ESL (ENL) Specialist

ESL (ENL) Specialist Role

About IMS: Independence Mission Schools (IMS) educate students of all faiths living throughout Philadelphia. Our inspiring network of 14 schools blends the best of Catholic education with innovative teaching strategies designed to meet the unique learning needs of all students.

Since our inception in 2012, our enrollment has grown over 20%, our students are outperforming 80% of their neighboring public and charter schools in Reading, and we have received increasing recognition as a network that successfully integrates faith, character, and academics to create warm, energizing schools that are sustainable for students, staff, and community. Ultimately, IMS recognizes that our students are on track to make their own choices in pursuit of college and career opportunities because they are on grade level academically and enrolled in a high-quality high school.

Perks of IMS: Teachers and full-time staff at IMS enjoy ongoing development through coaching, mentorship, and professional development and a benefits package that matches 403b contributions, provides low-cost healthcare, and guarantees paid sick time and personal time.

Independence Mission Schools is currently seeking candidates for an open ENL (English as a New Language) Specialist position. The ENL Specialist reports to the Principal and has strong interactions with IMS leadership in the Central Office.

The ideal candidate will be committed to the development, achievement and well-being of the school's students, in particular the English learners, and the pursuit of academic excellence by those students. The ENL Specialist will work closely with the Principal and Assistant Principal as part of the leadership team to establish the culture and direction of the school and will model Catholic values through interactions at all levels with faculty and staff, parents, board and central office members and other community partners.

Position Responsibilities:

• Vision Driven - Inspire teachers and staff to realize this vision throughout the school. Share a willingness to learn strategies and best practices.
• Leadership - Work with school leaders to develop ENL programs and create culturally sustaining classrooms. Work with other schools to share learning.

• Instructional Expertise - Assess English learners, support teachers in understanding that every teacher is a language teacher, guide teachers through ENL learning opportunities, coach teachers in: implementing research based strategies, designing high quality ENL lesson plans, tracking achievement of English learners.

• Advocate - Serve as an ambassador for students and their families: scheduling translation services, providing culturally inclusive communication for families, celebrating the universal church, serve on the IMS diverse learners team, assist other schools in developing an ENL program

Requirements:

• 5-7 years experience in the field as a teacher, instructional leader, or other leader (required)
• Experience with multilingual learners (required)
• Clearances on all background checks (required)
• Bachelor's Degree (required)
• Coaching experiences (preferred)
• ESL Certification (preferred)
• 12 month employee (preferred)

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated success as a teacher/ school leader, backed by data-driven instruction, recommendations and outcomes
• Possess a deep capacity to effectively build, develop and maintain strong relationships.
• Possess staff development skills including, encouraging, motivating presence exhibited in team building, staff engagement and problem solving.
• Ability to self-direct and prioritize among competing goals, exhibit flexibility and good judgment, and drive results in a fast-paced environment.

EOE: IMS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and celebrates staff diversity. We strive to be and build a diverse team that is representative of our students and the communities in which we serve. If you identify as an individual of color, we highly encourage you to apply!

Want to learn more about IMS and our school locations? Please visit: https://independencemissionschools.org/schools/