Reading Specialist (Full-Time)

About Waterford Union High School

Waterford Union High School District (WUHS) is a single-school district serving approximately 890-950 students in grades 9-12 in the Village of Waterford, Wisconsin. The student body is approximately 86% White, 9% Hispanic/Latino, and 5% other racial and ethnic backgrounds, with roughly 21% of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals and approximately 14% identified as economically disadvantaged. Approximately 13-14% of WUHS students are served through Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), which is consistent with statewide rates in Wisconsin, and the Reading Specialist will partner closely with our special education team to support these students. With a student-to-teacher ratio near 12:1 and a faculty of approximately 70 full-time educators, WUHS consistently ranks among the top high schools in Wisconsin and operates as a model Professional Learning Community (PLC) committed to ensuring high levels of learning for every student.

Position Summary

The Reading Specialist serves as the building''s literacy leader and instructional expert, with a primary focus on designing, delivering, and leading Tier 3 reading interventions within our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Working alongside collaborative teacher teams in our model PLC, the Reading Specialist ensures that students who require the most intensive literacy support receive evidence-based instruction, progress-monitored intervention, and a clear pathway to grade-level proficiency. This position is central to closing achievement gaps, accelerating reading growth, and strengthening literacy instruction across all content areas.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor''s degree required; Master''s degree in Reading, Literacy, Special Education, or related field strongly preferred.
• Valid Wisconsin DPI license as a Reading Specialist (License #5017) required. Candidates holding a Reading Teacher license (License #1316) who are actively pursuing the #5017 Reading Specialist license may also be considered.
• Minimum of three (3) years of successful classroom teaching experience. K-6/elementary teaching experience is strongly preferred, as those educators have direct, repeated practice with the structured-literacy interventions our Tier 3 students require and bring a student-centered orientation that complements our 7-12 content-centered teaching staff.
• Demonstrated expertise in the Science of Reading, structured literacy, and evidence-based intervention frameworks.
• Proven experience designing and delivering Tier 3 interventions for adolescent striving readers, including students with dyslexia and other reading-based disabilities.
• Working knowledge of universal screeners, diagnostic assessments, and progress-monitoring tools (e.g., FastBridge, aimswebPlus, STAR, MAP, or comparable).
• Experience operating within a Professional Learning Community (PLC at Work) and Response to Intervention (RtI) / MTSS framework.
• Strong collaboration, communication, and adult-learning facilitation skills.
• Ability to analyze data, draw instructional conclusions, and lead data-driven conversations with teacher teams.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of Tier 3 reading interventions for identified students, ensuring instruction is intensive, individualized, and rooted in the Science of Reading.
• Serve as the building''s literacy expert and resource for evidence-based reading instruction across all departments.
• Administer, score, and interpret universal screeners and diagnostic reading assessments; use results to place students, group flexibly, and adjust intervention intensity.
• Progress-monitor Tier 3 students on a frequent schedule, document growth, and make timely decisions about entry, exit, and movement between tiers.
• Collaborate as a core member of the building''s MTSS / problem-solving team to coordinate Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 supports and ensure seamless student transitions.
• Partner with PLC teams to embed literacy strategies into Tier 1 core instruction across content areas, supporting teachers in answering the four critical PLC questions for literacy.
• Co-plan, model, and coach disciplinary literacy practices with content-area teachers to strengthen Tier 1 instruction and reduce the need for intervention.
• Provide consultation and support to special education staff, school psychologists, and 504 coordinators for students with reading-related disabilities.
• Communicate regularly with students, families, and staff regarding intervention plans, progress, and next steps.
• Contribute to the development, selection, and evaluation of literacy curriculum, intervention materials, and assessment tools.
• Lead and facilitate professional learning on reading instruction, structured literacy, and adolescent literacy development.
• Maintain accurate records of intervention groups, attendance, instructional minutes, and student progress data.
• Stay current with research, attend professional development, and bring best practices in adolescent literacy back to the WUHS staff.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the WUHS Administrative Team.