Senior Academic Curriculum Specialist at Litnerd

Litnerd is a kids reading + writing club app that grew by 14x this past school year. Think of us as a modern-day Scholastic, with a heavy IP play. We create original IP with our community + partner brands -> turn them into books, media and learning curriculum, layered with an AI personalized tutor to help kids learn to read and write in a personalized and engaging way.

Our product format is a Social and Gamified - with a live weekly community meetup and monthly e-tournaments.

• And it works! Litnerd 4x improved the pass rate of students on their annual state Reading (ELA) exam.
• STICKY: Kids spend 10-20 minutes on the Litnerd app OUTSIDE of classroom time.
• KID AUTHORS: Kids are the authors of the books and Litnerd AI helps illustrate + publish the book.
• Built on the Science of Reading
• Original IP: all books, media and courseware is original content created and published by Litnerd. Litnerd is seeking a Senior Academic Curriculum Specialist to join the Litnerd Product team. This position serves as a member of Litnerd’s product management and leadership team and is responsible for the design and the delivery of academic curriculum, lesson plans, work sheets, activity packets and intervention services to students in Litnerd students who are academically at-risk/off-track for college admission. The Senior Academic Curriculum Specialist supports the development of well-designed curriculum-based programming to help ensure all children consistently have quality learning experiences in Litnerd programs!

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Instructional Planning and Instruction. Instructional Planning and Instruction.

• Lead the development and delivery of curriculum roadmap, lesson plans, activity packet, book companion ELA and SEL curriculum. Lead the development and delivery of curriculum roadmap, lesson plans, activity packet, book companion ELA and SEL curriculum.

• Lead the development of intensive learning interventions, individual and small groups, for all students who are academically at-risk/off-track (i.e., failing or at risk of failing one or more core classes, failing NYS Examinations etc). Lead the development of intensive learning interventions, individual and small groups, for all students who are academically at-risk/off-track (i.e., failing or at risk of failing one or more core classes, failing NYS Examinations etc).

• Manage and hire curriculum writers to fulfill Litnerd company needs of curriculum per grade level. Manage and hire curriculum writers to fulfill Litnerd company needs of curriculum per grade level.

• Design and or revise remedial units of instruction in core subjects (ELA, SEL, math, and social studies) to meet students’ needs with special attention given to differentiation for individual strengths and weaknesses. Design and or revise remedial units of instruction in core subjects (ELA, SEL, math, and social studies) to meet students’ needs with special attention given to differentiation for individual strengths and weaknesses.

• Oversee the delivery of instruction of the academic tutors through class observations. Oversee the delivery of instruction of the academic tutors through class observations.

• Ensure that tutors provide appropriate learning interventions for students with special learning needs (e.g., students with IEP’s designation) and English Language Learners (ELL’s). Ensure that tutors provide appropriate learning interventions for students with special learning needs (e.g., students with IEP’s designation) and English Language Learners (ELL’s).

• Teach selected classes which could also serve as a lab site for tutors to observe best practices. Teach selected classes which could also serve as a lab site for tutors to observe best practices.

• Data Analysis and Assessment. Data Analysis and Assessment.

• Organize and analyze students’ academic performance data to determine students’ learning needs and strengths before the beginning and end of a program cycle, as well as after each marking period and or State examinations. Organize and analyze students’ academic performance data to determine students’ learning needs and strengths before the beginning and end of a program cycle, as well as after each marking period and or State examinations.

• Identify students for academic intervention and devise groupings according to needs. Identify students for academic intervention and devise groupings according to needs.

• Create assessments as needed and monitor student progress. Create assessments as needed and monitor student progress.

• Prepare a summary report of assessed learning needs and discuss with the Program Director and management team. Prepare a summary report of assessed learning needs and discuss with the Program Director and management team.

• Provide quantitative and qualitative student data reports to program and senior leadership on a monthly or quarterly basis showing students’ attendance in on-site academic offerings, response to instruction, and progress towards clearly defined benchmarks. Provide quantitative and qualitative student data reports to program and senior leadership on a monthly or quarterly basis showing students’ attendance in on-site academic offerings, response to instruction, and progress towards clearly defined benchmarks.

• Expansion Of Academic Outreach. Expansion Of Academic Outreach.

• Collaborate with coordinators to provide instructional guidance to teaching artists and activity specialists to aid them in the delivery of co-curricular and academic content. Collaborate with coordinators to provide instructional guidance to teaching artists and activity specialists to aid them in the delivery of co-curricular and academic content.

• Identify and recommend resources needed to provide quality learning support programs and services. Identify and recommend resources needed to provide quality learning support programs and services.

• Management and Supervision. Management and Supervision.

• Oversee the hiring, coaching, and supervision of tutors and assigned academic instructional support staff. Oversee the hiring, coaching, and supervision of tutors and assigned academic instructional support staff.

• Lead the selection of and onboarding process for tutors. Lead the selection of and onboarding process for tutors.

Additional Support and Outreach Responsibilities:

• Work closely and collaboratively with program colleagues, public schools partners, and appropriate Litnerd departments and units. Work closely and collaboratively with program colleagues, public schools partners, and appropriate Litnerd departments and units.

• Participate in program special events, staff meetings, and other program events Participate in program special events, staff meetings, and other program events

Qualification, Skills and Knowledge Requirements:

• Commitment to Litnerd's mission, vision and values. Commitment to Litnerd's mission, vision and values.

• Ability to move fast and execute with minimal oversight and instruction (startup pace). Ability to move fast and execute with minimal oversight and instruction (startup pace).

• Master’s Degree in education or related area with at least 5 years of teaching experience or Bachelor’s Degree in Education or related field with at least 7 years teaching experience with students in an urban/low-income community. Master’s Degree in education or related area with at least 5 years of teaching experience or Bachelor’s Degree in Education or related field with at least 7 years teaching experience with students in an urban/low-income community.

• Familiarity with best practices in curriculum building and lesson planning. Familiarity with best practices in curriculum building and lesson planning.

• Knowledge of literacy and or STEM-based enrichment and lesson plan writing. Knowledge of literacy and or STEM-based enrichment and lesson plan writing.

• Knowledge of Common Core State Standards combined with an understanding of the challenges facing students in a low income urban setting. Knowledge of Common Core State Standards combined with an understanding of the challenges facing students in a low income urban setting.

• Strong communications skills, including clear and concise writing and speech, ability to adapt tone and level of details needed or appropriate for targeted audience. Strong communications skills, including clear and concise writing and speech, ability to adapt tone and level of details needed or appropriate for targeted audience.

• Ability to work effectively as part of a team, including understanding and interacting with individuals of diverse backgrounds, skills, and abilities. Ability to work effectively as part of a team, including understanding and interacting with individuals of diverse backgrounds, skills, and abilities.

• Knowledge of research on college readiness and early warning indicators for students being off-track for college or at-risk of failing or dropping out of school. Knowledge of research on college readiness and early warning indicators for students being off-track for college or at-risk of failing or dropping out of school.

We offer very competitive salaries, equity and a comprehensive benefits package including Health Insurance.

Litnerd Engineering Team is responsible for building empowering solutions for elementary school students across the nation. We’re building a powerful platform for teachers and students to access our reading program courses (ebooks, curriculum, assessments, lesson plans, benchmark metrics and more). As a member of this team, you'll be at the center of product innovation. Please see careers page and apply.

By joining the team at this stage, you will have a mission critical role to play in the development of Litnerd’s product roadmap.