[2024-2025] Director of Middle School Literacy (5-8)

Company Description

KIPP Capital Region is a part of a national network of high-performing public Charter Schools committed to creating joyful, academically excellent, and prepared students with the skills, ability, and confidence to pursue their paths to college, career, and beyond. 

Located in both Albany and Troy, NY, KIPP Capital Region serves 2,500+ students in grades K-12 across seven schools.  We believe every individual walks through the doors of schools bearing gifts. Talent. Perspective. Drive. Inspiration. So at KIPP Capital Region, we support every student and educator to see those gifts, then build the skills and confidence they need to thrive. 

We are committed to furthering anti-racism, equity, and racial justice in all our efforts, and expect all of our stakeholders to participate in this work so that we can create a future without limits for our students, together.

Job Description

Position Overview

The Director of Middle School Literacy drives student outcomes in core literacy for KIPP Capital Region in grades 5 - 8. In partnership with the Teaching and Learning team, this person will own the management, and execution of the full literacy program, ensuring we are providing high-quality, anti-racist literacy instruction to our KIPPsters. The Director of Middle School Literacy is responsible for the implementation of high quality, grade level curriculum during the core literacy clock as well as supporting schools with the implementation of literacy-based intervention programs to ensure that we are meeting all students at their current level and boosting their reading and writing skills.

Duties/Responsibilities

Program Vision

• Owns program design, to include setting and monitoring progress towards program goals, creation of key program deliverables (curriculum implementation and coaching tools, formal professional development calendar, etc.) in collaboration with the Senior Director of K-8 Academics and Chief Academic Officer.
• Manages key program stakeholders through organizing meetings, designing, and executing a communication strategy.
• In collaboration with T&L, drives significant and equitable student growth and outcomes in literacy.
• Ensures that curriculum and pedagogy are grounded in the Science of Reading across all of our literacy classrooms.
• Models excellent literacy instruction and coaching.

Program Implementation

• Engages and invests stakeholders (teachers, school leaders, students, families) in our vision of high-quality literacy instruction.
• Coaches school-based instructional leaders in curriculum implementation and data-driven instruction.
• Oversees the administration of regional assessments that yield meaningful data.
• Creates data-driven action plans that promote student achievement in word recognition, language comprehension, and writing and ensure that instruction is driving equitable outcomes.
• Observes instructional practices in schools to identify and address curriculum design and professional development strengths and gaps.

Curriculum Development and Implementation

• Provide ELA Literacy curricular development, implementation, coordination, and assessment of the 5-8 literacy program to improve student achievement and meet student, school, and regional goals.
• Support and codify a rigorous, vertically aligned Literacy curriculum in both core and small group blocks including the creation of a year-long scope and sequence, unit plans, assessments, lesson plans, and instructional materials.
• Enhance school-based ELA Literacy curriculum and assessments as needed and give feedback to school-based team members on the ELA Literacy unit and lesson plans. 
• Implement curriculum by observing and modeling ELA-Literacy lessons supporting effective intellectual preparation. 
• Oversees and provides feedback on curriculum development and revision work by lead planners or other school-based team members. 
• Utilizes student performance data to assess the effectiveness of curricular design and implementation and makes necessary short- and long-term revisions and improvements. 
• Facilitates strong implementation of the middle school ELA-Literacy curriculum by (1) Attending and sometimes leading unit previews and other intellectual preparation meetings in prioritized grades. (2) Modeling best teaching practices. (3) Observing and providing feedback on ELA-Literacy instruction.

Professional Development Opportunities

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