Literacy Specialist

Wissahickon Charter School•Philadelphia, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Wissahickon Charter School is seeking a Literacy Specialist for our Fernhill campus for the 2026-27 school year. The Literacy Specialist is responsible for supporting students in 3rd-8th grades who are in need of additional literacy intervention. Literacy Specialists are also expected to communicate regularly with teachers and parents about those students' growth. The ideal candidate will have 4 or more years of experience teaching literacy in relevant grade(s), some experience coaching literacy and/or leading school-wide literacy initiatives, and knowledge of EL (WCS' current literacy curricula) or other current literacy instructional best practices. The Literacy Specialist must be committed to the belief that all students can learn and must be relentless in their efforts to address the wide range of learning styles, needs and interests of Wissahickon Charter School students.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required
4 or more years of experience teaching literacy (in the 3rd-8th grade range preferred)
Prior experience coaching or mentoring teachers in literacy and/or leading grade band or school-wide literacy work
Knowledge of current literacy curricula and familiarity with the science of reading
In-depth understanding of literacy teaching best practices
Experience assessing student progress toward achievement of benchmarks
Strong instructional and management skills, with a record of increasing student growth in literacy
Receptiveness to feedback, positive attitude, and a desire to continuously improve
Flexible and able to adjust instructional strategies in order to reach goals
High level of personal organization, planning, and follow-through
Strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to effectively communicate with students, families, supervisors and colleagues
Collaborative work style
Belief in Wissahickon Charter Schools' mission and environmental education model

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred
Reading Specialist certification in Pennsylvania preferred
Teaching experience in an urban setting; preference for individuals with experience teaching grades across a range of grade levels

Responsibilities

Use research-based best practices to provide small group and individualized literacy support to students in need of intervention
Adjust small groups and individualized instruction based on progress monitoring data
Communicate students' progress toward reading and writing goals with parents and establish and maintain relationships with families through updates and opportunities for involvement (as needed)
Collaborate with supervisor and classroom teachers to determine which students will receive literacy support, and work to create a schedule aligned to students' needs & classroom schedules
Support the administration of literacy screeners
Administer progress monitoring assessments to all students receiving literacy intervention
Monitor student performance on internal assessments
Maintain frequent communication with administrators and lead teachers regarding data on student growth in reading and writing
Work with supervisor and teachers to support the implementation of WCS' literacy program
Coach teachers in literacy
Model literacy instruction for teachers in their classrooms
Support the coordination of school-wide literacy-related activities, such as spontaneous celebrations, competitions, literacy nights and other initiatives that generate excitement about literacy in students & families
Consistently implement WCS' student management practices
Exemplify WCS' CARES values in all interactions with students, families and colleagues
Seek out and be receptive to feedback from the supervisor and peers
Stay current on professional resources; disseminate resources to individuals and groups; help facilitate conversations re: resources.
Participate in all professional development, team planning and data analysis meetings
Assume other duties as assigned