High School Visual 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

High School Teachers hold the primary responsibility for the implementation and development of Uncommon’s curriculum and the success of its students.

Therefore, Uncommon Schools seeks teachers who are committed to continuously improving curriculum and instruction through collaboration as part of a grade level and school team.

We are seeking teachers for the following subject areas :

Visual Arts : we are seeking a high school art teacher to oversee basic, intermediate and advanced art classes for teenage students.

These courses would include basic drawing, painting and ceramics projects that allow participants to build a portfolio of work.

The curriculum should also include art history lessons and critical thinking skills. This is a newly created position due to high student demand.

Responsibilities

Instruction :

• You’ll teach all Visual Arts based content.
• You’ll implement curricula and activities to meet academic standards.
• You’ll design and implement assessments that measure progress towards academic standards.
• You’ll use assessment data to refine curriculum and inform instructional practices.
• You’ll participate in collaborative curriculum development, grade-level activities, and school-wide functions.
• You’ll provide consistent rewards and / or consequences for student behavior.
• You’ll be accountable for students’ mastery of academic standards.

School Culture and Daily School Activities :

• You’ll build positive relationships with students to ensure they feel seen, loved, and heard.
• You’ll partner with students’ families to ensure appropriate resources are available to support their child's learning needs.
• You'll engage in practice-based professional development, mentorship, and coaching sessions.
• You’ll support morning arrival, lunch duty, student assemblies, class transitions, and after-school dismissal.

Qualifications

• A commitment to the mission of Uncommon Schools and investment in our vision for being an anti-racist organization
• A demonstrated commitment to supporting students’ social emotional and academic development
• An enthusiasm for collaborating with internal and external partners in the best interest of students
• A passion for Visual Arts and an ability to provide individual and small group instruction
• A self-directed learner who solicits and implements feedback to improve outcomes and achieve objectives
• Required Experience :
• A minimum of 2 years of combined experience with Visual Arts
• Prior to the start of employment, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Teacher certification is not a prerequisite for consideration at Uncommon Schools in the state of NJ, but you do need to meet NJ state certification eligibility requirements (a final undergraduate or graduate cumulative GPA of 3.

0 for graduates on or after 9 / 1 / 16, or 2.75 if you graduated prior to 9 / 1 / 16). All instructional staff are required to become certified in the state of New Jersey within a reasonable period after beginning employment.

Additional Information

Our people are what makes us Uncommon. We believe our compensation philosophy and benefits should reflect our values equity, transparency, and clarity to enhance our ability to attract and retain talent and reward their expertise.

Our staff receive best-in-class training, coaching, and support to develop and operate mission-driven schools that provide a high-quality education to our students and families.

Compensation for this position : The starting compensation for this role based in Newark is between $59,000 to $83,000. The starting pay will depend on various factors that may include but are not limited to professional experience, education, training, certifications, tenure with Uncommon Schools, and work location.

Because we value staff tenure in each role, we do not currently cap salary ranges. Please note : ranges may differ for staff who work from a location other than Newark..

Benefits : We offer comprehensive, flexible, and competitive benefits that support the personal health, wellness, and finances of our staff and their families.

Uncommon believes in the importance of being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization that enables our students and staff to thrive.

We are committed to building an exceptional team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. We also strive to ensure an inclusive community by creating a space for meaningful dialogue about issues of race and identity for our staff and students.

As an equal opportunity employer, Uncommon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions.

If you would like to request an accommodation, please email recruitment@uncommonschools.org .