Instructional Coach

Instructional Coach

Type: Unit A Collective Bargaining Agreement

Salary: Per Unit A Collective Bargaining Agreement

Reports To: Building Principal

Objective: Responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing a comprehensive school-wide instructional program; for modeling of best practices lessons which use current, research-based and rigorous learning strategies; for coaching teachers in all curriculum areas; for identifying staff development needs of the school and for providing staff development; for administering assessments/analyzing their results; and for working with school/community groups, such as the Leadership Team, District Literacy and/or Math Committee and learning communities, to help all students reach their highest potential.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Instructional Program:

• Creates a collaborative environment conducive to effective evidence-based instruction in all content areas.
• Demonstrates/models learning strategies in classrooms.
• Supports and provides technical assistance, as needed, to teachers in implementing technology into their classroom instruction.
• Conducts regular meetings with classroom teachers to examine student work and monitor progress in order to support teacher reflection and action to meet the needs of all learners.
• Assists classroom teachers with analysis of formal and informal assessment data on their students to determine student response to instruction and intervention.
• Works with the school's Leadership Team, District Literacy Committee, District Math Committee and other constituent groups to determine the school's strengths and needs in order to improve students' reading, writing, and communication skills and content area achievement.
• Uses current educational research to assist teachers with planning, sequencing, scaffolding, and differentiated instruction in all content areas.
• Participates in team reviews concerning academic progress of at-risk students who are not responding to interventions.
• Assists in identifying interventions and/or in the development of special instructional programs for students identified as below grade level proficiency in reading and math.
• Assists with the development of extension and enrichment activities for students identified as highly proficient.

EPIMS Job Classification Code: 2330

• Devises and maintains such records and reports as are necessary to the successful execution of the position.
• Helps identify students in need of non-school time programs for enrichment and/or remediation.
• Works with feeder staff to assure articulation from elementary to middle and from middle to high school.
• Attends scheduled meetings and parent conferences.
• Other coaching duties as designated by the Principal.

Assessment:

• Evaluates educational needs and collaborates with teachers and administrators to interpret/use assessment/screener data to identify learning gaps, improve instruction and problem solve.
• Assists the principal in serving as the school testing coordinator for statewide and districtwide assessments. Attends appropriate DESE and district trainings relating to assessment.
• Researches and provides staff support in understanding the Department of Education's school accountability framework and MCAS data.
• Works closely with Administration, Special Education, and teachers to ensure that students' testing accommodations are effectively implemented in accordance with DESE's requirements.
• Uses assessment data to assist administrators with placement of students in appropriate instructional or intervention programs.
• Analyzes and interprets data from various assessments and prepare meaningful presentations to share with faculty.
• Leads faculty in the understanding/interpreting of assessment data and use a range of assessment and screener tools as a means to make sound decisions about student literacy/math needs as related to curriculum and instruction.
• Provides, upon request, individual diagnostic testing
• Other assessment related duties as designated by the Principal

Professional Development:

• Provides in-service training and follow-up coaching to assist classroom teachers in the use of current, research-based, rigorous and engaging strategies in their classrooms.
• Works with teachers individually, in collaborative teams, and/or with departments, providing practical support on a full range of instructional strategies.
• Observes and provides feedback to teachers on instruction related to literacy development and content area knowledge.
• Provides support and guidance to new teachers.
• Participates in district-level meetings and assists in the coordination of district level in-service offerings.
• Continues professional growth and strengthen professional teaching knowledge, skills, and strategies through an ongoing program of workshops, seminars, conferences, and/or advanced coursework.
• Maintains a collection of professional and instructional materials related to reading which reflect current research.
• Provides staff development for teachers, volunteers, parents, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other appropriate personnel as needed.

Professional Responsibilities:

• Encourages literacy and life-long learning.
• Maintains and promptly submits accurate, complete, and correct records and reports as required by law, grant regulations, district policy, and by administrative directives.
• Facilitates or serves as a member on district/school groups and committees.
• Establishes rapport with faculty and staff.
• Works to promote productive relationships with and among school staff.
• Attends and participates in all required meetings.
• Upholds school rules, administrative regulations, and School Committee policies.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Experience

• Department of Elementary of Secondary Education certification
• Minimum of three years of successful 1
• Successful experience in facilitating adult learning and mentoring.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to communicate effectively in written and oral form using positive interpersonal skills.
• Ability to utilize effective data-based problem-solving skills.
• Ability to demonstrate effective collaboration.
• Ability to employ effective coaching skills.
• Ability to coach teachers in effective instructional strategies in a variety of content areas
• Ability to use effective strategies for differentiating instruction.
• Ability to disseminate knowledge of the MA DESE curriculum and frameworks. 8. Ability to integrate technology in classroom instruction.
• Knowledge of State and District assessments and their analysis for instruction.
• Knowledge of standards-based curriculum.
• Participation in workshops, seminars, conferences and/or advanced coursework which further advance knowledge of current trends in reading instruction.

ADA and Minimum Qualifications to Perform Essential Job Functions:

• Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of equipment including computers, copiers, adding machines, etc. Must be able to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, and pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Must be able to stand, crouch and bend over for a long period of time at intervals throughout the day.
• Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or composite characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions, assignments or directions to subordinates or assistants.
• Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, forms, newsletters, schedules, manuals, invoices, requisitions, menus, recipes, journals, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, reports, forms, evaluations, procedures, charts, surveys, articles, bid specifications, brochures, news releases, handbooks, budgets, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Requires the ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.
• Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages including medical, legal, accounting and marketing terminology.