups) and deliver appropriate, short-term or long term instruction.  

• Work on a short-term basis with targeted students, then provide a program for classroom teachers to follow.

• Work in either small group or in-class settings or both.

• Provide instruction, using research supported programs (i.e. Reading Recovery, Junior Great Books).

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to: 

• move about the classroom, school, school grounds, and off-site locations. 
• on some occasions, it may be necessary to move quickly across even or uneven surfaces; 
• remain in a stationary position, standing or sitting, for periods of time; 
• reach with hands and arms and sit, stoop, kneel, or crouch; 
• frequently use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and use hand and arm strength to grasp tools;  
• operate a computer and other school/office productivity machinery (i.e., Chromebook, copy machine, computer printer, assistive technology); 
• input information into a computer; 
• read material from a computer monitor as well as handwritten or printed matter with or without visual aids; 
• see and hear on a continuous basis in order to ensure the safety of students as well as speak frequently to provide instruction;
• communicate and collaborate effectively with students, parents, and other staff members in person, via video conference, on the telephone, and/or in writing;
• multitask and meet multiple demands from several people;
• may need to teach and support students with life skills development such as eating, cleaning, and toileting 
• lifting up to and including 25 lbs
• the noise level in the work environment is moderate to loud.

The Special Educator has supervisory responsibilities for any paraeducators who may be assigned to his/her/their classroom/students. In this capacity, the Special Educator is expected to direct and coach the paraeducators, offer timely and appropriate feedback to the paraeducators related to job performance and collaboration, and partner with the paraeducators to enable their successful work with their shared students.

Formal application, rating of education and experience; oral interview and reference check.

Natick Public Schools does not discriminate in employment nor in its educational programs, services and activities on the basis of race, creed, color, age, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, physical and intellectual differences, immigration status, homeless status, or any other basis prohibited by law.