Achievement Director - 3-8 Literacy

Company Description

At KIPP Chicago, we are guided by a simple, yet powerful mission : Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. Our campuses are located in the Austin, Englewood, North Lawndale, and West Humboldt Park neighborhoods. KIPP Chicago also advises over 2000 KIPP alumni currently in high school or college through our KIPP Forward program. KIPP Chicago is the highest-performing network of schools in Chicago, as measured by our city’s school quality index. We attract, develop, and retain a diverse and talented staff of educators. Our students and families choose our schools because our teachers are exceptional educators who work together as a collective to ensure students achieve and thrive. For more data and information about our successes and vision for the future, visit www.kippchicago.org

Job Description

Position Overview

KIPP Chicago Public Schools is committed to providing a liberatory literacy education to all students, and operating in line with the national One KIPP strategy to drive literacy achievement. The Achievement Director of 3-8 Literacy plays a critical role in realizing this mission by providing schools with high-quality curriculum and assessment materials, and coaching and development, that is vertically aligned across grade levels and aligned with the national KIPP network best practices, ensuring that every KIPP Chicago student is ready to matriculate into rigorous high school literacy courses. This Regional Leader works alongside members of the Academic Team to implement the vision for KIPP Chicago literacy instruction, aligning all schools to the methods and practices that will drive transformational outcomes in literacy. This role requires at least 4 days in schools or in the office.

Key Responsibilities :

Responsibilities of the Achievement Director of 3-8 Literacy include, but are not limited to :

Vision Setting

Invest leaders, teachers, students, and families in KIPP Chicago’s literacy vision.

In collaboration with regional academic leaders and school-based leaders, continually refine KIPP Chicago’s vision for academic excellence, in line with One KIPP Strategy and best practices.

Advocate and align literacy education within the broader KIPP Chicago community, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission and across various school and regional teams.

Stay current on literacy research, national trends, and best practices to refine strategies and ensure KIPP Chicago remains a leader in literacy instruction.

Partner with families and community stakeholders to promote literacy initiatives and support student learning beyond the classroom.

Support the development of family literacy resources and training to enhance at-home reading engagement.

Oversee implementation of 3-8 literacy curricula (Fishtank ELA), including creating scope and sequences and ensuring that schools have necessary curriculum resources.

Internalize curriculum materials and assessments, and support literacy coaches in developing their understanding.

Ensure alignment to KIPP Foundation initiatives through implementation of content-specific arcs throughout the school year.

Assessment and Data-Driven Instruction

Set the assessment vision for 3-8 literacy, including testing calendar, grading deadlines, and progress monitoring expectations.

Analyze assessment data and use it to drive action with school-based coaches.

Prepare data for, and participate in, weekly regional Academic Progress Monitoring meetings.

Support leaders and teachers in analyzing assessment data.

Collaborate with Special Education and MTSS teams to ensure literacy interventions are evidence-based, tailored to student needs, and implemented with fidelity.

Leverage data to provide differentiated, targeted support to schools, ensuring literacy growth for all students, particularly those furthest from meeting grade level benchmarks.

Professional Development & Coaching

Plan and lead summer PD to launch shared vision and build teacher / leader skill.

Plan and lead shared PD during the year to support ongoing coach and teacher development.

Set the vision for literacy lesson and unit internalizations, including protocols, schedules, and enabling conditions.

Coach and support literacy coaches and school leaders in effectively implementing literacy strategies and interventions.

Develop literacy content leaders by observing internalization meetings and data meetings and providing feedback.

Co-observe literacy instruction with APs at least 2x monthly to drive alignment of execution.

Observe instructional practices in schools to identify and address curriculum and professional development gaps.

Facilitate cross-school collaboration among literacy teachers and coaches to share best practices and foster continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Minimum 4 years literacy teaching experience with strong student achievement results.

Minimum 2 years exemplary, full-time teacher coaching and adult management experience.

Experience implementing and aligning curriculum.

Prior use of and understanding of DIBELS 8th Edition Assessments.

Experience supporting multilingual learners and students with disabilities in literacy development.

Demonstrated ability to drive student success, directly and through others.

Experience planning and leading engaging and effective professional development for adults.

Experience in curriculum support, such as assessment writing and / or scope and sequence management.

Strong project management skills, organizational skills, and attention to detail.

Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work with internal and external stakeholders.

Additional Information

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

KIPP Chicago Schools offers a competitive compensation and benefits package :

Salaries based on experience related to role and responsibilities.

Competitive rates for medical insurance and short-term disability insurance. Dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance are offered at no cost.

KIPP Chicago Public Schools is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying for employment. KIPP Chicago does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic background. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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