Justice Resource Institute·Lexington, Massachusetts
The Reading Specialist provides targeted, supplemental literacy instruction to high school students in a residential treatment setting. They collaborate with teachers to monitor student progress and implement evidence-based strategies to improve foundational reading skills.
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Who We Are: Looking For:
Are you the Reading Specialist (Part-Time) we have been looking for? In this position, you will be able to convey your passion for educating others with a dynamic team by bringing an energetic and positive approach while working with our students!
Pelham Academy is a residential treatment setting for adolescents that specializes in trauma informed care. Pelham provides 24-hour comprehensive care including a school on site, a full clinical staff, nursing staff, and direct care staff.
The Reading Specialist will provide targeted, supplemental literacy intervention to high school students with significant reading needs. This position will support students through individualized and small-group literacy instruction designed to strengthen foundational reading skills, increase reading confidence, and improve access to academic content. The Reading Specialist will meet with an assigned group students receiving literacy intervention while collaborating with classroom teachers deliver evidence-based literacy instruction. The Reading Specialist will complement existing classroom and special education services by providing additional targeted support to help students strengthen literacy skills, increase independence, and improve academic access.
Our school serves a significant number of students with literacy-related needs, including students with IEP goals focused on reading development. While students' IEP goals are addressed through existing special education services and instructional programming, this position will provide an additional layer of literacy support designed to accelerate growth and provide intensive intervention for students who would benefit from further support.
This is a part-time position (approximately two days per week) focused on providing supplemental literacy intervention to students with identified reading needs.
The pay range for this position is $27.00 to $33.00 per hour. The listed range reflects what we reasonably and in good faith expect to pay for this role at the time of posting the position. The actual compensation an employee is offered may vary based on several factors such as experience, education, licensure, certifications and qualifications. This range may be modified in the future.
Meet with an assigned group of students receiving targeted literacy intervention.
Provide individualized and small-group reading instruction based on student needs, assessment data, and progress monitoring.
Deliver evidence-based literacy instruction tailored specifically to adolescent learners with significant reading gaps.
Support students in developing foundational reading skills, including decoding, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and strategies for accessing grade-level texts.
Collaborate with special education teachers, classroom teachers, and support staff to monitor student progress and adjust instruction and intervention strategies based on student growth.
Build positive, trusting relationships with students and create a learning environment grounded in trauma-informed practices.
Develop creative and engaging approaches to support students who may be reluctant, resistant, or disengaged from academic work.
Be who you are! JRI is committed to creating a workplace built on respect, collaboration, and opportunity, where every employee is valued and supported in making a meaningful impact.
We offer a $2,000 bilingual bonus to new hires who speak a second language fluently, other than English, and will use it to serve our clients!
Reimbursement is available for employees to cover the registration costs and annual fees for any professional license required for work such as LMHC, LCSW, LICSW, RN and more!
Access to our excellent Blue Cross medical and Delta Dental benefits.
Retirement benefits including 401K matched up to $800 a year and pension after 5 years of employment.
Professional development opportunities such as tuition reimbursement up to almost $4000 per year and discounted tuition rates to select partnership colleges and universities!
Wellness benefits including access to employee engagement groups, self-care resources, and an Employee Assistance Program.
Generous paid time off up to 19 days for full time employees in your first year and much more!
At JRI, we are committed to fostering a workplace where every team member feels valued and respected. We believe that a culture built on mutual respect, collaboration, and opportunity allows our staff to thrive and do their best work. By supporting one another and recognizing each person's contributions, we create an environment where people can grow, develop their skills, and make a meaningful impact in the communities we serve. JRI is an equal opportunity employer.
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Market context
Massachusetts schools continue to seek reading specialists who can support high school students with significant literacy gaps, particularly in trauma-informed educational settings. This part-time role is competitive because it combines secondary literacy expertise, de-escalation and physical-intervention skills, and a preferred teaching license; listed benefits include medical and dental insurance, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and an employee assistance program. Before applying, verify your licensure and relevant intervention experience; the requirements and benefits here are AI-summarized from the original job description to save research time.