Middle School Music Teacher Job at NOVA Middle School in Olympia

NOVA Middle School, an independent school serving highly capable/gifted learners, is searching for an experienced musician to lead our band, choir, and strings program. In this part-time position, you’ll provide instruction and coaching to band and string musicians and vocalists. Our aspiring musicians are fans of all genres of music, especially music with harmony and a message. Their passion for music will inspire you. This position will be in the afternoons and includes monitoring a 30-minute daily lunch.

The successful candidate for this position will have both energy and openness, a steady demeanor, experience with middle school students, strong collaborative skills, knowledge about the development of gifted/highly capable learners, experience supporting a neurodiverse student community, and a commitment to integrating social-emotional development and DEI into the student experience. Your colleagues are skilled and passionate about their academic disciplines and interests and have a deep commitment to NOVA’s evolving program, core values, and mission. A sense of humor is a distinct advantage.

This part-time position is .5 FTE.

Core Responsibilities:

1. Manage, adapt, and implement the NOVA Music Program, including but not limited to the following:
1. Plan, deliver, and assess the differentiated music curriculum
2. Work with the NOVA faculty to integrate cross-curricular subjects into music
3. Set up and clean up the classroom before and after each music class
4. Assess student progress and contribute to progress reports
5. Establish and prepare school-wide and community opportunities to showcase student music
6. Integrate a vigorous social-emotional learning experience inclusive of:
7. Establishing positive and productive relationships, placing student success at the center of all decision-making
8. Nurturing musical thinkers who are empowered to face a complex world with creative and innovative ideas
9. Emphasizing clear, kind, and respectful communication to ensure safe physical and emotional environments within the class, the school, and the community at large
10. Utilizing the school-wide social-emotional frameworks to teach competencies and manage behavioral expectations
11. Advancing the school’s focus within the curriculum on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
2. Engage with students, faculty, staff, and administrators to create a community of learners
3. Seek opportunities for teaching and learning excellence
4. Respect the richness of diverse cultural values, beliefs, and practices of others
5. Undertake administrative duties efficiently and effectively including writing student reports, planning field trips, communicating with parents, setting up and maintaining an inviting music space, etc.
6. Commit to and participate in professional development, faculty and other meetings, collaboration, community events, committee work, and partnership with other faculty members on shared lessons/projects/activities
7. Fulfill the responsibilities outlined in the Master Teacher job description
8. Monitor lunch daily

Qualifications:

1. Ideal candidates have at least two years of experience teaching music, preferably to middle school-aged children
2. A passion for teaching, love of learning, and enthusiasm for collaboration along with a commitment to child-centered pedagogical practices with a healthy dose of fun
3. Proficiency with traditional and digital tools
4. Strong oral, written, and non-verbal communication, rooted in curiosity and conviction
5. Sustained commitment to the practices of self-reflection, collegiality, and professionalism
6. Demonstration of an explorer’s mentality with an appreciation for flexibility, experimentation, reconsideration, and good humor
7. A bachelor’s degree or music-related certificate and a teaching certificate are a plus, but not required.

Salary & Benefits

Salary Range:
$23,000-$28,000 depending on experience and degree. Paid time off and access to Employee Assistance Program.

Benefits include:
Employee Assistance Program
Paid time off

Qualified candidates must send their cover letter, resume, and 3-5 references. For questions, please contact Head of School Tiffany Price.