Instructional Coach Updated - Primary - 2026-2027 Vacancy

Poughkeepsie City School District•New York, NY

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Poughkeepsie City School District is hiring Primary Instructional Coaches for the 2026–2027 school year: one at Krieger and one at Sojourner Truth. The role supports the district’s commitment to strengthening teaching and learning by building teacher capacity, improving instructional practices, and supporting student achievement. The initial emphasis is on PreK and the primary grades, including strong academic foundations, core instruction, and early identification of student learning needs. Coaches will also provide support across additional grade levels as district priorities, student performance data, and instructional needs require. The coach works collaboratively with teachers, school administrators, and district instructional leaders on curriculum implementation, instructional delivery, assessment practices, and academic interventions. Support includes job-embedded coaching, classroom modeling, collaborative planning, professional learning, and data analysis, with an emphasis on evidence-based instruction responsive to diverse student needs. This is not a supervisory position and does not include formal evaluation of colleagues; coaching and feedback are collaborative and non-evaluative. Appointment is made by the Board of Education upon the Superintendent’s recommendation after consideration of training, experience, certifications, credentials, and service evaluation. Interviews may be conducted where appropriate. The effective date is November 9, 2026. Salary is in accordance with the PPSTA contract.

Requirements

Five or more years of successful teaching experience.
A rating of Effective or Highly Effective.
Tenure in an appropriate teaching tenure area.
A master’s degree.
Valid New York State certification in Early Childhood Education, Childhood Education, Literacy, or a related certification area appropriate to the position.
Deep knowledge of the Science of Reading.
Demonstrated expertise in effective instructional practices, curriculum implementation, and strategies to improve student achievement, particularly in early childhood and primary grades.
Strong understanding of foundational literacy development, including phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, oral language, comprehension, and writing.
Knowledge of early numeracy development and evidence-based practices that support foundational mathematical skills.
Experience with MTSS, Academic Intervention Services (AIS), differentiated instruction, and targeted academic interventions.
Experience working with adult learners, coaching teachers, facilitating collaborative planning, and delivering professional development.
Ability to analyze student assessment data, progress-monitoring results, and classroom performance to identify learning needs and inform instruction.
Knowledge of developmentally appropriate instruction, culturally responsive and sustaining education, and strategies for multilingual learners and students with disabilities.
Experience supporting curriculum development, instructional planning, classroom modeling, and evidence-based instructional practices.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including relationship-building, collaboration, problem-solving, and constructive feedback.
Strong organizational, planning, and time-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities across classrooms, grade levels, and schools.
Online application via Frontline.
A letter of recommendation from the candidate’s current principal is required for consideration.

Nice To Haves

Teaching experience preferably in PreK through Grade 2.
Specialized Science of Reading training, such as LETRS or Orton-Gillingham.

Responsibilities

Plan and facilitate collaborative professional learning and grade-level meetings focused on instructional improvement and student achievement.
Model effective instructional practices, support classroom implementation, and provide constructive, non-evaluative feedback.
Assist teachers in planning and implementing targeted instruction and interventions aligned with students’ strengths and learning needs.
Guide teachers in analyzing assessment data and progress-monitoring results to inform instructional decisions and evaluate student growth.
Collaborate with principals, instructional leaders, AIS providers, special education staff, ENL teachers, and other support personnel to strengthen core instruction and coordinate academic supports.
Provide job-embedded teacher support through modeling, co-teaching, collaborative planning, observation, reflection, and non-evaluative feedback.
Implement structured coaching cycles involving goal-setting, co-planning, lesson rehearsal, classroom enactment, reflection, and next steps.
Support faithful implementation of district-approved curricula and instructional resources while responding to students’ individual strengths, needs, and developmental readiness.
Strengthen Tier 1 instruction through rigorous, engaging, differentiated lessons aligned with district curriculum and learning standards.
Support PreK instruction in early language development, emergent literacy, early numeracy, social-emotional development, and school readiness.
Support primary-grade instruction in foundational literacy, writing, mathematics, and other essential academic skills.
Help identify students requiring additional academic support and plan targeted small-group instruction and interventions.
Coordinate instructional supports with teachers, AIS providers, special education staff, ENL teachers, and other relevant personnel.
Support the district MTSS framework through universal screening, diagnostic and formative assessment, and ongoing progress monitoring.
Help teachers use assessment data, student work, and progress-monitoring results to set measurable learning goals, identify instructional gaps, and monitor growth.
Assist grade-level teams in selecting evidence-based strategies and evaluating instructional practices and interventions.
Support evidence-based literacy instruction, including phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, encoding, fluency, vocabulary, oral language, comprehension, and writing.
Assist teachers in strengthening early numeracy and mathematics instruction, including number sense, reasoning, problem-solving, and conceptual understanding.
Promote culturally responsive and sustaining practices and inclusive learning environments that provide equitable access to high-quality instruction.
Support differentiation for multilingual learners, students with disabilities, students needing intervention, and students requiring enrichment.
Facilitate grade-level collaboration and professional learning focused on best practices, student work, assessment data, interventions, and continuous improvement.
Collaborate with school administrators and district instructional leaders to identify student-performance patterns and instructional needs and develop improvement strategies.
Provide coaching across grade levels and content areas as assigned according to district priorities, achievement data, and school needs.
Contribute to curriculum initiatives, instructional planning, professional development, and continuous-improvement efforts.
Maintain weekly documentation of coaching activities, instructional goals, teacher support, intervention planning, progress, and additional resource needs; submit it to the principal and Assistant Superintendent of Schools and/or designee.
Meet regularly with principals to establish instructional priorities, coordinate coaching, review progress toward student learning goals, and identify additional supports.
Perform other related duties as assigned by the Assistant Superintendent of Schools and/or designee.