High School Music Teacher

Description

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is seeking a full-time music teacher for the 2025-2026 academic year. The music teacher is a committed educator who will challenge students to perform at   their best, while engaging them to enjoy their musical talents.  Dedication to the independent school setting is a must.  As a school that serves students from around the world, Woodlands Academy believes that a multicultural perspective is an essential element of education and values diversity in its student body, faculty, and staff.

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is one of 25 Sacred Heart schools in the United States and Canada.  Sacred Heart education at Woodlands Academy is distinctive and emphasizes best practices for the education of girls and innovative practices for academic excellence.  Established in 1858, the school forms global citizens and transforms young women through a dynamic of relationships that responds to the dignity of each member of the school community.

The teacher will report to the Associate Head of School for Academics and will join a highly collaborative,  innovative, and experienced faculty.  

Responsibilities include: 

· Maintain Woodlands’ award-winning high school music program by leading choirs and instructing up to three credit courses, including AP Music Theory 

· Serve as musical director for all masses and prayer services

· Serve as musical director for musical theatre production and serve as an accompanist in various capacities

· Collaborate with other Visual and Performing Arts faculty to host several events/performances showcasing student work at Woodlands and actively seek opportunities for the choir to perform at local community events

· Direct a repertoire of age-appropriate and challenging music, allowing students to engage in active music-making while acquiring the skills necessary for performance 

· Coordinate yearly music trip to compete in the World Strides Music Heritage Festival

· Active in admissions outreach

· Advising approximately 8 -10 girls (academic counseling, community building, parent   communication, conferencing)

· Engage in the life of the school (presence at assemblies, meetings, events, etc.) 

· Support, implement, and model the Goals and Criteria for Sacred Heart Schools

· Demonstrate appropriate planning and preparation for instruction and assessment

· Develop and maintain a classroom atmosphere that inspires learning

· Motivate students to develop an interest in and an appreciation for the art of music 

· Develop knowledge, skills, and talents of students in the field of music, including sight-singing, score reading, vocal production, harmonization, and diction skills

· Uphold professional standards of personal presentation, discretion, punctuality, and   clear, direct, open communication

· Write college letters of recommendation for students when appropriate

· Participate in school-wide, departmental, and mentor team meetings.

Requirements

 Requirements and Qualifications

· Bachelor’s degree in music education or a related subject matter; master’s degree is preferred

· Minimum two years’ choral experience with high school students, preferably in a single-gender setting

· Experience teaching vocal performance is preferred

· Solid knowledge of the Catholic Mass and ability to select and play appropriate liturgical music

· A familiarity and competence in music technology skills; should be proficient with current educational technology and willing to develop skills in technology areas as needed

· Able to be flexible, helpful, patient, and creative

· A sound knowledge of current pedagogical theory and practice, and an eagerness to continue learning

· The ability to develop and implement an effective and engaging curriculum as a highly competent teacher

· Knowledge of adolescent development and effective classroom practice for the high school classroom

· The ability to build positive relationships with high school students and be a powerful student mentor 

· The ability to draw people in for collaboration, curriculum development, and problem-solving and be a trusted and sought-after colleague 

· A high-level of familiarity and competence across cultures and multiple perspectives

· A genuine understanding or willingness to learn/understand the culture, community, and the demands students feel on a daily basis

· The ability to differentiate classroom instruction for students with varied learning styles or specific learning challenges

· Superb communication skills, including excellent verbal/written skills, in order to collaborate with Student Support Team, parents, students, and faculty

· Strong people skills in order to be empathetic to the needs of the students and their parents

· A willingness to be an active, enthusiastic member of the Woodlands Academy community

· Completion of Virtus: Protecting God’s Children training

· Successful completion of criminal offender record information and sexual offender registry information checks.

An equal opportunity employer, Woodlands   Academy seeks to hire outstanding and diverse faculty who work together harmoniously toward the common mission of the school.

Please complete the application materials listed on the Employment web page of the school’s website at woodlandsacademy.org. All applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, three written references, and a Job Faculty Application. 

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is an all-girls, Catholic, college preparatory day and boarding school in Lake Forest, IL. Visit the school’s website at www.woodlandsacademy.org and the website of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools at www.sacredheartusc.edu.          

Why you should join our community:

• Make an impact on the lives of young women as a member of an enthusiastic and encouraging community of educators
• Thrive in a creative domain while pursuing professional passions in an environment committed to lifelong learning
• Engage in meaningful work in a secure workforce with colleagues who lift each other up
• Experience work-life balance in a compassionate workplace strengthened by generous time-off
• Woodlands Academy offers generous health/dental/vision plans, group life and long-term disability, voluntary life, and voluntary short-term disability plans, 403(b) with 5% contribution of annual salary, and flexible spending accounts (benefits for full-time employees working 30 hours per week only), tuition remission
• Special holiday breaks, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Spring Break
• Opportunities to volunteer

How to apply:

Please complete the application materials on our Employment page here. All applicants must apply with a cover letter, resume, and Personal Reflection on the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria. We also strongly suggest applicants submit three written references.

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is an all-girls, Catholic, college preparatory day and boarding school in Lake Forest, IL. Visit the school’s website at www.woodlandsacademy.org and the website of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools at www.sacredheartusc.education to learn more.

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Woodlands does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, religion*, marital status, color, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, veteran status, or being a member of the Reserves or National Guard, genetic information, physical or mental disability, or other characteristics or statues in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

*The School reserves the right to use religion as a hiring criterion for selected positions and nature of a school as a faith-based institution as permitted by law.