Grade 5 - 8 Performing Arts Director

Job Title: Grade 5 - 8 Performing Arts Director, Ten month, Full-time, Salaried
Department: Middle School
Reports to: Middle School Head

Friends Community School (FCS), founded in 1986, is a progressive, co-ed Quaker K-8 school serving a diverse student body from the greater Washington, D.C. area. FCS’s LEED-certified building is situated on 17 acres surrounded by Greenbelt National Park, nine minutes from the University of Maryland, College Park, and thirty minutes from Washington, D.C.

Educators at FCS nurture lifelong learners, courageous risk takers, and joyous peacemakers through the expression of our commitments to Quakerism, Progressive Education, and diversity. Our curriculum engages students in the exploration of values rooted in our Quaker Heritage – equality, integrity, community, environmental stewardship, simplicity, and peaceful conflict resolution --from a range of perspectives.

Job Summary
The Middle School performing arts director will teach 5th - 8th performing arts classes and serve as an advisor to a group of students. The ideal candidate is skilled in teaching acting and stagecraft, has demonstrated experience directing middle school productions, and is familiar in basic technical theater. Candidates should be academically strong and dedicated to teaching a diverse group of students in a community that values intellectual pursuits, strong relationships, and spiritual development. The successful candidate will be cognizant of the special role a teacher has in the spiritual and religious development of youth, model critical inquiry and lifelong learning, and demonstrate integrity and fairness in all aspects of community life.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Lead 5th - 8th performing arts classes, as well as an advisory
- Plan and update engaging lessons and units of study that consider multiple learning styles and differences
- Work collaboratively with the Learning Specialist and grade-level colleagues to provide differentiated and interdisciplinary learning experiences for students
- Provide remediation and enrichment as needed
- Maintain regular communication with parents about class activities, topics of study, and special events through the class web page
- Plan, teach and prepare students for a 6th grade musical held in the Spring. This is largely the curriculum for 6th graders in performing arts.
- Plan, teach, and prepare students for a 7th grade play held in the spring.
- Teach one 7th and one 8th grade elective to a group of students.
Contribute to the FCS school-wide community
- Organize daily morning advisory activities
- Participate in weekly Meeting for Worship
- Facilitate non-violent conflict resolution
- Participate in scheduled school events such as parent-teacher conferences, Back-to-School Night, and field trips
- Attend major school-wide events including Fall Fair and the Spring Auction
Ensure communication across constituencies
- Work in partnership with all members of the teaching team and the administration
- Communicate proactively and responsively with individual families
- Complete all progress reports and student recommendations in a professional and timely manner, emphasizing the individual strengths and challenges for each student
- Write letters of recommendation
Continuously integrate the school’s commitment to Quakerism, Progressive Education, and Equity in your classroom
- Participate in weekly staff meetings
- Engage in continuous, ongoing professional development
- Collaborate with colleagues in professional learning communities
- Partner with a teacher in the lower school to facilitate cross divisional peer-to-peer relationships among middle and lower school students
- Other duties as assigned

Qualifications Desired and/or Required

Genuine love for children, especially middle schoolers
Bachelor’s degree (required)
Minimum of three years of classroom experience
Understanding of child development
Commitment to Progressive Education and to equity and inclusion
Knowledge of Quaker beliefs and practices
Experience integrating technology within the language arts curriculum
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Ability to collaborate with coworkers and other school community members

Commitment to Diversity
FCS is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive educational community and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or a person's status as a qualified candidate with a disability in administration of its educational program, admission policies, financial aid program, staff hiring, and other school-administered programs.

In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, we actively seek faculty and staff of varied backgrounds and encourage them to share their unique gifts to cultivate a rich educational experience. We strive to create a learning environment that exposes students to the value and breadth of differences, informs their perspective, and prepares them to shape the world.

Please send a cover letter, résumé, educational philosophy, and the names and contact information of three professional references to jobs@friendscommunityschool.org.

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