Literacy Coordinator

The Associated Talmud Torahs (ATT) and REACH serve as central agencies supporting Jewish day schools in the greater Chicago area. ATT provides professional development, instructional coaching, and resources to enhance the quality of Jewish education, ensuring that students achieve their full potential. REACH focuses on inclusive education, equipping schools with tools to meet students' diverse academic and social-emotional needs through professional development, coaching, consultation, and ancillary services.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Literacy Coordinator will play a critical role in the Jewish United Fund (JUF) Literacy Project, which aims to assess and enhance English literacy education across JUF affiliated Chicago-area Jewish day schools. In the first phase of the project (2025-2026 school year), the Literacy Coordinator will conduct a comprehensive needs assessment for K-12 schools under the guidance of a project manager. The assessment will collect data and evaluate current literacy instruction, identify trends, and provide data-driven recommendations for future investments in literacy education.

This position is a unique opportunity for an education professional with expertise in literacy to collaborate with schools, gather and analyze meaningful data, and contribute to strengthening literacy outcomes within the Chicago-area Jewish day school system.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Contribute ideas to the development of a needs assessment tool, which will be created by an outside consultant, under the supervision of a project manager.
• Manage the logistics and co-facilitate sessions for schools and other stakeholders, with the project manager and outside consultant, to elicit feedback on the needs assessment tool and proposed processes.
• Collect and organize demographic and logistical information on each participating school.
• Implement the needs assessment protocol in each school, scheduling in collaboration with school-appointed liaisons.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for school-appointed liaisons throughout the project.
• Meet regularly with the project manager to review timeline, share findings, and troubleshoot challenges.
• Work with the project manager to analyze data and identify trends and areas for growth in literacy instruction.
• Contribute to a comprehensive report summarizing findings and recommendations for JUF and participating schools.
• Co-present findings to schools and key stakeholders, providing insights into potential strategies for literacy improvement.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS:

• Master’s degree in Literacy Education, or a related field.
• Experience as a literacy coach, reading curriculum specialist, or ELA department lead.
• Strong data collection and analysis skills, including experience with data protocols, interviews, and classroom observations.
• Familiarity with the science of reading, literacy benchmarks, curricula, and evidence-based instructional practices.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with educators and school leaders.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and adapt to evolving project needs, taking into account the diverse abilities and capacities of different schools.
• Ability to navigate diverse backgrounds and recruitment practices across schools, with sensitivity to differences and comfort working across the spectrum of Orthodoxy.
• Experience working within Jewish day schools or a strong understanding of their educational landscape is preferred.

COMPENSATION:

The ATT provides a comprehensive compensation package, including health insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan with a significant match, life insurance, and short-term and long-term disability coverage. The salary range is highly competitive, aligned with the candidate’s work experience.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• This position will begin on July 1, 2025.
• While the initial engagement is for the 2025-2026 school year, there is potential for continued employment beyond the first year as the JUF Literacy Project progresses into subsequent phases.

This position is a vital part of a larger initiative to enhance English literacy instruction across Chicago-area Jewish day schools. The ideal candidate will be passionate about literacy education, skilled in research and data analysis, and committed to fostering meaningful collaboration between schools and community organizations.