Reading Specialist (Retired Educator)

Ferguson-Florissant School District • Ferguson, MO

2d • Onsite

About The Position

In Ferguson-Florissant, our "New Chapter" is intensely focused on middle school literacy, academic recovery, and closing the reading achievement gap before students transition to high school. We are seeking a highly skilled, veteran educator to serve as a Part-Time Middle School Reading Specialist. This position is tailored specifically for retired teachers who want to stay connected to the classroom and make a profound academic impact without the demands of full-time teaching, lesson planning, or grading. In this role, you will apply your years of classroom wisdom to deliver targeted, small-group reading interventions to middle school scholars who need a strong push to reach grade-level proficiency. If you are looking to utilize your expertise on a highly flexible, part-time schedule, your next chapter starts here.

Requirements

• Must hold and maintain a valid Missouri Reading Specialist Certification (Grades K-12 or similar secondary endorsement) issued by DESE.
• Advanced knowledge of the science of reading, specifically regarding adolescent literacy development, phonological gaps in older readers, vocabulary acquisition, and high-level comprehension strategies.
• Ability to quickly interpret reading assessment data (such as inventory tests or lexile levels) to design hyper-focused, small-group lesson blocks.
• An exceptional ability to build trust and connection with middle school scholars, transforming reading frustration into academic confidence.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience as a Reading Specialist, Literacy Coach, or Middle School English Language Arts teacher is highly preferred.
• This role is ideal for a retired educator with a deep toolbelt of intervention strategies.

Responsibilities

• Diagnoses specific reading deficits and delivers targeted, research-based literacy interventions to individuals or small groups of middle school students.
• Utilizes advanced phonetic, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies to rapidly accelerate student reading growth.
• Pulls small groups of middle school scholars to deliver high-impact reading interventions focused on fluency, structural analysis, academic vocabulary, and critical comprehension.
• Routinely assesses student progress using informal reading inventories to adjust small-group compositions and intervention strategies.
• Collaborates briefly with classroom ELA teachers to ensure specialized pull-out sessions directly reinforce core classroom instruction and curriculum themes.
• Introduces engaging, age-appropriate high-interest/low-readability texts that spark curiosity and lower the affective filter for struggling adolescent readers.
• Maintains a structured, encouraging environment that honors middle school students' emotional needs while pushing for high academic growth.

Benefits

• Flat Hourly Rate: $45.00 per hour.
• Maximum Allowable Hours: Up to 550 total hours for the school year.
• Flexible Part-Time Schedule

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed