Instructional Coach

Instructional Coach - Whitehorse - 1.0 FTE - 26-27 SY

Whitehorse Middle

Annual Salary

Minimum Annual Compensation: $52,154 (25-26 TE Salary Schedule)

Length of Contract: 192 days

Employment Type: Exempt

MMSD is seeking highly motivated and energetic applicants! Applicants should have a good attitude, willingness to learn, and passion for impactful work and learning.

Why You Should Work with MMSD!

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second-largest school district in Wisconsin. We have a simple but bold vision — to ensure that every school is a thriving school, that prepares every student to graduate from high school ready for college, career, and community. We welcome applicants who will actively contribute to our ongoing commitment to making MMSD a thriving, welcoming environment for all students, families, and staff.

In addition, we have a great compensation package. Visit our benefits page and compensation page for more information.

Becoming a Model School District

The Madison Metropolitan School District is committed to being anti-racist, culturally responsive, and inclusive. We have a simple but bold vision — to ensure that every school is a thriving school, fostering the growth of every student so they graduate from high school ready for college, career and community.

Our strategy is captured in our strategic framework, and centers on three major goals: that all children achieve academically, that our schools are places where children and adults thrive, and that our Black youth excel at school. To achieve this vision, we seek to retain staff in all positions, who are committed to being anti-racist, culturally responsive, and inclusive. Staff who will actively contribute to our ongoing commitment to making MMSD a thriving, welcoming environment for all students, families and staff.

We firmly believe in and are here to create a work environment that is challenging and rewarding, while supporting employees in their career path. We strive to provide, encourage, grow, and develop a talented workforce that better supports and represents the diversity of our student population. We know this vision doesn't come to life without dynamic leaders and support staff in every school.

About Our District

The Madison Metropolitan School District is the second largest school district in Wisconsin. The district serves a beautifully diverse population of more than 25,000 students. More than half are students of color. Almost half come from low income households. Nearly one third are English Language Learners, and more than 100 languages are represented in our schools. Madison schools are committed to making this district a place where every child thrives.

Purpose of Position

Highly effective teachers are critical to the success of our students. Our Instructional Coaches focus on teaching and coaching our staff on best instructional strategies. They support the implementation of the district priority of LETRS and the science of reading. This is inclusive of reading foundational skills, language development, and language comprehension so that all students, including our most vulnerable, are proficient in reading when they graduate from MMSD. The Instructional Coach implements research-based coaching and they do this based on real-time student-level data. Instructional Coaches are charged with increasing the reading proficiency of students by helping teachers grow in their practice and implementation of reading. Our Instructional Coaches report to the building principal.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Coaches will follow the district LETRS training plan

• Creates short and long term goals and schedules that prioritizes the teaching of reading and English. Meets regularly with building leadership to maintain a priority on the teaching of reading and adjusts as necessary based on student learning data and staff training needs

• Majority of tasks are directly related to the instruction of reading. This includes reviewing appropriate reading English, ELA and Humanities lesson plans, observing and coaching appropriate teachers, providing specific PD related to reading data and the teaching of reading

• Facilitate teachers’ understanding and implementation of the Great Teaching Matters Framework, the school’s improvement plan and the district’s strategic framework

• Plan, facilitate and organize equity-focused professional learning for school-wide, department, team, and individual professional learning and support

• Create and implement detailed coaching plans, which include focused goals and measures of success, to drive learning and coaching cycles

• Support teachers’ achievement of goals by using coaching strategies that gradually release responsibility for implementing culturally & linguistically responsive, anti-racist instructional practices to the teacher

• Consistently support teacher practice through ongoing classroom observations, data analysis, and examination of student work. Collaborate effectively with school and district staff to provide wrap-around support for teachers’ growth in instruction and differentiated planning so that students grow and achieve

• Provide clear and direct non-evaluative, equity-focused feedback to teachers based on analysis of practice.

• Track and analyze student and teacher progress to assess the effectiveness of coaching

• Develop teachers’ capacity to collect and analyze multiple sources of data to improve the learning of all students

• Foster teacher team collaboration, leadership and collective efficacy

• Participate actively on the School Based Leadership Team

• Attend district-led professional learning meetings, trainings and events

• Coach other disciplines as necessary

• Perform other related duties as assigned

Position Competencies

• High Expectations For Every Student

• Quality Instructional Practice

• Cultural Competence

• Data Proficiency

• Team Collaboration

• Student & Family Engagement

• Resilience & Results Orientation

• Self-Awareness & Growth Mindset

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required to Perform Essential Job Functions

• Strong knowledge and experience teaching reading

• Strong knowledge of standards-based instruction and assessment, disciplinary literacy (and biliteracy preferred)

• Strong organizational and strategic planning skills

• Exemplary interpersonal and intrapersonal skills

• Knowledge of adult learning theory

• Experience facilitating teacher teams and professional learning sessions

• Ability to maintain focus on early reading and beyond priority in a fast-paced work environment

• Demonstrated knowledge of and success with culturally & linguistically responsive teaching, equity-focused instruction, and general cultural competence

• Deep knowledge of high quality, anti-racist instruction and ability to coach teachers to examine their own practice and make shifts to meet the unique needs of students

• Understanding of one’s own identity and bias, and how that impacts relationships with students, colleagues and families.

