Preschool Instructional Coach

TITLE: PRESCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL COACH

TYPE: Chicopee Education Association, Unit A

SALARY: Per Collective Bargaining Agreement, Unit A

(CPPI grant funded position)

STATUS: Non-Exempt

REPORTS TO: Director of Early Childhood Education

OBJECTIVE:

Responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing a comprehensive preschool instructional program aligned with DESE and the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) standards. This role focuses on strengthening instructional practices through data-driven decision-making, including the administration and analysis of state-aligned assessments to inform teaching. By ensuring the strict alignment of curriculum, assessment, and instruction, the coach supports the diverse needs of all learners and models research-based, rigorous learning strategies. Responsibilities include coaching teachers across all curriculum areas, bridging instructional strategies between district classrooms and community-based preschool partners, and identifying staff development needs. Ultimately, the coach works with leadership teams to ensure all students reach their highest potential through cohesive alignment regardless of their educational setting.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The essential duties and responsibilities listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

The Preschool Instructional Coach will:

Instructional Program:

• Provides coaching, modeling, and support to teachers in implementing evidence based instructional strategies including technology integration.
• Collaborates with teachers to analyze student work and assessment data to monitor and inform instruction.
• Works with the school''s Leadership Team, District Literacy Committee, District Math Committee and other constituent groups to determine the school''s strengths and needs in order to improve students'' reading, writing, and communication skills and content area achievement.
• Uses current educational research to assist teachers with planning, sequencing, scaffolding, and differentiated instruction in all content areas.
• Participates in team reviews concerning academic progress of at-risk students who are not responding to interventions.
• Assists in identifying instructional strategies and targeted supports/differentiation for students identified as below grade level proficiency in literacy and math.
• Assists with the development of extension and enrichment activities for students identified as highly proficient.
• Devises and maintains such records and reports as are necessary to the successful execution of the position.
• Helps identify students in need of non-school time programs for enrichment and/or remediation.
• Works with feeder staff to assure articulation from preschool to kindergarten.
• Attends scheduled meetings and parent conferences.
• Provides specific strategies for supporting Multilingual Learners (ML) and implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the preschool setting, as prioritized by CPPI.
• Collaborates with community partner coaches/instructional staff.
• Works to align curriculum with community partners.
• Conducts instructional "walkthroughs" and coaching sessions in both district and community partner classrooms to ensure parity in high-quality instruction.
• Utilizes specialized early childhood observation tools (such as CLASS) to provide objective, research-based feedback to educators.
• Involved in the "Birth-to-Preschool" and "Preschool-to-Kindergarten" transition process to ensure data and instructional strategies follow the student.
• Other coaching duties as designated by the Director of Early Childhood Education.

Assessment:

• Evaluates educational needs and collaborates with teachers and administrators to interpret/use assessment/screener data to identify learning gaps, improve instruction and problem solve.
• Assists the principal in serving as the school testing coordinator for screening and assessments. Attends appropriate DESE and district training relating to assessment.
• Uses assessment data to assist administrators with placement of students in appropriate instructional or intervention programs.
• Analyzes and interprets data from various assessments and prepares meaningful presentations to share with faculty.
• Translates assessment data into actionable instructional strategies to foster continuous classroom improvement and student growth.
• Leads faculty in the understanding/interpreting of assessment data and uses a range of assessment and screener tools as a means to make sound decisions about student literacy/math needs as related to curriculum and instruction.
• Provides, upon request, individual diagnostic testing.
• Collaborates with teachers and administrators to analyze assessment and screener data to identify student strengths, learning needs, and instructional next steps.
• Supports teachers in using assessment data to inform instruction.
• Assists with the coordination and implementation of screening and assessment in alignment with district/ DESE.
• Other assessment related duties as designated by the Director of Early Childhood Education.

Professional Development:

• Provides in-service training and follow-up coaching to assist classroom teachers in the use of current, research-based, rigorous and engaging strategies in their classrooms.
• Works with teachers individually, in collaborative teams, and/or with departments, providing practical support on a full range of instructional strategies.
• Observes and provides feedback to teachers on instruction related to literacy development and content area knowledge.
• Provides support and guidance to new teachers.
• Participates in district-level meetings and assists in the coordination of district level in-service offerings.
• Continues professional growth and strengthens professional teaching knowledge, skills, and strategies through an ongoing program of workshops, seminars, conferences, and/or advanced coursework.
• Maintains a collection of professional and instructional materials related to early childhood literacy which reflects current research.
• Provides staff development for teachers, volunteers, parents, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other appropriate personnel as needed.

Professional Responsibilities:

• Encourages literacy and life-long learning.
• Maintains and promptly submits accurate, complete, and correct records and reports as required by law, grant regulations, district policy, and by administrative directives.
• Facilitates or serves as a member on district/school groups and committees.
• Establishes rapport with faculty and staff.
• Works to promote productive relationships with and among school staff.
• Attends and participates in all required meetings.
• Upholds school rules, administrative regulations, and School Committee policies.

REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Department of Elementary of Secondary Education certification.
• Minimum of three years of successful Preschool teaching experience.
• Successful experience in facilitating adult learning and mentoring.
• Reliable transportation and the ability to travel between multiple district and community-based partner sites.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to communicate effectively in written and oral form using positive interpersonal skills.
• Ability to utilize effective data-based problem-solving skills.
• Ability to demonstrate effective collaboration.
• Ability to employ effective coaching skills.
• Ability to coach teachers in effective instructional strategies in a variety of content areas.
• Ability to use effective strategies for differentiating instruction.
• Ability to disseminate knowledge of the MA DESE curriculum and frameworks.
• Ability to integrate technology in classroom instruction.
• Knowledge of State and District assessments and their analysis for instruction.
• Knowledge of standards-based curriculum.
• Participation in workshops, seminars, conferences and/or advanced coursework which further advance knowledge of current trends in reading instruction.

ADA AND 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 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. Must be able to stand, crouch, squat and bend over for a long period of time at intervals throughout the day.
• 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.