Content Specialist - Humanities

TITLE: Districtwide Content Specialist - Humanities (9-12)
TYPE: Contract Per Unit B Collective Bargaining Agreement
SALARY: Category II, Per Unit B Collective Bargaining Agreement
REPORTS TO: Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and Accountability

OBJECTIVE: Responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing a comprehensive district-wide Humanities program (9-12) which facilitates learning and lessons which use best practices learning strategies; for evaluating Social Studies, Fine Arts, Foreign Language teachers, and Librarians and coaching teachers in all curriculum areas on how to enhance students; skills in humanities; for identifying staff development needs of the district and for providing staff development related to humanities as part of the problem solving process; for administering assessments/analyzing their results; and for working with school/community groups, such as the Leadership Team, District Social Studies Committee and learning communities, to help all students reach their highest potential.

Required Job Qualifications:
1.MA Department of Education Supervisor/Director and one of the related content area certifications.
2.Minimum of three years of successful 6-12 classroom teaching experience.
3.Successful experience in facilitating adult learning and mentoring.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
1.Communicate effectively in written and oral form using positive interpersonal skills
2.Utilize effective data-based problem-solving skills
3.Guide teachers in effective instructional strategies in a variety of content areas, Including integrating technology into classroom instruction.
4, Knowledge of MTSS-MA Tiered System of Support, Special Education, and differentiated instruction
5.Ability to disseminate knowledge of the various humanities curriculums and frameworks
6.Knowledge of humanities assessments and their analysis for instruction
7.Integrate technology in classroom Instruction
8.Participate in workshops, seminars, conferences and/or advanced coursework which further advance knowledge of current trends in instruction

Performance Responsibilities
Instructional Program:
1.Facilitate instruction based on current study/thinking research throughout the total instructional program
2.Demonstrate/model learning strategies in classrooms.
3.Observe and evaluate teachers in varied settings over time and in collaboration with building administration.
4.Conduct regular meetings with classroom teachers to examine student work and monitor progress in order to support teacher reflection and action.
5.Assist classroom teachers with analysis of formal and informal assessment data on their students to determine student response to instruction
6, Assist the district and school curriculum/administration personnel in planning for and implementing the humanities focused goals associated with the Strategic Plan for Improvement
7.Work with the school Leadership Team, District Social Studies Committee, and other constituent groups to determine the school strengths and needs for improvement in the area of humanities in order to improve students reasoning, writing, and communication skills and content area achievement.
8.Assist teachers with planning, sequencing, scaffolding, and differentiation of Instruction
9.Participate in team reviews (i.e. team meetings, 1ST meetings) concerning academic progress of at-risk students who are not responding to interventions and suggest appropriate Tier 2 and 3 interventions.
10. Assist in creating of Individualized Learning Plans for students.
11. Assist with the development of special instructional programs for students Identified as below proficient in Social Studies, Fine Arts, or Foreign Language.
12. Assist with the development of extension activities for students identified as highly proficient in Social Studies, Fine Arts, or Foreign Language.
13. Work with feeder staff to assure articulation from middle to high school
14. Attend scheduled meetings and parent conferences, as needed.
15. Assist with the high school Program of Studies course offerings, number of course sections, and student course selection based on student needs.
16. Other duties as assigned by the Assistant Superintendent or Principal.

Assessment:
1.Evaluate needs and collaborate with teachers and administrators to interpret/use assessment data to improve instruction and problem solve.
2.Research and provide staff support in understanding the Department of Education school accountability framework and MCAS data.
3.Identify students who have not yet met MCAS graduation requirements, when required for a humanities content area. Ensure that all students who need to participate in retests are tested.
4, Conducts a deep dive of data and uses it to make instructional decisions.
5.Uses assessment data to assist administrators with placement of students in appropriate instructional or intervention programs.
6.Analyze and Interpret data from various assessments and prepare meaningful presentations to share with faculty. Provide, on request, individual, informal testing.
7.Lead faculty in the understanding/interpreting of assessment data and use a range of assessment tools as a means to make sound decisions about student needs as related to curriculum and instruction.
8.Work with Special Education to insure that students on 504/lEP have appropriate accommodations/modifications for MCAS testing, district testing, and routine classroom instruction.

Professional Development:
1.Coordinate with administration and/or provide in-service training and follow-up coaching to assist classroom teachers in the use of humanities concepts/learning strategies in their classrooms
2.Work with teachers individually, in collaborative teams, and/or with departments, providing practical support on a full range of reasoning, writing, and communication strategies
3.Observe and provide feedback to teachers on Instruction related to humanities development and content area knowledge and provide support and guidance to new teachers
4.Participate in district and state level meetings and assist in the coordination of district level in-service offerings
5.Continue professional growth and strengthen professional teaching knowledge, skills, and strategies through an ongoing program of workshops, seminars, conferences, and/or advanced coursework.
6.Maintain a collection of professional and instructional materials related to humanities, which reflect current research
7.Provide staff development for teachers, volunteers, parents, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other appropriate personnel as needed.

Professional Responsibilities:
1.Encourage life-long learning
2.Maintain and promptly submit accurate, complete, and correct records and reports as required by law, grant regulations, district policy, and by administrative directives.
3.Facilitate or serve as a member on district/school groups and committees
4.Establish rapport with faculty, staff, and adminis ration.
5.Work as a liaison between Central Administration and school sites.
6.Work to promote productive relationships with and among school staff
7.Work with other District Specialists to insure that students receive a high quality education.

ADA MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of equipment including computers, copiers, adding machines, etc.

Must be physically able to operate a motor vehicle. Must be able to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, and pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Light work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree.

Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or composite characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.

Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions, assignments or directions to subordinates or assistants.

Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, forms,
newsletters, schedules, manuals, invoices, requisitions, menus, recipes, journals, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, reports, forms, evaluations, procedures, charts, surveys, articles, bid specifications, brochures, news releases, handbooks, budgets, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Requires the ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.

Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information,_to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages including medical, legal, accounting and marketing terminology.

Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; multiply and divide; utilize decimals and percentages; and to apply the principles of algebra and geometry.

Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.

Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using office equipment.

Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items such as office equipment and hand tools. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.

Interpersonal: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with emergency situations.

Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear.) Must be able to communicate via telephone.