Librarian

Title: Librarian 

Reports to:  Director of Curriculum and Learning, Head of School

This is a 10-month position following the school year calendar, inclusive of teacher work weeks and professional development pursuits. The Librarian is a key member of the educational staff. Technological proficiency with Mac hardware/software and competency with electronic communication methods are requirements for the fulfillment of this job description. 

Summary of Position: 

The Discovery School Librarian understands and promotes the school's mission, vision, core values, and policies both within and outside the immediate school community. The Librarian is responsible for providing a classroom/instructional program that supports both Montessori and International Baccalaureate (IB) methodologies while respecting the individual needs of the children in accordance with the school's mission and vision. 

The Librarian works collaboratively and is committed to ongoing curriculum development and growth within the IB framework. This position communicates effectively with the administration on all aspects of the program to maintain congruence between the program and the Board-approved mission. The Librarian is professionally responsible for implementing best practices based on current research in the field of education. 

This job requires the employee to spend working hours at a desk and interfacing with a computer, performing tasks necessary for the upkeep of the campus, and working directly with children, team members, and vendors/contractors. In addition, this job may require the employee to stand, bend, kneel, or lift in their regular job duties. 

Normal Hours:

1. Monday through Friday that school is in session from 7:40 am - 4:00 pm. 

2. Other hours as required and deemed necessary.

Accountabilities:

Professional Knowledge

Participates in a regular evaluation process, including classroom observations, feedback conferences, and self-evaluation toward the goals in conjunction with the Director of Curriculum and Learning.

1. Maintains solid knowledge of the Montessori & IB Curriculum frameworks. 

2. Continues to develop a deep knowledge of children's literature, information literacy, and library best practices to foster a love of reading and research skills among students. 

3. Stays current with educational trends, technology integration, and diverse literary resources to support a dynamic and inclusive library program. 

Resource Management

1. Assumes a leadership role in promoting the principles of intellectual freedom by creating and sustaining an environment promoting free inquiry and exposing students to a broad range of ideas. 

2. Establishes yearly and long-term goals for the library media program. 

3. Administers the library media and resources, developing policies and procedures to ensure efficient operation and services. 

4. Curates an inclusive and high-quality library collection that reflects a wide range of cultures, perspectives, and voices. Selects materials that support the school's curriculum, fosters a love of reading, and provides students with access to stories and information that reflect their identities and expand their understanding of the world. 

5. Regularly evaluates and updates the collection to maintain relevance, accuracy, and engagement for all learners.

6. Administers the set-up and maintenance of an automated catalog and circulation system. 

7. Maintains and administers a system for library check-out considerations, ensuring that all faculty and staff are abreast of the current process for checking out books and, with the help of the administration, observes/enforces related accountabilities. 

8. Classifies, catalogs, and circulates library materials and instructs students and staff in the use of the library system. 

9. Expands access to information through the use of online resources and conducting interlibrary loans. 

10. Operates within an annual budget and is responsible for submitting an accounting of these funds.

11. Trains and supervises both adult and student volunteers as needed. 

Teaching and Learning

1. Collaborates with teachers to integrate information literacy, media literacy, and research skills into Montessori or IB units of inquiry, ensuring students develop critical thinking and responsible digital citizenship. 

2. Aligns library resources with IB Units of Inquiry, designing research experiences that enhance student inquiry and critical thinking.

3. Works with school faculty/staff to develop a schedule for effective use of the library by groups (large and small) and individuals. 

4. Teaches library lessons to students from Toddlers through Elementary, providing group and individual instruction in library skills, literature, information literacy skills, research strategies, and use of resources and equipment. 

5. Provides group and individual instruction in technology skills, including the G Suite for Education suite of tools, digital citizenship, graphic design, and other skills as needed for students. 

6. Teaches at least one Middle School Elective and contributes to the program as appropriate.

7. Differentiates instruction as effective and required.

8. Utilizes ongoing formative assessments of engagement with library resources, information literacy skills, and research competencies to monitor students' development and understanding, providing feedback that encourages reflection and growth. 

9. Communicates individual student assessment through progress reports as relevant. 

Promoting Reading, Inquiry, and Research throughout the School

1. Actively promotes reading, literature, and library use through such activities as storytelling, book talks, displays, publications, reading programs, and special events.

2. Actively promotes reading, literature, and library use by making the library a welcoming and relevant learning environment.

3. As a result of collaborative planning, is involved in co-teaching, team or shared teaching, and individual library lessons so as to contribute to the informational and inquiry learning needs of the students. 

