Middle School Performing Arts Teacher

Company Description

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing, public charter schools providing an outstanding K-12 education in historically under-resourced communities. We have proudly built schools that reflect our student population, with more than 60% of our teachers and staff across our network identifying as a person of color. Uncommon currently manages 53 schools serving more than 20,000 students in five cities: Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark, and Rochester. We are proud that Uncommon graduates persist in and graduate from college at five times the rate of their peers nationally. We achieve this by offering strong academic, co-curricular, and social-emotional learning that prepares students for success in college and beyond.

North Star Academy currently manages fourteen schools in Newark, NJ serving students in grades K through 12. We believe in strong authentic relationships between teachers and students, supported by effective school systems and an engaging instructional model that enables students to flourish academically and personally. North Star Academy is NJ's #1 highest performing public charter school and has served Newark families for over 20 years.

Job Description

Performing Arts Teachers at Uncommon Schools train communication skill through musical theatre. They hold responsibility for the implementation of Uncommon Schools’ performing arts curriculum and the success of its students. This performance-based program, which teaches during the school day, ensures that students perform multiple times annually. Our Performing Arts Mission Statement: Uncommon NSA-CP Performing Arts team is an inclusive collective of anti-racist artist activists, dedicated to closing the opportunity gap by training confident communicators through theatre, music, and dance. By building a comprehensive communication toolkit, scholars will be able to express their authentic unique voices with confidence, seize opportunity, choose their own path, and become agents of change.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

The Performing Arts teacher’s responsibilities fall under 3 categories: teaching, producing theatrical and community events and supporting/building the school culture.

Teaching:

• Teach Uncommon School’s Performing Arts musical theatre curriculum which involves music, acting and movement (at Uncommon Schools this curriculum is already planned and written, so teacher is responsible to implement it).
• Implement curricula and activities to meet grade level performing arts standards
• Collaborate with our Performing Arts Team in curriculum development process.

Producing:

• Direct and produce school productions annually (Community Circle, Latinx & Hispanic Show, Black History Show, Spring Musical and Moving Up Ceremony for every grade level annually)
• Adapt scripts annually
• Create or order costumes, sets, props when needed, assign costumes/adapt annually
• Supervise and craft production elements such as lights, sound, set.

School Culture and Daily School Activities:

• Produce and oversee the school’s Community Circle. This involves organizing all traffic patterns, chants, cheers, drummers, mascots, flags, working with principal to rehearse and prepare all students.
• Oversee breakfast for students daily, greeting students, visitors and assisting with the start of the day.
• Assisting around the school when not teaching if needed
• Share responsibility for grade-level and school-wide activities
• Commit to continual professional growth, participating actively in department meetings, faculty meetings, and other meetings if requested
• Participate in an annual three-week staff orientation and training in August

Writing:

• Occasionally crafting new performance content with PA team and Dean to add to shows, sharing across program.
• Supporting with creation of curriculum materials to be shared across program.

Qualifications

• Musical theater skills (singing, acting and moving) and ability to model all 3 content areas
• Some production skills preferred such as producing, playwriting, directing, or technical support.
• Evidence of self-motivation and willingness to be a team player.
• Bachelor’s degree is required with GPA 3.0 or higher.
• Musical theater skills (singing, acting and moving) and ability to model all 3 content areas
• Some production skills preferred such as producing, playwriting, directing, or technical support.
• Evidence of self-motivation and willingness to be a team player.
• Bachelor’s degree is required with GPA 3.0 or higher. 

Required Experience:

• Valid NJ Certification is helpful but not required.