About this role
Position: Library Media Specialist Position Type: Temporary Long Term Substitute Department: Secondary, Digital Learning Location: Watertown Middle School Reports to: Principal/Digital Learning & Library Coordinator Salary range: See below THIS IS A LONG-TERM SUB POSITION that is expected to start on 9/15/2026 and end on 01/04/2027. General Description: The Watertown Middle School Library Media Specialist works directly with students and in close collaboration with educators in a highly interactive environment. Our library provides services to approximately 540 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students and staff. The ideal candidate is motivated, eager to work with others, and has excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Responsibilities:
• Provide rigorous and culturally responsive instruction to students both individually and in collaboration with content-area educators
• Implement programming and curate resources to enrich the culture of reading within the school community
• Oversee, manage, and foster a welcoming, creative, and flexible library
• Empower students to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users and producers of information.
• Possess knowledge of children's and young adult literature in all genres and formats
• Support Watertown Public Schools' diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts by maintaining a diverse collection of literature and research resources.
• Additional duties and responsibilities as assigned
Core Competencies: Using the Massachusetts Model System for Educators Rubric, priority skills and abilities that all Watertown Public School teachers should possess: Curriculum, Planning, and Assessment (Subject Matter Knowledge, Well-Structured Lessons, Curriculum and Planning Indicator, Child and Adolescent Development)
• Demonstrates mastery of and enthusiasm for the content area and the pedagogy it requires
• Can convey a grasp of child development and how students learn
• Designs effective and rigorous standards based units of instruction consisting of well-structured lessons with measurable outcomes.
Teaching All Students (Meeting Diverse Needs, Student Engagement, Safe Learning Environment)
• Uses instructional practices that are likely to challenge, motivate, and engage all students and facilitate equitable, active student participation
• Builds a productive learning environment where every student participates and is valued as part of the class community
• Cultural Proficiency
• Actively creates and maintains an environment in which students' diverse backgrounds, identities, strengths, and challenges are respected
Family and Community Engagement (Parent/Family Engagement)
• Engages with families and builds collaborative, respectful relationships with them in service of student learning
• Professional Reflection & Collaboration
Professional Culture (Reflective Practice, Professional Collaboration)
• Regularly reflects on practice, seeks and responds to feedback, and demonstrates self-awareness and commitment to continuous learning and development
• Seeks to participate in and contribute to a collaborative adult learning community.
Qualifications Required:
• Massachusetts DESE Academic: Teacher, Library, All Levels, Initial certification
• A minimum of a bachelor's degree. Master's degree preferred
• Organize and facilitate access to print and digital collections
• Model ethical behavior, skills proficiency, and responsible use of online and educational technology resources
• Support the integration of educational technology and digital resources within the library and in classrooms
• Possess experience in a 1:1 environment
• Maintain working knowledge of Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for Digital Literacy and Computer Science as well as the American Association of School Librarians Standards for Learning.
Pay Breakdown:
• Per Diem Daily Rate Days 1-30: $145/Per diem for licensed candidates
• Per Diem Daily Rate after 30 days: $382.56/ Per diem with retroactive payment (equivalent to BA Step 1 on Salary Scale)
• Rate for 91-184 Days - Individual Contractual Per diem rate based on the Unit A salary scale
Physical Demands:
• Regularly required to sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, operate a computer, hand-held learning devices and other office equipment, reach with hands and arms, and must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
Equal Opportunity Employer Watertown Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.