4. Effectively contributes towards the curricular development of information literacy and inquiry needs by collaborating with teachers in planning.

5. As a resource expert, helps teachers plan for the resources students will use in shared and individual inquiries. 

Safety, School Culture and Communication:

The Librarian is responsible for communication that supports an understanding of the school's program, develops positive relationships within the school community, and protects the privacy and confidentiality of each student and family in the school community. 

1. Monitors student digital activity through GoGuardian alerts and collaborates with teachers and administrators to address any concerns, ensuring compliance with school policies on digital safety and responsible technology use.

2. Adheres to Discovery's "Be Our Guest" model, partners with families and colleagues to build positive relationships, and sparks interest in reading and the library.

3. Promotes the school's library and love for reading and provides and plans for opportunities to experience literature and research beyond students' initial involvement (invites guest authors, etc.)

4. Plans and conducts Library Showcases on occasion and as opportunities arise.

5. Provides individual and group learning updates (Streams) to families to help promote an understanding of the program.

6. Is responsible for the safety of the children within the classrooms and on the school premises until dismissed to a responsible adult. Every teacher is responsible for the appropriate treatment and well-being of all children, based on respect. No child should ever be left unsupervised, either inside or outside the classroom.

7. Models and teaches conflict resolution and problem-solving strategies in the classroom.

8. Is responsible for the complete understanding and implementation of the School Emergency Operations Plan and follows School-wide security protocols. 

9. Immediately corrects and/or reports any safety issues to the Director of Facilities and/or the Head of School.

Professional Responsibility:

The Librarian is expected to actively contribute to a positive, collaborative, and professional school culture. This includes approaching each workday with a constructive and solution-oriented mindset; working collaboratively as a team player; demonstrating flexibility; and showing commitment to the school's mission, values, and community. The Librarian is expected to be a culture-builder who strengthens trust, collaboration, and morale within the school.

The Librarian is also expected to demonstrate the highest level of professionalism at all times. This includes punctuality for all assigned duties, meetings, and responsibilities; meeting established deadlines; responding to communication in accordance with the school's communication policy; and attending all required team, curriculum, and scheduled meetings. Reliability, accountability, and professional conduct are essential components of this role.

The Librarian is involved in ongoing self-assessment and refinement of practice in the classroom and collaborative professional growth.

1. Is responsible for reading and adhering to the guidelines established in the personnel handbook, adhering to all school policies, and is responsible for complying with all state regulations and requirements of accrediting organizations. 

2. Maintains his/her teaching skills and participates in professional development activities both within the school community and attends conferences or workshops, etc. 

3. Participates in collegial activities designed to make the entire school a productive learning environment, for example, age-level meetings, curriculum discussion groups, working committees, mentoring, etc. 

4. Attends all scheduled meetings and professional days as appropriate to their level; participates and shares information from professional development activities with colleagues to benefit the learning community.

5. Collaborates with the admissions process when requested.

6. Assists in the development of and participates in school functions, including but not limited to Open Houses, Parent Orientations, Fall & Spring Festivals, Board/PTO Community Meetings.

7. Is responsible for keeping the Director of Curriculum and Learning updated on events, personal and professional issues, schedule, and curricular coordination that could impact performance.

8. Performs other duties assigned by the Director of Curriculum and Learning and/or Head of School. 

Qualifications:

1. Bachelor's degree, Masters's degree in education a bonus but not required.

2. At least 3 years of teaching experience.

3. Experience with IB and/or progressive learning approaches. 

4. Comfortable with integration of technology as a tool enabling learning.

5. Deep capability to engage in differentiated instruction strategies. 

6. Ability to make connections across disciplines, respond to students' ideas and inquiry by adapting lesson plans.

7. Exceptionally strong spoken and written communication and interpersonal skills. 

8. Excellent verbal and written communication skills to engage in a collaborative community. 

9. Adept at communicating Discovery's story to various constituencies.

10. Is committed to Discovery's Characteristics of Professional Excellence 

11. Model the Portrait of the Graduate 

12. Passionately pursue their own professional growth and development 

13. Unabashedly hold children at the center of all decisions and actions 

14. Cultivate an inclusive and vibrant learning community 

15. Discover and act on what is possible 

Work Authorization: The candidate must be authorized to work in the US.

Compensation: Competitive and commensurate with experience.

Benefits: Health, dental, and vision insurance, 403(b), LTD and STD, paid & holiday leave, and life insurance.

Start Date: As soon as possible

To Apply:

The Discovery School is an equal opportunity employer.