Director of Literacy

Integration Charter Schools is dedicated to providing innovative pathways to college that fully integrate students living with emotional challenges and others with special needs. In building a family of associated schools that share this common mission, ICS strives to fill gaps in public education. When fully realized, ICS, in conjunction with local public schools, will provide Staten Island parents of special needs children with an array of options which is richer than that enjoyed by any other community in the United States.

Summary

Integration Charter Schools (ICS) is seeking a dynamic and experienced Director of Literacy to lead and support literacy instruction across our network of four K–12 schools. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in the science of reading, writing instruction, and curriculum and pedagogy, along with a passion for equity and excellence in education. This individual will work closely with teachers, instructional coaches and school leaders to drive data-informed instruction and ensure high-quality reading and writing experiences for all students.

ICS is in the midst of a three-year push toward full literacy as part of the NYC Charter Literacy Consortium, with a commitment to significant growth on the NYS ELA assessment. The Director of Literacy will lead this work.

Our Vision and "The Bar"

Our vision is to reimagine what public education can be—a place where schools serve not only as centers of learning, but as hubs of opportunity and transformation for children, families, and our faculty. We will do whatever it takes to set the standards for excellence for kids and families.

The bar is high—by design. Every member of this staff, behind the wheel included, is a standard-bearer of that vision. The Bar at ICS means:

1. Leading with Love and Liberation — Treating literacy as liberation: every child, including children with IEPs and English language learners, leaves ICS able to read, write and speak with confidence and power.
2. Doing Whatever It Takes — No Excuses, No Ego — Owning the network's literacy results, refusing to accept low expectations for any group of students, and being in classrooms alongside teachers to get it right.
3. Modeling Collaboration and Coherence — Building one coherent K–12 literacy approach across all four schools, so students experience consistent language, routines and expectations from kindergarten through graduation.
4. Holding Ourselves and Each Other Accountable — Setting clear literacy goals, tracking progress by school and student group, and sharing results openly with leaders, teachers, families and partners.
5. Building Schools Where Belonging Is Non-Negotiable — Ensuring classroom libraries, texts and instruction reflect our students' identities and that every learner has a way into grade-level reading.

Responsibilities

Instructional Leadership

• Provide strategic vision and leadership for literacy instruction across all ICS divisions (K–12).
• Ensure alignment of literacy curriculum, instruction and assessments with New York State Next Generation ELA Standards.

• Lead the network's science of reading implementation, including foundational skills, knowledge building, vocabulary and comprehension.

• Design and deliver high-impact professional development for teachers and instructional leaders.
• Design and monitor Tier 3 literacy intervention programs across all ICS divisions (K-12).

Data-Driven Coaching & Support

• Lead teacher teams in the analysis of student achievement data, including ROAR, MAP Growth, NYS ELA and Regents results, and TWR data to identify trends, monitor progress and inform instructional practices.

• Facilitate Data Wise inquiry cycles with school literacy teams after each assessment window.
• Support schools in designing and implementing effective data-driven instructional and intervention plans.
• Coach and model best instructional practices for teachers, co-teachers and reading intervention staff.
• Partner with principals and academic leaders to review data and support literacy-related school improvement efforts.

Curriculum & Assessment

• Oversee implementation of the network's literacy curriculum, including EL Education (K–4), UFLI Foundations (K–2), Writing Lab and ALL Block (3–4), TWR (K-12) and Fishtank ELA (5–12.
• Evaluate and refine supplemental resources, intervention programs and classroom libraries.
• Oversee implementation and consistency of literacy screeners, benchmarks and diagnostic assessments.
• Lead teacher teams in unpacking curriculum to differentiate for all levels of learners and support personalized instruction.
• Ensure culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate texts, materials and practices.

Literacy for Every Learner

• Ensure students with IEPs receive high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction and intervention, in partnership with special education leaders.
• Build co-teaching practices that give students with disabilities strong access to grade-level texts.
• Support English language learners' reading, writing and language development in collaboration with ENL staff.
• Develop systems to identify and support students with reading difficulties, including dyslexia, as early as possible.

Cross-Divisional Collaboration

• Serve as the network's literacy expert, ensuring vertical and horizontal alignment in curriculum and instructional practices.
• Facilitate regular collaboration among ELA and literacy teachers across schools to share best practices and improve instruction.
• Integrate reading and writing across content areas in partnership with other academic leaders.

Program Monitoring & Evaluation

• Conduct instructional walkthroughs and classroom observations to assess the quality of instruction and provide actionable feedback.
• Lead and participate in instructional audits and strategic planning sessions focused on literacy achievement.
• Track progress toward network literacy goals and prepare reports for leadership, the board and funding partners, including the NYC Charter Literacy Consortium.
• Engage families with resources and events that support reading at home.

Competencies & Qualifications

• Master's degree in Education, Literacy, Reading or a related field required.
• New York State certification in English Language Arts, Literacy or educational leadership preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of successful teaching experience in ELA or reading, preferably across multiple grade levels.
• Experience as an instructional coach, literacy specialist, curriculum leader or school leader strongly preferred.
• Deep knowledge of the science of reading and structured literacy; training in an evidence-based program such as Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, REWARDS, or DIBELS a plus.
• Familiarity with EL Education, UFLI Foundations, The Writing Revolution, Fishtank ELA, ROAR and MAP Growth.
• Experience supporting students with disabilities and English language learners in literacy.
• Proven ability to analyze student data and apply insights to improve instruction.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities; detail-oriented with the ability to follow through in a fast-paced environment.
• Understanding of school student-achievement data and New York Charter School Standards.
• A deep belief that every child can succeed, and a willingness to uphold high expectations for students, staff and oneself.
• Ability to model social-emotional skills such as willingness to take feedback, hear new perspectives and try new things in support of student growth
• Willingness to engage in professional learning and development around issues of diversity, equity and inclusion.
• A "whatever it takes" attitude, centered in the notion of "children first”.
• Leadership mindset: takes ownership of creating a thriving, joyful school community rooted in ICS Core Values and The Bar, and models that for others.

Perks/Benefits

• Weekly Wednesday half-day schedule for embedded professional development and planning.
• Ongoing professional development, training and embedded coaching to continually evolve on your educational journey.
• Unique class model: 18–20 students, all co-taught classes.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Opportunity to be an integral part of our community, making a genuine difference and shaping the futures of our students.

• Students of ICS employees have access to after-care options.
• Free parking on campus.
• In addition to a competitive salary, ICS offers a full comprehensive benefits plan, including health care, a school laptop and commuter benefits for staff commuting into Staten Island from the New York City area.

Compensation

$100K