District Reading Specialist

Position Summary

The Sauk Prairie School District is seeking a full-time k-12 Reading Specialist. This 1.0 FTE position will serve as a district literacy leader and instructional expert, prioritizing the implementation of Wisconsin Act 20 requirements alongside our Multi-Level System of Supports (MLSS) framework. The successful candidate will design and guide evidence-based reading interventions, partner with collaborative teacher teams, and interpret assessment data to close learning gaps and support student achievement across our schools.

Required Qualifications & Licensure

• Education: Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Reading, Literacy, or related field preferred.
• Licensure: Valid Wisconsin DPI license as a Reading Specialist (License #5017) required. Candidates holding a Reading Teacher license (#1316/#317) who are actively enrolled in or pursuing the #5017 license will also be considered.
• Experience: A minimum of three (3) years of successful classroom teaching experience. Experience across elementary and secondary levels is highly valued given the collaborative nature of this role.
• Core Expertise:
• Deep operational knowledge of Wisconsin Act 20 directives and science-based early literacy instruction.
• Demonstrated mastery of the Science of Reading, structured literacy, and evidence-based diagnostic/intervention frameworks.
• Proven experience working within an Multi-Level Systems of Support (MLSS) model to design Tier 3 interventions for striving readers.
• Experience using universal screeners, diagnostics, and progress-monitoring tools (e.g., Aimsweb Plus, iReady, PreAct).

Key Job Responsibilities

• Act 20 & Core Literacy Alignment: Lead the implementation of science-based early literacy instruction, ensuring universal and intervention settings align directly with State of Wisconsin mandates and benchmarks.
• Tier 3 Intervention Leadership: Design and optimize intensive, structured-literacy interventions for identified students.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Support administration, scoring, and interpretation of universal screeners and diagnostic tools; group students flexibly and adjust intervention intensity based on frequent progress monitoring.
• Instructional Coaching & Collaboration: Partner with classroom teachers and collaborative teams to embed robust disciplinary literacy strategies into Tier 1 instruction, helping to answer core PLC questions for literacy.
• Cross-Functional Support: Partner closely with special education staff, school psychologists, and teams to coordinate supports for students.
• Professional Learning: Design and facilitate adult-learning opportunities and professional development focused on modern literacy research and adolescent/early reading development.
• Family & Community Engagement: Communicate transparently with families regarding literacy screening results, individualized intervention plans, and regular student progress updates.

District Description:

The district includes Sauk City and Prairie du Sac, two "next door" villages known as Sauk Prairie. They are located on the beautiful Wisconsin River. Thirteen towns and the village of Merrimac are also in the district. The area features rolling hills, meadows, bluffs, forests, lakes and streams. The district offers small-town, rural living with easy access to the Madison urban area (25 miles) and to the Wisconsin Dells recreation area (28 miles). The district serves 2,800 students, and comprises six learning communities with a high school of 850 students, middle school of 600 students and four elementary schools of 1,350 students.

Apply directly via the WECAN portal. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt, and the position will remain open until filled.

If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact John Dollar, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction at (608) 643-5590 or email at john.dollar@saukprairieschools.org