Districtwide Elementary School String Orchestra Teacher (Full Time), Salem Public Schools, Salem, MA [SY 2025-2026]

Districtwide Elementary School String Orchestra Teacher (Full Time), Salem Public Schools, Salem, MA [SY 2025-2026]

About Salem Public Schools, where belonging leads to opportunity.

Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history.  Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district enrolling nearly 4,000 students in 11 schools. Our vision is to ensure that all students will be locally engaged, globally connected, and fully prepared to thrive in a diverse and changing world. We hold dear our core values of belonging, equity, and opportunity in everything we do. We seek individuals who are passionate about urban education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement for all students, regardless of ability, economic status, gender/gender identity, language, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other backgrounds. We invite you to learn more about our strategic plan and core priorities on our website at https://salemk12.org/. 

What You’ll Do:

Under the supervision of the Building Principals, the music teacher is responsible for teaching music education to pupils in grades 4-12 and assists the staff of the schools in the improvement and appreciation of standards-based music instruction. The successful candidate will bring enthusiasm towards developing a program that helps students grow in their enjoyment, appreciation, and performance of music through a variety of planned music experiences which include singing, moving to music, playing instruments, and listening. The music teacher also performs other duties directly related to this job description.

Role Responsibilities:

This position is an itinerant position. Access to reliable transportation is required as the candidate is expected to travel between the high school, middle school, and elementary schools (as assigned).

• Select repertoire, rehearse, and conduct the elementary school orchestras including small group lessons and full ensemble rehearsals, school based and citywide concerts.
• Assist the middle/high school strings teacher in various small group lessons
• Create a safe and welcoming learning environment with engaging lessons and activities as part of a skills-based, comprehensive orchestra program that meets the needs of diverse learners.
• Establish positive relationships with students and their families and regularly communicate about student’s progress.
• Collaborate with the instrumental music team to plan and deliver school-based and districtwide concerts throughout the year.
• Maintain care/responsibility for school-owned music, musical instruments, and equipment to prevent loss or abuse. Makes minor adjustments and requests repairs to instruments as required. 
• Evaluate each pupil’s musical growth, performance, and musical understanding. 

• Selects appropriate music, books, and instructional aides to enhance learning and requisitions musical instruments and instructional supplies as necessary
• Cooperation with Building Principal and staff in providing musical programs for school assemblies, open house, parent meetings, and seasonal programs

What You’ll Bring:

We are looking for candidates who have diverse backgrounds and experiences, are inspired by our mission and are highly motivated to change children’s lives through education. You’ll be right at home here if you are a reflective practitioner who values collaboration with colleagues and pushes yourself, your work and the people around you to the next level. We expect our SPS employees to:

• Hold a deep commitment to students and families and value diversity - The SPS community is vibrant, diverse in background, ethnicity, language, and perspective. You embrace and affirm the backgrounds of all members of the SPS community and view our diversity as a powerful resource that supports us each in learning and doing our best work.
• Hold high expectations for yourself, students, and colleagues – You see potential in all, especially our SPS students, and maintain high expectations for achievement, while providing the support necessary to meet that bar. You hold yourself to high expectations, modeling SPS values and seeking opportunities to continuously improve.
• Build authentic, caring relationships with colleagues, students, and families – You build strong relationships across students, families, and colleagues that are collaborative in nature and contribute to the individual and collective success of SPS. You partner with families and colleagues to make decisions in the best interest of students and learning.
• Embrace feedback – You are a reflective practitioner who learns from failure, using mistakes and challenges as opportunities for growth. You model persistence and growth mindset and thrive in a culture of feedback.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree (Required); Master’s Degree (Preferred)
• Required Massachusetts teaching certification/licensure in Music
• Maintains professional competence through in-service education activities provided by the district, and/or in self-selected professional growth activities. 
• Minimum of 1-year teaching experience and working in an urban public school or charter school setting preferred
• Maintains professional competence through in-service education activities provided by the district and self-selected professional growth activities
• Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement (Required within 1-year of start date)
• Proficiency with technology (blended learning, teacher/family communication suites (Remind preferred), Google G-Suite Apps, etc.) desirable.
• Second language (Spanish and/or Portuguese) proficiency a plus
• Bilingual candidates and candidates of color strongly encouraged to apply
• Current authorization to work in the United States

Equal Opportunity Employer

Salem Public School District 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.