Reading Specialist (Part-Time)

Justice Resource Institute • Lexington, MA

13d • Onsite

About The Position

Pelham Academy is a residential treatment setting for adolescents that specializes in trauma informed care. Pelham provides 24-hour comprehensive care including a school on site, a full clinical staff, nursing staff, and direct care staff. The Reading Specialist will provide targeted, supplemental literacy intervention to high school students with significant reading needs. This position will support students through individualized and small-group literacy instruction designed to strengthen foundational reading skills, increase reading confidence, and improve access to academic content. The Reading Specialist will meet with an assigned group students receiving literacy intervention while collaborating with classroom teachers deliver evidence-based literacy instruction. The Reading Specialist will complement existing classroom and special education services by providing additional targeted support to help students strengthen literacy skills, increase independence, and improve academic access. Our school serves a significant number of students with literacy-related needs, including students with IEP goals focused on reading development. While students' IEP goals are addressed through existing special education services and instructional programming, this position will provide an additional layer of literacy support designed to accelerate growth and provide intensive intervention for students who would benefit from further support.

Requirements

• Experience working with high school students with significant literacy gaps.
• Strong knowledge of adolescent literacy practices and the ability to provide age-appropriate reading intervention for older students.
• Background and driving record checks will be performed.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting students with disabilities and familiarity with IEP processes and literacy-related goals.
• Experience working in a trauma-informed educational environment.
• A valid teaching license is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Meet with an assigned group of students receiving targeted literacy intervention.
• Provide individualized and small-group reading instruction based on student needs, assessment data, and progress monitoring.
• Deliver evidence-based literacy instruction tailored specifically to adolescent learners with significant reading gaps.
• Support students in developing foundational reading skills, including decoding, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and strategies for accessing grade-level texts.
• Collaborate with special education teachers, classroom teachers, and support staff to monitor student progress and adjust instruction and intervention strategies based on student growth.
• Build positive, trusting relationships with students and create a learning environment grounded in trauma-informed practices.
• Develop creative and engaging approaches to support students who may be reluctant, resistant, or disengaged from academic work.

Benefits

• $2,000 bilingual bonus to new hires who speak a second language fluently, other than English, and will use it to serve our clients!
• Reimbursement is available for employees to cover the registration costs and annual fees for any professional license required for work such as LMHC, LCSW, LICSW, RN and more!
• Access to our excellent Blue Cross medical and Delta Dental benefits.
• Retirement benefits including 401K matched up to $800 a year and pension after 5 years of employment.
• Professional development opportunities such as tuition reimbursement up to almost $4000 per year and discounted tuition rates to select partnership colleges and universities!
• Wellness benefits including access to employee engagement groups, self-care resources, and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Generous paid time off up to 19 days for full time employees in your first year and much more!

What This Job Offers

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