Academic Support Specialist & Elective Teacher

Job Description

Job Description

The ACYR team, strives to build pathways to success through education, skill building and employment opportunities to help youth and young adults reach self-sufficiency. The team plays a crucial role in promoting a culture of positivity, growth mindset, and hospitality by offering high-energy educational activities and services that create a welcoming environment. Every member of the team is charged to build relationships and trust with youth and young adults to maintain relationships that foster them continuing in their planned services. Our team also serves as an integral component with connecting to our community and spreading/demonstrating the mission of ACYR.

The Academic Support Specialist & Elective Teacher is responsible for delivering rigorous, standards-aligned instruction that promotes academic achievement for all students. The teacher demonstrates deep content knowledge, effective instructional strategies, and a commitment to equity and continuous improvement. This role aligns with the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and applicable state mandates.

The Academic Support Teacher at CVHS is also responsible for providing instruction with a trauma-informed lens to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment that addresses both the academic and emotional needs of all students. This educator demonstrates subject matter expertise, a commitment to equitable education, and the ability to implement trauma-sensitive practices that promote student resilience, engagement, and achievement.

Job Responsibilities

• Instructional Excellence: Supports student achievement through targeted reading intervention, instructional assistance, online course management, and elective course instruction, and classroom support of students.
• Reading Intervention and Literacy Support: Provides targeted literacy intervention through individualized and small-group instruction, evidence-based reading strategies, progress monitoring, data analysis, and collaboration with instructional and special education staff to improve student literacy outcomes.
• Online Course Management: Provides academic coaching and progress monitoring for students in virtual, blended, and credit recovery programs by supporting online learning, facilitating communication among stakeholders, and helping students successfully complete coursework and meet academic goals.
• Instructional Aide Responsibilities: Supports classroom instruction and student success by assisting with instructional activities, classroom management, material preparation, individualized and small-group academic support, student supervision, and implementation of accommodations and modifications.
• Elective Course Instruction: Plans and delivers engaging elective coursework that promotes student learning and career exploration through effective instruction, assessment, classroom management, progress monitoring, and participation in professional development and collaborative planning.
• In relation to primary duties:
  • Works collaboratively with teachers, social workers and administrators to provide academic support services that improve student engagement, literacy skills, credit attainment, and college and career readiness.
  • Provide a Trauma Informed Classroom Culture: Establish and maintain a safe, predictable, and inclusive classroom that promotes emotional regulation and psychological safety.
  • Foster Student Relationships & Engagement: Build trusting, responsive relationships with students to foster engagement and resilience.
  • Partner with families, caregivers and community agencies to support holistic student development.
  • Engage in continuous learning and contribute to a trauma-informed school culture.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Valid Arizona IVP Fingerprint card
• Experience working with high school students in an educational setting.
• Knowledge of reading intervention strategies and student support practices.
• Experience with online learning platforms and educational technology.
• Ability to work collaboratively with teachers, students, parents, and administrators.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree
• Experience supporting literacy intervention programs.
• Reading specialist certification
• Experience with credit recovery and online course management.
• Willing to teach elective class(es), as needed.

Required Competencies

• Strategic: Can anticipate future trends and consequences accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future oriented; can articulately paint credible visions of possibilities and likelihoods.​
• Models' Success Behaviours: High-performance work ethic, and constant self-improvement​
• Builds and Maintains Customer Satisfaction: Focused on participant's desired results with the services offered by the agency.
• Enables Co-Workers / Students To Grow : By doing this through feedback, instruction, and encouragement.
• Influences Others: Influences others to be excited and committed to furthering the organization's objectives.
• Coordinates Ideas/Resources: In order to achieve goals.
• Facilitates Group and Promotes Cooperation: Formally delivers information to groups and promotes cooperation and commitment within a team to achieve goals and deliverables.
• Effectively Conveys Ideas to Resolve Complex Conflicts: Effectively conveys ideas and facts orally and in writing by using terminology the audience will best understand to help others resolve complex or sensitive disagreements/conflicts, and enable cooperative and productive group interactions.
• Understands and Applies Information: Grasps the meaning of information and applies it to work situations.
• Conveys Ideas Suitable for the Audience: Conveys ideas and facts orally and in writing that uses terminology the audience will best understand.
• Achieves Results: with little oversight.
• Adaptable: Adapts to changing business needs, conditions, and work responsibilities.
• Earns Others' Trust and Respect: through consistent honesty and professionalism in all interactions.
• Tactful in Social Situations: Diplomatically handles challenging or tense interpersonal situations.
• Takes Personal Responsibility and Accountability: Is introspective and aware of others concerns and feelings. Is aware of one's own strengths and limitations.

Must have a valid Arizona Level 1 IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card and a valid Arizona Driver's License. Periodically could require use of insured personal vehicle for agency business.

Must have a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness. Misdemeanor and/or felony convictions may be disqualifying depending on type, number, severity, and how recent. The background check will consist of a reference checks, employment, education, and criminal background search.

ACYR is an at-will employer and any offer of employment with ACYR is contingent upon a successful completion of said background check.