23-24 - West - Bilingual Resource Specialist (BRS) Spanish - 0.484 FTE (19.36 HPW)

West High

$25.78 - 53.31 Hourly Wage

MMSD is seeking highly motivated and energetic teacher applicants for openings for the 2024-2025 school year. The Madison Metropolitan School District actively seeks and encourages women and candidates of color to apply.

Becoming a Model School District

The Madison Metropolitan School District is committed to being anti-racist, culturally responsive, and inclusive. We have a simple but bold vision — to ensure that every school is a thriving school, fostering the growth of every student so they graduate from high school ready for college, career and community.

Our strategy is captured in our strategic framework, and centers on three major goals: that all children achieve academically, that our schools are places where children and adults thrive, and that our Black youth excel at school. To achieve this vision, we seek to retain staff in all positions, who are committed to being anti-racist, culturally responsive, and inclusive. Staff who will actively contribute to our ongoing commitment to making MMSD a thriving, welcoming environment for all students, families and staff.

We firmly believe and are here to create a work environment that is challenging and rewarding, while supporting you in your career path. We aim to foster, cultivate, and retain a skilled workforce that supports and mirrors the diversity of our student population.

We know this vision doesn't come to life without dynamic leaders in every school. For more information on our teacher screening and selection process, please visit our TEACH Madison webpage.

About Our District

The Madison Metropolitan School District is the second largest school district in Wisconsin. The district serves a beautifully diverse population of more than 27,000 students. More than half are students of color. Almost half come from low income households. Nearly one third are English Language Learners, and more than 100 languages are represented in our schools. Madison schools are committed to making this district a place where every child thrives.

Purpose of the Position

The Spanish Bilingual Resource Specialist allocation is designed to serve Spanish-speaking students and families at each individual school site. While BRS are placed at buildings, they are allocated to serve the needs of students and families across the district. When applicable, schedules need to accommodate time for other duties that are assigned to them (report card comment translations, IEP interpretations, etc.), while adhering to their school responsibilities whenever possible.

Essential Duties

• Instructional Supports & Service Delivery

  • Maintain and adhere to a weekly schedule of academic and linguistic support, created in association with school administration and teaching staff based on the needs of English Learners (ELs) in their work sites as indicated on students’ ILP forms

  • Provide students with academic, linguistic, and cultural support in the classroom in collaboration with teaching staff or administrators when appropriate

  • Facilitate and enhance communication, including translation and interpretation

  • Build relationships with English Learners (ELs) and their families

  • Collaborate with school staff, including administrators, teachers, and support staff

  • Participate as an active team member in discussions related to ELs

  • Assist families and students to navigate the school

  • Student Placement

    • Support secretary/office and English as a Second Language (ESL)/Bilingual Resource Teacher (BRT) staff to welcome families into the school district, provide interpretation to ensure all paperwork is completed and share the array of services available to the student to inform parent decisions

    • Assist ESL/BRT with communication to families regarding the Home Language Survey and ESL status and services by providing interpretation

    • Work with the ESL/BRT to ensure EL records are complete and current

    • Help transition newcomers into student life through social, emotional, and academic support in collaboration with other staff (i.e., school social worker, ESL/BRT)

  • Collaboration with Teaching Staff

    • Participate as an active team member in the discussion of academic, transition, graduation and career/vocational issues related to ELs

    • Contribute ideas to the planning of the ESL/Bilingual instructional programs, including culturally relevant materials, resources, and ways of responding to students

    • Differentiate and obtain cultural background information relevant for instruction and assessment of student performance

    • Implement one-on-one and small group lesson plans created in advance by certified teaching staff to provide pre-teaching and/or instructional reinforcement

    • Consult with staff to provide possible cultural or language-based explanations to student issues

  • Classroom Support

    • Provide support to ELs in core academic instruction with intention and planning in an inclusive environment, under the guidance of the classroom teacher and/or ESL/BRT. This support occurs in students’ native language, as well as in English, based on students’ linguistic and academic needs

    • Provide support to ELs in small groups within or outside of the classroom as needed

  • Assessment

    • Provide appropriate accommodations (i.e., interpretation support) as outlined by the Office of Assessment Administration for ELs during testing situations. This does not include proctoring

• Communication

  • Facilitate communication between linguistically and/or culturally different parties

  • Provide written translation of school-specific documents

  • Provide interpretation for school staff (principal, teacher, nurse, etc.) who are contacting parents in person and over the phone with the staff member present. Collaborate with and connect students/families with staff by providing oral interpretation in person and over the phone regarding all topics that affect student life

  • Provide oral interpretation at school events and meetings

  • Facilitate communication prior to Individual Educational Plan (IEP) meetings, and provide interpretation during IEP meetings

  • Assist families in their native language to complete district/school paperwork and applications

• Cultural Liaison

  • Assist the family and the student to navigate the norms and practices, both social and academic, of the U.S. school system (e.g., report cards, Summer School) and community

  • Work with families to gather information about their social and academic norms and practices and share this information with staff during established meetings (i.e., grade level meetings)

  • Explain the district Code of Conduct to students and families

  • Provide social/emotional support for ELs, particularly those struggling with bridging school culture

  • Help schools develop a system of culturally relevant family outreach

  • Connect students/families with district and community resources (e.g., clinics, dental and eye care, free health events, academic tutoring, housing and employment support services)

  • Facilitate communication to outside agencies and relay recommendations of community-based services between staff and families

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to master Spanish and English at the native-like level of language proficiency in oral and written communication. Must pass oral, written, and reading proficiency assessment in Spanish and English.

• Broad vocabulary and in-depth knowledge of grammatical rules in both languages.

• Good understanding and cultural knowledge of both languages.

• Ability to work as part of a team. Spirit of collaboration.

• Excellent computer skills.

• Ability to prioritize work to meet deadlines.

• Ability to interpret consecutively and simultaneously.