Our Mission
High Meadow School is a nursery through 8th-grade independent school that celebrates childhood, the joy of learning and play, and the power of community in a student-centered environment. We honor and welcome each child’s unique voice, identity, and approach to constructing knowledge. Drawing on current pedagogical research, we center diversity, equity, civic engagement, nature, and the arts in the school’s dynamic curriculum and culture. High Meadow students graduate with a strong academic foundation and a developed sense of self, ready to contribute their passions and values to building thriving, sustainable, and equitable communities.
Job Description
The Dance and Theater Teacher at High Meadow School is an integral part of the school’s Arts and Recreation program. They are key facilitators in guiding our students to cultivate the understanding that art making is innately driven and part of the human experience across history and cultures, and establishing a lifelong connection with the arts.
The Dance and Theater Teacher’s role will be multifaceted across our school’s Nursery through Eighth Grade program. They will work with our nursery through pre-k students to create playful learning experiences where our youngest learners discover how their bodies can move, establish a mind-body connection, and begin to explore structured and coordinated movement, both individually and as part of a group. Between grades K and 3, the Dance and Theater teacher will bridge the foundations of embodied movement developed in Nursery and Pre-K with early theatrical skills, continuing to learn technique while connecting dance to expressing emotions, building stage presence, coordinating movements with song and voice, and developing characters to tell stories with their actions and words. As students progress through upper elementary school and middle school, the Dance and Theater teacher will guide learners in exploring dance genres more deeply, choreographing pieces, and observing dance within historical, social, and cultural contexts.
The Dance and Theater teacher is an excellent collaborator and works with the school’s lead teachers as well as members of the arts and recreation team to find embedded and cross-curricular connections with dance. They are skilled at designing and documenting standards-based curriculum, planning studies with end goals in mind, and finding meaningful ways for students to culminate dance units and share their learning with their families and other community members through performances throughout the year.
Essential Duties
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. High Meadow School complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable New York State or local laws. Consistent with those requirements, High Meadow School will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability if such accommodation would allow the individual to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of the job, unless doing so would create an undue hardship.
- Build a warm, equitable, and student-centered classroom environment.
- Establish warm and trusting relationships with students.
- Create a welcoming, equitable, and supportive learning environment for all students.
- Maintain an organized, clean, and inviting dance classroom that provides structure and predictability to students.
- Actively engage students in their learning using inquiry-based approaches, giving children choice and agency within the dance and theater program.
- Design, document, and teach a cohesive standards-based dance program for students from nursery through 8th grade.
- Teach a middle school elective (grades 6-8) each trimester.
- Differentiate instruction, modify the learning environment, and provide accommodations for students who have Individualized Education Plans or 504 Plans.
- Assess and report on student progression toward dance standards using a variety of methods.
- Link elements of theater and dance for students in grades kindergarten through third grade, continuing to teach dance technique while connecting it to expressing emotions, building stage presence, coordinating movements with song and voice, and developing characters to tell stories with their actions and words.
- Incorporate developmentally-appropriate practices that build and positively impact students’ physical, cognitive, and social-emotional growth.
- Plan culminating experiences for students to share and celebrate their dance and theater skills with other members of the community, including peers, family members, and other teachers.
- Collaborate with lead teachers and members of the Arts and Recreation team to communicate about students, share best practices, find curricular connections, and host schoolwide arts events.
- Collaborate with and utilize the school’s assistant teachers to create a supportive learning environment in the dance and theater studio.
- Regularly communicate dance curriculum and student progress to families through monthly Arts and Recreation newsletters.
- Communicate with families on an as-needed basis on individual student progress and behavior support methods.
- Utilize the school’s communications platforms, such as Konstella and Vidigami, to post pictures and send updates about arts classes.
- Other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Work Details
- This is a part -time, 10-month position
- This position functions onsite 4 days a week
- The physical demands of this job include participating in a variety of sports and physical movement activities, running, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, crouching, reaching overhead, and/or climbing ramps or stairs
- The job is performed in a generally hazard-free environment
Requirements and Desired Qualifications*
*Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of the qualifications described.
- Bachelor’s degree required; master's degree in dance or theater preferred
- New York State Teaching certification in related field required
- At least 3 years of experience teaching dance and/or theater to a range of age groups
- Educational philosophy aligns with the High Meadow School mission and core beliefs
- Commitment to a school environment that empowers children to participate in decision-making and make choices in their own learning
- Belief in student-centered, restorative discipline approaches
- Able to genuinely project the High Meadow School image and culture by being genuinely friendly, deeply hospitable, showing great care, and taking pride in providing exceptional education
- Commitment to culturally responsive and anti-racist teaching practices
- Ability to craft an inclusive, equitable classroom environment that honors student voice and choice
- Experience designing, documenting, implementing, and assessing standards-based dance and theater experiences for children
- Familiarity with the New York City Blueprints for Teaching and Learning in the Arts
- Ability to envision and move the curriculum toward authentic culminating experiences within a set period of time
- Excellent intrapersonal and communication skills that lead to effective collaboration and partnership with children, families, and colleagues
- Expertise in learning and using digital platforms, such as G Suite, Slack, and Microsoft Office, to communicate with the school community and document curriculum
- Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and judgment regarding privileged information
- We are an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability status.
Pay: $20,000.00 - $35,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
Work Location: In person
