Band Teacher - Middle & High School - Full Time

Our vision: Eastern Mennonite School aspires to embody the love of Jesus as a learning community where every student belongs, thrives, and joins God’s work in the world. 

Our mission: Eastern Mennonite School, with home and church, invites students to faith in Jesus Christ, academic excellence, personal integrity and compassionate service. 

Belonging:  At Eastern Mennonite School our commitment to faith compels us to create spaces that are inclusive, that treat all members of our community with respect, and that value each individual’s voice, conscience, identities, lived experiences, and perspectives. We celebrate differences, welcome open and meaningful dialogue, and cultivate critical thinking.  Together, we dedicate our actions to working towards peace, equity, and justice in the world around us.

Position:  MS & HS Band Teacher 

Supervised by: Principal (of appropriate Division)

Positions Supervised: None

Classification:  10 months, full time with benefits

Effective Date: July 1

Position Description:

Carries out the mission of Eastern Mennonite School by helping to shape the academic and spiritual lives of our students. The band teacher provides beginning to advanced instrumental instruction and learning experiences and performance opportunities. Courses include band for Grades 6, 7, 8, Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble.  Opportunities exist for electives around the teacher’s expertise.  Collaborative and relational strengths for working with the middle school team and other music teachers is important. 

Key Responsibilities:

Serves as a role model for students demonstrating a strong personal faith and commitment to Christ by exhibiting the following traits:

1. Participates in a local Mennonite Congregation (or congregation of teacher’s denomination).
2. Maintains Regular devotional and prayer life.
3. Shows care and compassion for students and colleagues.
4. Shares faith and knowledge of the scriptures with students and colleagues as appropriate.
5. Lives a lifestyle consistent with school policy and the expectations of Virginia Mennonite Conference.
6. Maintains the highest level of integrity in all relationships.

Exhibits professional practices that enhance classroom practice:

1. Shows habits of punctuality.
2. Completes teacher tasks in a regular and timely manner.
3. Dresses in a manner which elicits the respect of students, parents, colleagues and other broader constituencies.
4. Participates on committees and sponsors extra-curricular activities as agreed upon with the administration within the guidelines set by the extra-curricular policy.
5. Demonstrates a strong commitment to Christian education at EMS and supports school policies and decisions.
6. Periodically seeks written feedback from students in each class, and provides the results to the administration for review and comment.
7. Cultivates positive communication with students and parents.
8. Regularly attends faculty meetings, in-service activities and PTF functions.
9. Shows evidence of an on-going commitment to professional growth and development.
10. Works to develop new methodologies and participates in innovative educational practices, especially those determined by faculty action.
11. Monitors student behaviors, language and attitudes in non-classroom settings on campus in accordance with school policy.
12. Works collaboratively with colleagues to further the effectiveness of instruction.

Strives to improve classroom instruction and to facilitate the learning process for students:

1. Develop and/or update a curriculum scope and sequence for each course taught, including content skills and objectives, instructional strategies, assessments, and field trip opportunities. 
2. Develops a comprehensive syllabus for each class, including course objectives, projected schedule of activities, assessment procedures and an objective grading system easily understood by students and parents.
3. Prepares daily and unit lesson plans for each class.
4. Applies tested and validated teaching techniques appropriate to the content and the developmental abilities of the students.
5. Teaches content and gifted behaviors as specified by the school.
6. Manages class activities in a manner which requires students to develop a framework for understanding content knowledge and responding to knowledge in an analytical way.
7. Carries out in a consistent manner, appropriate classroom discipline procedures.
8. Regularly and appropriately integrates faith and scriptures into classroom activities.
9. Builds content area expertise through consistent and ongoing professional development.
10. Keeps parents abreast of student progress in accordance with school policy and in a manner which reflects the teacher’s position as advocate for the student.
11. Integrates appropriate technology into the learning environment.
12. Maintains connections to other professionals through discussion, classroom observation.

Qualifications:

1. Bachelor’s Degree in content area required; education courses preferred
2. Master’s Degree desired
3. Current certification in the state of Virginia
4. Excellent interpersonal skills with students and adults
5. Proficient with technology
6. High personal standards for professional development

Physical Requirements

Working conditions and physical requirements are normal for a classroom environment.

This position description is not a complete statement of all duties and responsibilities comprising your position. It contains only the facts necessary to evaluate your position on a fair basis.

It is our policy to practice equal opportunity without regard to an individual's race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age or disability in the application of any policy, practice, rule, or regulation. Functioning as a faith-based school, EMS may discriminate on the basis of the school's faith values in hiring decisions. Any form of harassment is absolutely prohibited.