Middle School Literacy Specialist

Capital City is looking for innovative, experienced, and passionate teachers for the school year 2025-2026.

At Capital City, we challenge the status quo every day. Our staff are skilled, compassionate, solutions-oriented, and unwavering in their commitment to give children of all ages, all backgrounds, and all abilities the education they need to thrive. If you want to help prepare the next generation of changemakers, apply today!

Teaching roles are 10-month positions, which are exempt and therefore not eligible for overtime pay under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Why teach at Capital City?

• Work hard and achieve results, together! At Capital City, teachers work on collaborative teams that grapple with challenges, celebrate successes, and support and learn from one another.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords. We believe the diversity of our staff and the students we serve is our greatest asset. We take seriously the responsibility to achieve equity for our students and build a culture where staff engage in dialogue about race and work to build an inclusive culture.
• Invest in your own learning. Capital City prioritizes the professional growth and learning of our teachers through weekly internal professional development and opportunities to learn from experts around the country. Campus and school-wide leadership opportunities are available for teachers who want them.
• Make your classroom and curriculum your own. Our teachers value the autonomy they have at Capital City to design a curriculum that is dynamic, personal and exciting. There is a culture of innovation that is supported by Principals and Instructional Coaches.

Middle School Literacy Specialist

The Middle School Literacy Specialist provides expert attention to the needs of students in the area of literacy. This work is done through coaching teachers around best practices in literacy instruction and targeted small group instruction with students. The Literacy Specialist supports teachers in the implementation of effective literacy instruction through consult, modeling of best practice instruction, support with data collection and analysis, and professional development. The Literacy Specialist works closely with the Instructional Coach and Principal to identify student needs and develop plans for support. The Literacy Specialist reports to the Instructional Coach.

The responsibilities of the Middle School Literacy Specialist include:

Curriculum and Instruction

• Implement the principles and components of EL Education. Teachers at Capital City are expected to commit to learning this model.
• Work with the teaching team to plan and implement differentiated instruction, as determined by unit assessments, interim data, informal classroom assessments, and curricular content.
• Co-plan and co-implement challenging and engaging lessons and experiences designed to help students achieve content and curriculum standards as well as align with Common Core (outlined in CCPCS Curriculum Frameworks). Ensure that lessons have multiple entry points and support structures so that children with different abilities and learning styles are successful.
• Understand the needs and goals of students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and English Language Learners (ELLs). Differentiate instruction and provide accommodations and supports as needed.
• In keeping with the principle “Student As Worker, Teacher As Coach”, support teachers in utilizing a workshop model as the main format for instructional time, keeping whole group and lecture-style lessons to a minimum.
• Provide literacy/reading intervention and instruction to individual and small groups of students in grades 5-8 using Reading Plus and other interventions.
• Participate in Academic and Inclusion Consult meetings when literacy instruction or literacy data analysis is being discussed.
• Alongside the Principal and Instructional Coach, select and requisition instructional materials and book collections that align with the school’s literacy program.
• Maintain an in-depth knowledge of best practice, common core aligned literacy instruction.
• Work to help develop and support the implementation of a vertically aligned middle school literacy curriculum that addresses both local and national standards and motivates students to develop literacy skills.
• Develop strong long-range plans that include intervention overviews and targets determined by data.
• Participate in Child Study/SST meetings for students in need of literacy interventions.
• Incorporate diversity issues and multi-cultural content into curriculum and instruction throughout the year in big and small ways. Ensure that all students see their culture(s) represented in curriculum, materials, systems, and celebrations.
• Develop and revise clear criteria and standards for quality work and regularly examine student work to ensure that it meets increasingly higher standards of quality.
• Display student work documenting the process that went into creating the work. Involve students in developing and creating displays.
• Support students in showcasing their grade level work during Celebrations of Learning to give students an opportunity to share their work with an audience of parents, other students, and community members.

Instructional Leadership and PD

• Participate in weekly Professional Development Time (currently scheduled for Wednesdays 2:00-4:15 p.m.) and contribute to sessions by sharing ideas and student work, offering feedback, and facilitating some sessions or discussions.
• Provide leadership in the area of literacy instruction for the school and school community.
• Train other staff, as needed, in implementing literacy assessments or intervention instruction. This includes implementation of lessons as well as data collection, tracking and use in planning next steps for students.
• Assist in coordinating a school-wide literacy program that meets the needs of all students in collaboration with the building Principal, Instructional Coach and teaching staff.
• Serve as a resource for teachers by demonstrating and suggesting strategies, ideas or materials that can enhance instruction and support students who are at risk of not meeting academic standards.
• Provide and facilitate professional development workshops, model strategies or techniques and teach demonstration or collaborative lessons in the classroom to support teachers in meeting the needs of struggling readers.
• Coordinate and communicate regularly with the Administrative Team on the literacy program activities and student progress.
• Alongside the Instructional Coach, provide training and guidance to new staff members on literacy instruction and assessment best practices.
• Confer with the Principal and Instructional Coach about the needs of the literacy program.
• Recommend and support at-home strategies for families to support literacy growth.
• Participate in peer observation using protocols established and agreed upon by staff.
• Participate in a Summer Professional Development Institute. The Institute will be two weeks in August before students return.
• Seek out additional opportunities for professional development that will lead to achieving personal and school-wide professional development goals.
• With support from the Instructional Coach, design and lead (or co-lead) professional learning for Department members in form of Department Meetings and/or Lead Learners groups, differentiating based on the needs of department members and attending to the Principles of Adult Learning.

