DOLTON WEST SCHOOL DISTRICT 148
DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM FOR READING/ELA AND SOCIAL STUDIES

Position Classification: Administrative

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The Director of Curriculum for Reading/ELA and Social Studies provides strategic leadership, oversight, and implementation support for PreK–8 literacy and social studies curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional learning.

This role ensures the development of a guaranteed and viable curriculum, high-quality instructional practices, aligned assessment systems, and measurable student growth across all schools.

The Director of Curriculum for Reading/ELA and Social Studies serves as a key instructional leader and collaborates closely with principals, interventionists, teacher leaders, and district administration.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, the Director of Curriculum for Reading/ELA and Social Studies must be able to perform essential duties satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. This includes a high level of proficiency in written and oral communication skills. The position requires:

Minimum Qualifications

Master's Degree in Education, Curriculum & Instruction, Literacy, or related field
Valid Professional Educator License
Administrative endorsement (Type 75/Principal or equivalent)
Minimum 5 years successful teaching experience
Demonstrated experience in curriculum leadership or instructional coaching
Experience analyzing district-wide achievement data
Experience leading professional development
Experience leading MTSS implementation

Preferred Qualifications

Reading Specialist or Literacy endorsement (preferred)
Experience with curriculum adoption processes
Bilingual or ESL endorsement

Deep Content Knowledge, Skills & Instructional Expertise

Science of Reading principles
Literacy development (PreK–8)
Writing instruction
Inquiry-based social studies pedagogy
Standards alignment and curriculum design
Backward design
Explicit instruction practices
Differentiation strategies
Formative assessment
Data-driven instructional improvement

Working Conditions

12-month position
Travel between district schools required
Occasional evening Board presentations or community meetings

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES:

Curriculum & Instructional Leadership

Lead development, revision, and implementation of vertically aligned Reading and Social Studies curriculum (PreK–8)
Ensure curriculum aligns with state standards and district strategic goals
Identify and prioritize essential standards
Develop pacing guides and common unit templates (backward design model)
Integrate culturally responsive and inclusive instructional materials
Conduct curriculum audits and gap analyses
Maintain digital curriculum repository
Develop and support implementation of the district instructional framework for literacy and social studies
Promote evidence-based literacy practices (e.g., structured literacy, writing across content areas)
Support inquiry-based social studies instruction
Conduct classroom walkthroughs and instructional rounds
Provide feedback and coaching support to administrators
Support differentiation and small-group instructional practices

Assessment & Data Systems

Develop and manage district literacy and social studies assessment systems
Align universal screening and benchmark tools
Design common formative assessments
Lead district data analysis cycles
Support principals in interpreting student growth data
Collaborate with MTSS teams on literacy intervention alignment
Monitor subgroup performance and equity trends

MTSS & Intervention Alignment

Ensure Tier 1 literacy instruction is effective and standards-aligned
Support Tier 2 and Tier 3 literacy intervention program selection and implementation
Establish entrance/exit criteria for reading interventions
Monitor fidelity of intervention programs
Coordinate with Special Education, ECC and EL departments
Analyze intervention effectiveness and recommend adjustments

Professional Learning & Capacity Building

Develop and implement annual professional development plan aligned to district goals
Facilitate district-wide literacy and social studies PD
Lead PLC framework implementation in content areas
Train teacher leaders and PLC facilitators
Support new teacher literacy onboarding
Coordinate summer curriculum writing institutes
Provide coaching cycles as needed

Program Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

Conduct annual program evaluations of core and supplemental materials
Analyze student performance trends (achievement & growth)
Recommend adoption or discontinuation of instructional materials
Develop action plans based on data
Prepare annual departmental progress reports

Salary/Benefits: $120,000 - $140,000. The District offers fringe benefits , including life, medical, dental and vision insurance.

Reports To: Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction

How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit all application materials via the district website: https://jobs.redroverk12.com/org/district148

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The district is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and Illinois employment laws.