• Ability to communicate clearly and compellingly with diverse stakeholders in both oral and written forms. Anticipate and respond to needs in a high-quality and courteous manner, while maintaining confidentiality. Engage in and facilitate difficult conversations focused on issues of racial equity.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree. Official transcripts are required for formal employment

• At least three years of successful teaching experience

• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) teaching license to cover the grade level(s) within the school.

  • Holding the 316/317 WI DPI reading license is a preferred qualification.

  • Applications are considered on a rolling basis. MMSD will consider applicants who are fully licensed before considering applicants who are not yet licensed.

  • If you do not already have an active Wisconsin teaching license, you must obtain and maintain the necessary license(s) for the position. An application must be on file within 30 days of starting your employment with MMSD. Failure to do so will result in your contract being voided.

  • The district does not provide financial support for the continued education that is required to achieve the certification. The district does not select or endorse any particular certification program that leads to the required Wisconsin teaching license. An unlicensed candidate can be considered, but they must be hired by a school district in order to apply for a One-Year License with Stipulations with DPI.

    • For more information about the One Year with Stipulations licensing process:

    • To search DPI-approved certification programs:

• Commitment to Excellence with Equity: Passionate about closing the opportunity gap and ensuring that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, receives an excellent education.

• Leadership: Coaches, mentors, and challenges others to excel despite obstacles and challenging situations

• Focus on Data-Informed Decision Making: Uses data and culturally-responsive assessment practices as an anchor to pursue the improvement of instruction, and is driven by a desire to produce quantifiable student achievement gains, with an explicit focus on students of color and students who are traditionally underserved

• Innovative Problem-Solving: Approaches work with a sense of possibility and sees challenges as opportunities for creative problem solving; takes initiative to explore issues and find potential innovative solutions. Knows when to use directive vs. facilitative practices

• Adaptability: Uses growth mindset and resilience to adapt in shifting projects or priorities to meet the needs of a dynamic transformation effort; comfortable with ambiguity and non-routine situations

• Teamwork: Increases the effectiveness of teacher teams through collaboration, constant learning and supporting others; responsive to diversity in all its forms; respects and is committed to learning from others; improves efficacy in self and others

• Dependability: Consistently delivers high quality instructional support and professional learning under tight deadlines; successfully manages own projects through strong organization, detailed work plans, and balancing of multiple priorities, including those that serve students, school staff, and families

Next Steps

• Upon submitting, your application will be reviewed by the hiring manager. Based on your application materials, a hiring manager may reach out to you to schedule an interview.

• Candidates who have indicated fluency in Spanish and/or Hmong are invited to apply for our bilingual positions as well. If interested in a bilingual position, candidates would be asked to complete reading, writing, and oral language proficiency assessments.

Working Conditions

• Work may require travel to different locations within the district and to off-site meetings.

• Position may require working evenings, nights, and some weekends.

• Certain positions within the District may allow hybrid work flexibility for a portion of their work schedule, depending on the needs of the position and the work unit. This topic and any remote work flexibility that may be available will be discussed in more detail in the interview process

• School-based positions are required to be in-person unless otherwise directed by the building principal.

Physical Requirements

Ability to work under generally safe and comfortable conditions where exposure to environmental factors is minimal and poses little to no risk of injury. This position requires the ability to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally and may involve walking, sitting, stooping or reaching. Manual dexterity is necessary for completing general tasks while operating office equipment. This position may require being stationary for extended periods of time.

Ability to perform work in a variety of indoor and outdoor environments throughout the year, including in inclement weather, spaces without air conditioning, and areas where temperatures may be uncomfortable or fluctuate rapidly.

Disclaimer

This position description is subject to change at any time. The above job description does not limit the duties and responsibilities listed above as they are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. Employees in this position may be required to perform additional job-related tasks as directed by the supervisor.

The Madison Metropolitan School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We continue to seek a diverse and talented workforce. We encourage veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities to apply. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the District will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.