Assessment/Accountability

• Guide and assist staff with the collection, analysis and utilization of student literacy data for placement in intervention programs and progress monitoring.
• Support teachers in assessing the strengths and needs of students within literacy, and use the results to plan and implement an effective literacy program for their students.
• Conduct ongoing assessment of student work using multiple assessment tools including anecdotal records, performance assessments with rubrics, exams, and individualized assessments as appropriate and as specified in our school’s Accountability & Strategic Plans. Use assessment data to support planning for instruction and to set short and long-range goals. Ensure collection and submission of data specified in the school’s Accountability Plan and Strategic Plans.
• Regularly analyze student data to support teachers to improve instruction, insure equity and make program recommendations and improvements.
• Maintain the humanities sections of the MS Data Roster, charting progress for each student.
• Help maintain the unit assessment and other standardized assessment systems to ensure structural consistency, vertical alignment, and accurate reporting.

Social Curriculum/School Culture

• Communicate respectfully to students at all times. Model, practice and discuss respectful, unbiased and effective communication with students.
• Uphold and support the school-wide discipline policies. Document serious and less serious infractions to the policies and seek help and support from colleagues and administrators when discipline concerns arise.
• With teachers, co-structure a classroom environment that is appropriate for the academic discipline(s), student-centered, print-rich and well organized. Involve students in the care and maintenance of the room.

Collaboration, Collegiality and Professionalism

• Co-plan at least weekly with grade level teams. Teams should check in regularly about portfolio requirements, homework expectations, long-term projects, and parent communication. Attend weekly consult-time with members of the Specialist Team. Work and plan closely with Inclusion Team members to insure consistency and support for students with IEPs and English Language Learners and to inform co-planning and implementation with teaching teams.
• Provide expertise, support and feedback to the Inclusion Teacher who will be co-teaching/supporting humanities. Communicate with humanities teachers at other grade levels to ensure consistency of approach and preparation for LS/middle school/high school humanities/English.
• Be on time for classes, duties, team meeting and professional development activities. Communicate about and plan for absences in advance with teaching partners, the Principal, and the Instructional Coach.
• Seek to resolve conflicts with colleagues as soon as they arise. Seek support from the Admin Team when needed.
• Make classrooms and Department events open to visits from other teachers, administrators, family members, prospective families and visitors to the school in ways that are not disruptive to student learning. Involve students in welcoming visitors and communicating about the program.

Family Communication & Involvement

• Support the writing of narrative progress reports 2 times per year using the reporting procedures agreed upon by the teaching staff and the principal. Collaborate as needed with other teachers.
• Conduct conferences with parents 4 times per year for the purpose of sharing assessments and student work and making recommendations. Support students in sharing portfolios with their parents.
• Communicate at interim reporting intervals with parents about student progress. Contact parents immediately when concerns arise about student performance or work completion.
• Involve family volunteers in Department-wide events in ways that meet the needs of the class and utilize the strengths, talents, and interests of volunteers.
• Keep families informed about Department activities and units of study through on-going communication that includes newsletters and/or regular updates.
• Support parents in understanding the instructional approach at Capital City through regular communication. Assist Department teams in planning and facilitating at least one parent workshop per year.

Professional Responsibilities

• Contribute to a positive school culture.
• Attend and participate in school events.
• Communicate promptly with teachers, administrators, colleagues and parents.
• Be on time for classes, duties, team meetings and professional development time. Communicate about and plan for absences in advance with teachers and the leadership team.
• Check voicemail and e-mail daily and respond promptly to requests from parents, administrators and colleagues.
• Supervise students during lunchtime and/or other duty times according to an agreed upon schedule.
• Perform other duties as needed and assigned by the MS Admin Team.

Capital City seeks to employ experienced, credentialed teachers. Ideal candidates have a Master’s degree and 2+ years of full-time teaching experience.

Minimum required qualifications: At least two of the following:

• Masters degree in education or field of instruction
• 2+ years of full-time teaching experience
• Standard teaching certification
• Secondary teachers must also have an undergraduate or graduate major in their field of instruction OR have passed the required Praxis II exam for their discipline.

Additionally strong candidates have:

• A commitment to meeting the needs of a diverse population
• Experience working in urban environments
• Strong knowledge of pedagogy and experience teaching in a constructivist way
• Proven ability to work as a member of a team
• Strong leadership capabilities
• A commitment to their own learning.
• Certification to teach AP courses is highly desired

Teachers must meet the requirements of all hires at Capital City including a criminal background check and a negative TB test.

About Our School

Capital City was founded in 2000 and currently serves a diverse population of nearly 1,000 students across PK-12th grade. We have been recognized as a model for social, emotional and academic development. Our program emphasizes a commitment to diversity and equity, a strong inclusion model and the integration of arts into the curriculum. We are a credentialed EL Education Mentor School (https://eleducation.org/) in the national network of over 150 schools. Through this model, teachers craft long-term learning expeditions that connect learning to the real-world and incorporate projects, research, fieldwork, and service to support students in meeting rigorous standards. Learn more at www.ccpcs.org.

Capital City is an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, marital status, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected status. All employment decisions will be made solely on the basis of the individual's qualifications as related to the requirements of the position being filled.