Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is hiring: Elementary School Librarian - SY25

Applications will be accepted
Thursday, January 9, 2025 12:00 AM -
Monday, March 31, 2025 11:59 PM
(Central Standard Time)

Elementary School Librarian - SY25/26

TITLE: Librarian

LOCATION: TBD

The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) is a nationally recognized urban school district that serves approximately 22,000 students and 60+ different languages are spoken in the homes of our students. KCKPS is home to Sumner Academy, the #6 highest rated High School in the Nation and #1 High School in Kansas according to the US News rankings.

With Head Start/preschools, 28 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 5 college and career academies/high schools, we are the fifth largest district in the state of Kansas and our student population is approximately 56% Hispanic, 24% African American, 9% White, and 6% Asian. To serve our students, the district employs approximately 4,000 employees including more than 1,800 teachers.

JOB GOAL:

To ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. To empower students to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information. To instill a love of reading and learning in all students and ensure equitable access to information. To collaborate with classroom teachers and specialists to design and implement lessons and units of instruction, and assess student learning and instructional effectiveness.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Information Specialist: The school librarian ensures equitable access and responsible use of information by:

• Developing and maintaining a collection of resources appropriate to the curriculum, the learners, and the teaching styles used within the school community.
• Cooperating and networking with other libraries, librarians, and agencies to provide access to resources outside the school.
• Evaluating, promoting, and using existing and emerging technologies to support teaching and learning.
• Understanding copyright, fair use, and licensing of intellectual property, and assisting users with their understanding of the same.
• Organizing, maintaining, and updating the collection for effective use.

Program Administrator: The school librarian maximizes the efficiency and effectiveness of the school library program by:

• Using strategic planning for the continuous improvement of the program.
• Ensuring that school library program goals are aligned with school and district plans.
• Using effective management principles in developing and implementing program goals.
• Generating evidence in practice that demonstrates efficacy and relevance of the information literacy skills curriculum.
• Supervising and evaluating support staff.
• Creating and maintaining an inviting, safe, and conducive learning environment.

Teacher: As a teacher, the school librarian empowers students to become critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, and ethical users of information by guiding them in:

• Reading for understanding and pleasure.
• Using information for defined and self-defined purposes.
• Collaborating with peers for learning.

Leader: The school librarian demonstrates his/her role as a visible and active leader by:

• Implementing 21st Century Skills into the curriculum.
• Encouraging the use of instructional technology to engage students.
• Remaining current in professional practices and developments.

Instructional Partner: The school librarian demonstrates his or her role as an essential partner in the instructional process by:

• Collaborating with teachers to design engaging learning experiences.
• Participating in the curriculum development process.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Valid Kansas teaching certificate.
• Valid Kansas Library Media Specialist Certification and/or Master’s Degree In Library Science or Information Science.
• Experience prerequisite to be determined by the Director of Libraries.

REPORT TO: Director of Libraries and Building Principal

EVALUATION: Performance will be evaluated in accordance with Board of Education policy.