COACHES

READING COACH

Coaches at Reading First schools are facilitators of the sub-grant at the school level. Monthly coaches' meetings are one strategy in which the SEA distributes professional development in SBRR to reading coaches. Meetings provide a time for coaches to network with other coaches. The monthly meetings also provide the opportunity to dialogue, problem-solve and brainstorm for more effective ways to implement Reading First. Coaches are charged with scheduling professional development at the school level. This includes, but is not limited to,

• scheduling, delivering and monitoring NCREADS professional development to include agenda and minutes to be given to RF consultant and
• attending grade level meetings to determine needs and provide information.

Coaches will document any topics discussed. Reading First meetings held by school coaches must include an agenda and meeting minutes. Meetings with LEA contacts, principals, and/or teachers need to be documented. Meeting minutes will provide important documentation of decisions that will assist with RF implementation.

Coaches will not have other administrative duties (bus supervision, cafeteria monitoring, extra-curricular activities, and teacher substitutes) and will be responsible for

• acquiring the skills, if needed, to facilitate study groups, coach and mentor K-3 classroom teachers and give daily support to the classroom.
• assisting with screening, diagnosing and monitoring student progress, as well as helping to determine appropriate intervention strategies.
• helping teachers customize intervention programs for students.
• helping to administer K-2 reading assessments and other diagnostic tools for tracking student progress and needs.
• assisting teachers to analyze and use assessment results to improve instruction.
• working with teachers to improve reading instruction by modeling lessons and selecting strategies for at risk students.
• assisting teachers to assist small groups of students that need in-depth intervention.
• offering on-going coaching and professional development to teachers.
• forwarding data in a timely manner to the Reading First director from monitoring and reading assessments.
• collaborating with principals and central office staff by analyzing data, and the monitoring implementation of RF grant.
• providing information about professional development and other pertinent information.

According to the grant, a coach cannot have administrative duties. However, it is imperative that he/she be seen as a part of the staff and seeks ways to stay professionally aligned with the teachers.