Middle and Upper School Art Teacher

Position Summary

The Pingry School is seeking a dynamic and passionate Middle and Upper School Visual Arts Teacher to join our diverse academic community. This educator will primarily focus on nurturing and expanding our Middle School art program, fostering creativity and artistic expression among students. Additionally, the candidate will have the flexibility to teach a 9th-grade Art Fundamentals class, ensuring a seamless transition for students advancing from Middle to Upper School art programs. Collaboration with colleagues across all divisions is essential to promote a cohesive K-12 visual arts curriculum, sharing best practices and fostering a culture of teamwork. The ideal candidate maintains an active personal artistic practice, enriching the classroom experience with current, real-world artistic perspectives. A genuine enthusiasm for teaching Middle School students, understanding their unique developmental needs, and investing in the broader school community through extracurricular activities are key attributes for this role. This position offers an exciting opportunity to shape the artistic journey of students at a pivotal stage in their education while contributing to the growth and cohesion of The Pingry School's visual arts program across all divisions.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• Passion for Middle School Education: Demonstrates a genuine enthusiasm for teaching Middle School students, understanding their unique developmental needs and fostering a supportive learning environment.
• Artistic Versatility: Proficient in various art forms and techniques, with the ability to teach both Middle School and introductory Upper School art courses.
• Commitment to Collaboration: Eager to work with a team of educators to develop and align curriculum across grade levels, contributing to a unified and dynamic arts program.
• Active Practitioner: Engages in personal artistic endeavors, bringing fresh insights and inspiration to the classroom.
• Community-Oriented: Invested in the broader school community, with a willingness to take on roles beyond the classroom to enrich student experiences.

Responsibilities

• Teach a combination of MS Art 6, Art 7, Art 8, and Art in Nature.
• Teach 1 Upper School Art Fundamentals full-year course.
• Serve as an advisor to a group of approximately 10 middle school students.
• Collaborate cross-departmentally on the development and execution of Middle School Project Week.
• Fulfill an additional “plus one” requirement as assigned by the Middle School Director.
• Fulfill any additional duties as assigned by the Middle School Director and/or Visual Arts Department Chair.
• Participate in all required meetings, including faculty division meetings, scheduled collaboration times, professional development days, and beginning and end-of-year meetings weeks.
• Participate in all required professional development activities.
• Provide extra support for students during flex and community times.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree is required; post-undergraduate work or a Master’s Degree and previous classroom teaching experience are preferred.
• Experience and enthusiasm for teaching Visual Arts at both Middle and Upper school levels.
• Knowledge of disciplinary core ideas and current discipline-specific pedagogy.
• Facility with various teaching tools, comfort with designing courses, and fluency in various modes of inquiry.
• Experience with advising middle school students.
• Dedication to supporting the academic, social, and emotional well-being of students.
• Ability to foster creative thinking and problem-solving in students.
• Ability to create a positive classroom environment that is safe, welcoming, and at the same time, intellectually challenging.
• Robust interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Dedication to partnering collaboratively with a team of talented faculty.
• Openness to feedback and professional growth.
• Comfort with incorporating the latest technology into your workflow, including Schoology and Zoom and having the ability to navigate the Google Suite of applications (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, etc.).
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, meet deadlines, and ask for help when needed.
• Commitment to the mission, vision, and pillars of the Pingry School, including a commitment to DEIB and the requisite skills to work cross-functionally with diverse constituency groups across the organization.

Qualified candidates are invited to apply online at https://www.pingry.org/careers. The resume review process will begin immediately, followed by the first round of interviews in later March.