Posted: 27-Jan-26
Location: New York, New York
Type: Full Time
Salary: $67,500 – 100,000
Required Education:
Internal Number: 2031
At the heart of our philosophy is the belief that each child possesses unique gifts. Our job is to unearth those gifts, nurture them, and empower each child of the Sacred Heart to share those gifts with the global community. Convent of the Sacred Heart is committed to building a community that is anti-racist, anti-bias, fair, inclusive, and welcoming to everyone and seeks candidates who connect to our Mission and Goals.
Lower School Literacy Specialist
Full-Time
Beginning Late August, 2026
Position: Lower School Literacy Specialist
Reports to: Head of Lower School
FLSA: Exempt - full-time
Salary Range: $67,500 – 100,000, annually
Start Date: Late August 2026
Requirements:
- Master’s Degree in Literacy and/or Elementary Education
- Experience teaching reading and writing for five or more years to elementary school students with various learning profiles
- Solid understanding of child development, including cognitive, social, and emotional development
- Passion for working with elementary school students
- Knowledge of, appreciation for, and demonstrated commitment to anti-racist, anti-bias education, multicultural teaching, and culturally responsive pedagogy
- Experience teaching guided reading, phonics, and word study
- Extensive knowledge of reading programs such as Wilson Fundations, Fountas & Pinnell, Orton-Gillingham, PAF, and Whole Phonics
- Experience in teaching with technology, especially Literably, Google Workspace, and interactive displays
- Ability to conduct grade-level team meetings to discuss research, programs, supports for students, and best practices, as well as to share information at Lower School Faculty & Staff meetings as needed
- Extremely detail-oriented
- Effective oral and written communication skills
- Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills
- Ability and willingness to adapt to changing circumstances/be flexible
Responsibilities:
- Maintain congruence between the school and the mission as articulated in the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria
- Establish a warm, positive, and productive learning environment in which each student feels a sense of belonging
- Provide educational literacy support for students in Grades K–4 by pushing into classrooms, teaching small reading groups, and through one-to-one instruction
- Develop engaging reading and writing lessons that provide direct remediation
- Support homeroom teachers in monitoring student progress, establishing individualized education plans for students, and conducting assessments to determine the effectiveness of interventions
- Determine when students need individual support and, at those times, schedule time to see students before, during, or after school
- Select, utilize, and implement lessons, texts, posters, resources, and language that represent a wide range of identities in daily lessons and integrate social justice, diversity, equity, and anti-racist, anti-bias education
- Plan and lead monthly meetings with grade-level teams to provide training, support, and relevant research
- Collaborate with grade-level teams to implement changes to our reading and writing programs
- Meet weekly with the Support Services Team to provide ongoing support and strategies for students with learning differences based on in-house data as well as data from evaluations
- Communicate regularly with parents/guardians, homeroom teachers, and outside support providers (tutors, therapists, etc.) through phone calls, emails, and meetings to provide ongoing support and to propose strategies based on the individual needs of each student
- Conduct parent-teacher conferences and write progress reports twice each year, in partnership with homeroom teachers
- Maintain accurate, detailed records of student progress, parent communication, and lessons
- Attend and participate actively in division and whole-school faculty & staff meetings and events, as well as professional development opportunities in-house and outside of school
- Use technology as needed for both lessons and communication, especially Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.)
- Follow the professional code and policies of the school, including maintaining confidentiality and being attentive to detail
- Perform with care all assigned, ongoing scheduled responsibilities (roof duty, lunch duty, etc.)
It is the policy of Sacred Heart to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants. This means that all employees and applicants will be treated on an equal basis without regard to race, religion, color, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender status, national and ethnic origin, ancestry, disability, age, military or veteran status, marital and partnership status, citizenship status, caregiver status, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, sexual and reproductive health decisions, height or weight, predisposing genetic characteristics, criminal history, actual or perceived domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable state, federal or local law (collectively referred to herein as “Protected Classifications”).
In addition to the Protected Classifications set forth in this EEO Policy, the School also prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment based on being a certified medical marijuana patient, pre-employment marijuana testing, unemployment status, sexual and reproductive health decisions, salary history, arrest or conviction, or domestic violence victim status in accordance with state law.
This policy applies to all terms, conditions and privileges of employment, including but not limited to: hiring, training, faculty development, transfers, promotion, compensation, benefits, educational assistance, employee facilities, termination, and retirement.