Website The Girls' Middle School
NOTE: This is a 75% position with a 1-year duration to cover a medical leave of absence.
The Girls’ Middle School
Imagine a school where each day is alive with learning and the spirit of adventure. Since its founding in 1998, The Girls’ Middle School (GMS) has been committed to progressive education and innovative programming, meeting the needs of a wide range of middle school students who make up our vibrant, inclusive community. Our project-based curriculum encourages creative problem-solving, collaborative teamwork, and independent thought. GMS educates girls* during a pivotal time in their lives. Students develop self-knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills supported by a staff highly attuned to their changing emotional and social needs. GMS encourages girls to find their voices, take risks, and become self-reliant. Learn more about GMS: www.girlsms.org and https://youtu.be/SatUBcjwkxA?feature=shared
*At GMS, “girls” refers to cis girls, trans girls, non-binary youth, gender non-conforming youth, gender queer youth, and any girl-identified youth.
Mission
The Girls’ Middle School educates girls at a crucial time in life. We create an inclusive environment where academic growth is nourished. A GMS girl discovers her strengths and expresses her voice while respecting the contributions of others.
The Position
The Girls’ Middle School is seeking a passionate middle school educator to teach art to four sections of 8th graders and collaborate with the 8th grade team and art department. There are additional opportunities to serve in other meaningful roles with students and participate in a range of activities that support GMS’s innovative and engaging programming.
Teaching at GMS
At the core of GMS is our extraordinary faculty. Every teacher at GMS has a passion for working with middle school girls and believes in the fundamental value of the middle school experience. They are attentive to, value, and support every student in the school. The GMS teachers are middle school specialists and subject matter experts, bringing passion to their work and sharing it with the students. Whatever interests a GMS student – from physics to programming, sculpture to skateboarding, musical theatre to metal shop – there is an adult ready to help them advance that interest as far as they can go.
Teaching at GMS means participating in a joyful, inclusive, and respectful community of students and adults. You will be surrounded by passionate, mission-driven faculty who appreciate autonomy in creating learning experiences while thriving in a collaborative environment. Our teachers enjoy opportunities to create multi-faceted, interdisciplinary projects and participate in fun field trips and travel experiences.
Art at The Girls’ Middle School
The GMS art curriculum builds a foundation in a variety of approaches and artistic media over a student’s three years. Starting with basic materials and principles, all students discover and develop their own unique artistic expression. When a student leaves GMS, they have worked in a variety of two and three-dimensional media, including drawing, painting, sculpting, woodworking, metalworking, photography, and digital art.
The eighth-grade curriculum is a culmination of the students’ experiences. Having built their foundational skills, students explore essential questions such as “What is art?,” “Who makes art?,” and “Who are you as an artist?” Students explore these questions by using the art of others as inspiration, creating graffiti and street art, photography, digital media production, and independent projects.
The philosophy of the GMS art department is that making art is a joyful activity and that adolescence is an important time for students to develop their image of themself as an artist. At GMS, we do not give letter grades, choosing instead to engage in regular critiques throughout the semester, giving the students the opportunity to practice critical viewing skills, as well as get comfortable hearing feedback about their own work. As they participate in discussions about what they see, what they like and what moves them in the work of their peers, the students gain a sophisticated sense of being educated consumers and creators of art. Narrative reports are provided at the end of each quarter.
Key Qualifications
- Teaching experience with middle school students preferred
- Undergraduate degree
Skills & Qualities
- Commitment to experiential, project-based learning, narrative assessment, and other progressive pedagogies
- Enthusiasm for the values and mission of The Girls’ Middle School
- Demonstrated skill designing equitable and inclusive educational experiences and learning environments that incorporate themes of diversity and belonging
- Ability to manage and leverage parent volunteers in and out of the classroom
- Openness to feedback and a growth mindset
- Eagerness and ability to work in a highly collaborative environment
- Passion for supporting girls in discovering their strengths and finding their voice
- A sense of humor and love for the middle-school age
- Excellent organizational and communication skills
Equity, inclusion, and belonging are at the heart of our mission. The Girls’ Middle School was founded on the core belief that diverse and inclusive communities are strong communities. We are committed to creating a school culture that welcomes all aspects of each individual’s identity. We welcome applications from those with experience outside the educational field. We are actively seeking individuals who value equitable education and are committed to fostering an environment of belonging for our diverse student body.
The Girls’ Middle School is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its hiring and promotion process without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, partnership status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital, parental or familial status, national origin, ethnicity, veteran or military status, age, disability, or any other legally protected basis.
The candidate must be authorized to work in the United States. GMS does not support applications for work visas.
Compensation and Benefits:
- Qualifies for our Comprehensive Employee Health Benefits (full medical, dental & vision coverage)
- Retirement matching
- Access to engaging and personalized professional development
- The Girls’ Middle School uses a competitive salary scale. At 75%, the salary for this position ranges from $57,000 to $98,000, commensurate with experience.
