Music Teacher - High School

Overview

At BAHS, we are looking for teachers who are passionate about their academic discipline and personally driven by the academic achievement of their students. Ascend teachers hold exceptionally high intellectual expectations of their students and create a culture of joyful academic discovery in their rooms. Their aim is to ignite intellectual curiosity in their students and build their academic knowledge and confidence in preparation for four-year colleges. They are vigilant in ensuring that all tasks placed before their students are rigorous and, without exception, reflect the school’s aspirations of academic excellence.

We are passionate about performing arts teachers who are fired up about their lessons—who want to spend their time discussing, preparing, and immersing themselves in the rich content they teach. We value teachers who truly listen to what students are saying—who create a space for students to think their way through to answers, and who praise their insights and curiosities along the way. We value educators with a hunger for feedback and professional growth, and a dedication to excellence.

Our teachers know that a strong culture that respects and motivates students relies on excellent academic teaching in every room. We believe in restorative practices and teach students to resolve conflicts on their own, understand the impact of their actions, and acknowledge responsibility to the school community. We believe that a true liberal arts education – which fosters and prizes critical thinking and independence of thought—cannot be joined to a no-excuses culture that emphasizes silence and compliance. We prepare students for success in college and in life by fostering agency—our students’ confidence that they are in control of their own lives and can act of their own free choices. Discover more about BAHS.

Responsibilities

The performing arts teacher will develop an innovative performing arts curriculum bridging our liberal arts approach to teach engaging lessons that promote student voice and autonomy. Additionally, the high school performing arts teacher will:

• Use formal and informal assessment data to drive instruction and ensure student mastery of standards
• Build a warm and inclusive classroom environment, implementing restorative practices.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with students and families
• Actively participate in grade-level meetings, collaborative planning, and professional development, including an annual summer institute
• Accept ultimate responsibility for the academic progress of his or her students, and work actively to overcome setbacks

Staff and Reporting Relationships

The performing arts teacher reports to the department head and works closely with the school’s culture team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree and certification preferred but not required
• Two years of teaching experience, preferably in an urban school setting and in the subject to be taught
• A record of producing strong student achievement gains, as evidenced by test score outcomes
• The ability to create a classroom environment where students are academically engaged and challenged and feel safe and supported
• Passion and commitment to urban education and our goal of closing the achievement gap
• An entrepreneurial, flexible mindset, with experience in start-up or founding environments preferred

Our Commitment to Diversity:

Ascend is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, both through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and educating students. Ascend staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities—opening a window to the entire Ascend community on the richness of humanity. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our deeply consequential work.

Compensation:

Initial salary offers for this position range from $60,000-$90,000. Salaries are determined using an equitable compensation scale that accounts for years of experience and levels of attained education.

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