Teacher - Art (SY25-26)

Position: Art Teacher

Position Type: Full-time

Department: Fine, Applied, and Performing Arts

Location: Watertown High School

Reports to: Principal and Fine, Applied, and Performing Arts Coordinator

Affiliation: WEA Unit A

Salary range: Per WEA Salary Scale for Unit A 

General Description:

As Fine, Applied, and Performing Arts Educators, our mission is to inspire and guide every student to be active participants in the Arts through a sequential, academic, and creative curriculum that nurtures the human spirit and promotes cultural relevance. 

The Watertown Public Schools Fine, Applied and Performing Arts department is seeking an outstanding Visual Arts Educator for our High School. Successful candidates will demonstrate a passion for inspiring creativity and guiding students to be expressive visual artists using the modalities of Drawing, Painting, 2 and 3 Dimensional Art, Sculpture, Ceramics,  and Abstract Art. 

Responsibilities:

• Design  and implement engaging standards-bases visual art lessons and units
• Assess student progress and communicate student learning via progress reports and term grades
• Create a classroom environment that promotes kindness, tolerance, exploration, and student voice
• Nurture, communicate, and maintains high standards of participation and behavior for all students
• Incorporate direct instruction, small group work, and cooperative learning to engage all students
• Work in collaboration with building administration and district curriculum leaders to implement school-based and district-wide goals and objectives
• Collaborate with support staff to support all students in learning
• Display and celebrate student artwork
• Maintain regular communication with parents/caregivers about  student progress
• Build a safe and supportive classroom environment that celebrates inclusion and diversity
• Order and maintain art supplies and artist spaces
• Reflect on practice and participate in professional development, faculty meetings, and professional learning communities
• Act as a resource for visual art within the School Learning Community
• Other duties as assigned by the building principal

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:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field
• Current MA DESE Certification in the Visual Arts
• Relevant teaching experience in a diverse learning environment
• Linguistic and Cultural Diversity is highly valued
• Experience with students of diverse abilities and artistic experiences
• Experience integrating student choice and student-inspired projects
• Positive mindset and inspired teaching practice

Preferred:

• Master’s Degree in a relevant field
• Has a minimum of two years of experience teaching art at the applicable level

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.