Instructional Coach (ELA/Literacy), Saltonstall K-5 School, Salem Public Schools SY 2025-2026

InstructionalCoach (ELA/Literacy)Saltonstall K-5 School Salem Public Schools SY 2025-2026

About Salem Public Schools where belonging leads to opportunity.

Salem is a small diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district enrolling nearly 4000 students across our 11 schools. Our vision is to ensure that all students will be locally engaged globally connected and fully prepared to thrive in a diverse and changing world. We hold dear our core values of belonging equity and opportunity in everything we do. Over the next three years (2023-2026) we are committed to the work outlined by the four core priorities in our strategic plan: 1) Elevate Learning; 2) Empower Educators; 3) Center Belonging; and 4) Strengthen Our Foundation. We seek individuals who are passionate about urban education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement for all students regardless of ability economic status gender/gender identity language race/ethnicity sexual orientation or other backgrounds. Applicants who have experience working in urban schools and settings and are bilingual are strongly encouraged to apply.

What Youll Do:

The instructional coach position is an excellent opportunity for an experienced coach or classroom teacher who possesses special expertise in curriculum development and review high-quality instructional practices assessment development and data analysis. The primary goal of the instructional coach is to build capacity for high-quality accessible standards-based instruction in every classroom of the department assigned as well as support the development of a tiered support/intervention model. The instructional coach will spend the majority of his/her time functioning as a coach in the areas of curriculum instruction and assessment.

Purpose of Position:

• To provide coaching and support to deepen teacher content knowledge strengthen instruction specifically through making content accessible to diverse learners and promoting learning across all classrooms
• To support teachers new to the district or new to the profession
• This position reports to the school principal and the Assistant Superintendent and supports the work of the district Curriculum Instruction & Assessment Office.

Essential Attributes:

• Holds an unwavering belief that every student in Salem can grow and succeed
• Skilled in providing equitable access to the curriculum particularly in underserved populations
• Able to work collaboratively and flexibly as part of a building team
• Has a strong work ethic is self-directed and has the ability to work independently
• Self-reflects and accepts feedback with a growth mindset

Responsibilities: Coaching - Building Capacity

• Develops a weekly schedule in collaboration with the principal that aligns to the unique needs of the school
• A primary goal of the instructional coach position is to build capacity for expert and accessible instruction in every classroom.
• The literacy coach may also work directly with students from time to time as part of the schools literacy team plan.
• Works with teachers one-on-one and in small groups to plan lessons from standards using core curriculum materials determines student groupings and implements research-based instructional strategies to support high-quality core instruction
• Fosters teacher collaboration and sharing of best practices
• Introduces best practices in the area of pedagogy through demonstration lessons peer observation study groups and professional development workshops
• Builds teacher capacity to interpret and use a range of assessment tools to plan lessons and address individual student needs
• Facilitates data cycles curriculum planning development and revision of curriculum maps assessments and proficiency scales
• Monitors progress towards meeting school-wide student achievement goals set within improvement plan
• Provides leadership in preparing and analyzing common assessment data
• Meets regularly with the building principal and/or ILT to analyze data and student work coordinate instructional rounds and discuss next steps for school-based professional development
• Engages in advanced training opportunities designed to strengthen content knowledge pedagogy tiered instructional practice and coaching skills
• Other duties as assigned by the Deputy Superintendent or principal

Note: The evaluation of teachers is not part of the instructional coachs responsibilities. The instructional coach does provide non-evaluative feedback to teachers.

What Youll Bring:

We are looking for candidates who have diverse backgrounds and experiences are inspired by our mission and are highly motivated to change childrens lives through education. Youll be right at home here if you are a reflective practitioner who values collaboration with colleagues and pushes yourself your work and the people around you to the next level. We expect our SPS employees to:

• Hold a deep commitment to students and families and value diversity - The SPS community is vibrant diverse in background ethnicity language and perspective. You embrace and affirm the backgrounds of all members of the SPS community and view our diversity as a powerful resource that supports us each in learning and doing our best work.
• Hold high expectations for yourself students and colleagues You see potential in all especially our SPS students and maintain high expectations for achievement while providing the support necessary to meet that bar. You hold yourself to high expectations modeling SPS values and seeking opportunities to continuously improve.
• Build authentic caring relationships with colleagues students and families You build strong relationships across students families and colleagues that are collaborative in nature and contribute to the individual and collective success of SPS. You partner with families and colleagues to make decisions in the best interest of students and learning.
• Embrace feedback You are a reflective practitioner who learns from failure using mistakes and challenges as opportunities for growth. You model persistence and growth mindset and thrive in a culture of feedback.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelors Degree (Required); Masters Degree (Preferred)
• Required Massachusetts teaching certification/licensure; certification in reading preferred
• Three or more years of successful teaching experience
• Experience working in a diverse urban environment preferred
• Knowledge of and experience using SEI strategies and other approaches to differentiated instruction
• Extensive knowledge of the MA ELA curriculum frameworks
• Strong content and pedagogical knowledge in ELA with special expertise in early literacy
• Demonstrated ability to model effective lessons (e.g. aligned to standards balance of direct instruction and guided practice differentiation of planning based on data etc.)
• Experience with standards-based practices and effective use of student data
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively with teachers
• Experience providing professional development for teachers

Schedule: The coachs schedule follows the school calendar with an additional 7 days required.

Salary:

Work Year: Salem Public Schools teachers work a 192-day school year (180 student contact days plus 5 professional development days and 7 additional days for Instructional Coaches). Please visit to view the 2025-26 district and/or school calendar.

Salary: Per the teacher contract (Instructional Coaches work an additional 7 days and receive a stipend of $3500 stipend). Teacher salaries in the Salem Public Schools are determined by the Salem Teachers Union collective bargaining agreement.

Benefits: The City of Salem offers all full-time employees Group Insurance Commission (GIC) benefits. Click here for more information about our health benefits.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Salem Public School District is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination based on race color religion national origin pregnancy gender identity sexual orientation marital/civil union status ancestry place of birth housing status age citizenship status veteran status political affiliation genetic information or disability as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or participate in an equal opportunity investigation.