STEM Specialist

GENERAL DEFINITION OF WORK


Under the supervision of the Chief Academic Officer, the STEM Specialist provides school-based leadership to advance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics development for all students at K-8 schools. The STEM Specialist supports either elementary or middle schools by building teacher capacity and their understanding of the STEM curriculum and instructional practices aligned to the Virginia Standards of Learning. The STEM Specialist is responsible for ensuring high-quality instruction in classrooms through modeling, co-planning, co-teaching, and providing non-evaluative feedback to teachers. The STEM Specialist supports teachers and administrators through professional development, coaching, and providing appropriately aligned resources to foster student academic success. This is not a supervisory position and does not include evaluation of colleagues.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Monitor the instructional program provided by science and mathematics classroom teachers and provide ongoing professional learning support and coaching to help teachers improve performance and achieve numeracy/science-related objectives
• Support teachers in ensuring the alignment of their lesson plans and instruction to the appropriate Virginia Standards of Learning and the Curriculum Framework
• Facilitate teachers' use of high-impact, evidence-based instructional strategies, including differentiated instruction for diverse learners
• Stay abreast of the latest STEM research, innovations, program trends, and methodologies and implement new strategies as appropriate for the school's student population
• Work with new teachers to ensure they have materials and competencies necessary for success
• Observe classroom science and mathematics instruction regularly and provide follow-up consultation and written non-evaluative feedback to teachers and administrators
• Provide direct support to individual and small groups of students as warranted
• Analyze and use student performance data to identify and respond to the numeracy/science-related professional learning needs of individuals and groups of teachers
• Coordinate the gathering, selecting, and analysis of data with respect to the program area
• Assist administrators in identifying school strengths and areas for improvement in science and mathematics and recommend responses that maximize student achievement in reading and literacy development
• Take initiative and proactively identify opportunities to strengthen one's team and organization
• Work well in a fast-paced environment; demonstrate flexibility and adaptability with a sense of urgency and zeal for ensuring that all students in the school meet grade level expectations (at a minimum) in science and mathematics and attain the foundational literacy skills that lead to college, career and civic readiness
• Model professionalism, engage in reflection, self-led continuous improvement, seek out feedback and provide constructive feedback to colleagues
• Perform other duties as assigned

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Ability to provide intense coaching on the alignment on the written, taught, and tested curriculum
• Ability to provide school-level leadership in regards to curriculum, pacing, and resources to support classroom instruction with a deep understanding of the progression of the knowledge, skills, and processes of education as defined in the Virginia Standards of Learning
• Ability to analyze data at the student, class, and school levels and be able to help teachers use this data to tailor their instruction and ultimately increase academic performance
• Comprehensive knowledge of child growth and development, large and small group instructional strategies, and the theory and pedagogy related to numeracy and science instruction
• Ability to train teachers in the dimensions of mathematics: fluency, numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, and statistics/measurement and data including processing domains.
• Ability to train teachers in the dimensions of science: science and engineering practices.
• Ability to coach teachers in meeting the diverse needs of students

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Valid Teaching License required. Mathematics Specialist endorsement or Mathematics/Science Degree preferred and willing to participate in a Mathematics/Science training program. Master's Degree preferred.
• Minimum five years of successful teaching experience with at least three years of teaching mathematics at the appropriate grade level span
• Experience working in diverse settings
• Extensive experience with innovative teaching techniques, instructional materials, and current trends in the area of mathematics and science