Reading Specialist for the 2024-25 School Year

City Garden Montessori School (City Garden) is the only Montessori charter school in Missouri, and we are one of the highest-performing charter schools in the state. Our team possesses passion and determination to implement the Montessori approach to educating children in a diverse, public-school environment. City Garden is committed to being an anti-biased, anti-racist community and seeks others who are passionate about these values.

At City Garden we are redefining public education, reimagining community, and reinvigorating our world.

City Garden is a community-centered and people-centered organization in an exciting point in our growth and expansion. Ours is an environment that celebrates vulnerability and centers humanity in the workplace. To learn more about City Garden's impact on the community, please read some recent articles about us, found HERE and HERE.

The Reading Specialist will have the responsibility for delivering intensive intervention that improves student achievement in reading and composition skills, with an overall goal of advancing the academic skills needed for success. They will build on a student-centered environment which fosters relationships and promotes continual growth for students and staff.

Reading Specialist will...

• Be an experienced elementary-level reading interventionist
• Be cognizant of current approaches, methods and research in reading development
• Be deeply committed to whole-child education, having proven success and outcomes in meeting children's needs holistically
• Have a grounding in anti-bias education and antiracist values and principles, and is excited to be part of a school that is reimagining education through these lenses
• Be eager to engage deeply with students, teachers, staff and families as partners

Responsibilities
Planning, Preparation and Instruction

• Works with the Special Services team to identify, diagnose and assist children who have reading difficulties
• Conducts small group targeted instruction for 3-6 students at a time
• Collaborates with teachers to identify, share, and coach best practices for reaching all students
• Monitors and track student progress
• Adapts instructional techniques to meet the diverse needs of individual students
• Serves as a reading consultant and a reading resource person
• Maintains a clear, orderly, and attractive environment, including the care and maintenance of teaching materials and equipment
• Is responsible for the safety of the children left in their charge
• Supports and develops positive relationships within the school community, and protects the privacy and confidentiality of each student and family
• Responds to parent and guardian concerns in a timely manner
• Completes required progress reports in accordance with school policy

Professional Responsibility
City Garden believes all employees must take an active role in their development as professionals and in developing City Garden as an institution of learning.

• Actively participates in a regular evaluation process including classroom observations, feedback conferences, and an annual self-evaluation toward yearly goals which are established with the school principal
• Maintains their teaching skills and participates in professional development activities (both within the school community and attendance at conferences, workshops, etc.)

• Participates in collegial activities designed to make the entire school a productive learning environment, for example, age level meetings, curriculum discussion groups, working committees, mentoring, etc.
• Attends all scheduled meetings and professional days as appropriate
• Maintains certifications in their subject area

Related Duties

• Completes and maintains all records, reports, evaluations, and inventories of student records and tests in a timely manner as may be required by the school

• Responsible for reading and adhering to the guidelines and school policies as established in the employee handbook

Qualifications

Candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in Education; Master's degree preferred
• Missouri Teacher Certification (Special Reading K-12)
• Experience with Units of Study Reading and Writing along with various reading intervention resources
• At least 3 years of teaching experience required; 5 years preferred, preferably in a public or urban setting
• Demonstrated success working with a diverse student population
• Deeply grounded in racial equity and have strong alignment with anti-bias, anti-racism values

Schedule

School hours: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday
Length of Work Year: August to May (10 month contract), including but not limited to professional development, parent/teacher conferences, and preparatory work.

Compensation

This position offers an annual salary ranging from $41,700.00 to $54,000.00 based on level of education, licensing, and years of experience.

Benefits

City Garden offers a range of benefits for Full-time employees such as:

• Generous Paid Time-off (Fall, Winter and Spring breaks, holidays, and additional days)
• Paid Health Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance)
• Pre-Tax savings for family health premium costs
• Retirement Plan
• Enrollment preference to City Garden Montessori for child(ren) grades K through 8 who reside in Missouri
• Discount tuition for our Preschool program

City Garden Montessori School is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity, equity and inclusion. Recruiting staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, gender identities, military or veteran status, or other statuses protected by law. All candidates are evaluated solely on their qualifications to perform the work required.