Curtis is seeking an elementary Art Associate Teacher to join a team-oriented, inclusive, and professional learning community. Curtis School is a DK-6 co-ed elementary school whose mission is to “develop, in every child, a sound mind in a sound body, governed by a compassionate heart.” 

We place an equal emphasis on academic, physical, social-emotional, and character education and instill a growth mindset modeled by faculty and staff who are the best in their craft. The Upper Elementary Art Associate Teacher will be responsible for supporting the Lead Teacher in maintaining a positive and creative learning environment for students in the art classrooms.

A successful candidate will work closely with the Lead Teacher and other colleagues, under the supervision of the Director of Upper Elementary, to build an engaging curriculum that fulfills Curtis’s mission and values. The Art Associate Teacher will spend a portion of their time teaching, with guidance and support from the Lead Teacher. In addition, the Art Associate Teacher will enhance the instruction provided by the Lead Teacher by assisting in whole-group formats and working with students in small groups or one-on-one. 

Curtis School is fully committed to a diverse faculty and student body. The candidate should possess an abundance of respect and sensitivity around racial, ethnic, socio-economic, and all differences. 

The visual arts program at Curtis focuses on innovation while also developing students’ skills in the use of art materials and in methods of creative expression. The visual arts program utilizes four specialized rooms for art, engineering, and ceramics in the school’s new Collaborative Learning and Innovation Center (CLIC). The Associate Art Teacher helps create and implement a dynamic and engaging visual arts program that nurtures 4th-6th grade students’ creativity, curiosity, and self-expression. This teacher works with the Lead Teacher to create a classroom environment in which students build foundational skills while also developing an understanding of how those skills can be applied in the real world. The ideal candidate will design projects and  seek opportunities for young creators to find their own voice, experiment, and develop curiosity and resilience.

Duties and Responsibilities

Include, but are not limited to: 

• Embracing Curtis School’s Mission, Vision, Purpose, Values, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement
• Collaborating with the Lead Teacher to maintain the classroom environment (e.g., organizing and prepping materials, maintaining inventory of student work, managing the classroom) 
• Supervising children during morning breaks, lunch periods, recess, and afternoon dismissal/carpool
• Substituting for the Lead Teacher, when necessary 
• Collaborating and communicating openly with the Lead Teacher regarding classroom responsibilities, delivery of curriculum, and individual student and parent needs

• Collaborating with the visual arts team to design and implement a developmentally appropriate visual arts curriculum for students in Grades 4-6
• Creating fun and innovative projects that encourage students to solve problems and express personal perspectives
• Introducing students to a diverse range of artists, cultures, artistic traditions, methods, practices, and mediums
• Maintaining a safe and inclusive classroom environment
• Assessing student progress and providing constructive feedback
• Organizing displays of student artwork, exhibitions, and school art events
• Managing and maintaining art supplies and equipment
• Collaborating with teachers in other departments/subject-areas on interdisciplinary projects
• Attending Back-to-School Night, Open House, faculty workshop days, grade-level and division meetings, relevant all-school events, and all mandatory professional development 

A successful candidate will:

• Have a bachelor’s degree in Art, Art Education, or a related field. (Applicants with a master's degree or who are enrolled in a master’s program and those who have completed a teacher credentialing program are strongly encouraged to apply.)
• Understand the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in education
• Have experience working with elementary school-aged children
• Have experience working in a team or group environment and approach their work with a collaborative mindset
• Have strong classroom management and communication skills.
• Possess excellent interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to collaborate with students, colleagues, and parents
• Have a broad interest in diverse art, design, and construction principles, as well as knowledge of different methods, mediums, and fundamentals of art and artistic expression
• Have a passion for supporting creativity and exploring with young learners
• Be flexible about working conditions, including working outdoors, and able to regularly sit, stand, walk, use hands, reach with arms, talk and hear, occasionally lift and move projects around the campus
• Continually seek professional growth and development

Provide a small portfolio of personal creative work with examples of projects that show a variety of skills and competencies. (Applicants with previous teaching experience are also welcome to show examples of student work created through projects the applicant has designed or directed.)

About Curtis School

Curtis School is an independent, DK-6 coeducational day school, located on a spacious 27-acre campus in the Mulholland Corridor of the Santa Monica Mountains. Curtis has 492 students and 68 faculty members. Curtis is a family school of happy children, enthusiastic teachers, supportive administrators, and active parent volunteers. Working together in a warm, nurturing environment, we pursue our educational goal of "a sound mind in a sound body governed by a compassionate heart". The School just celebrated its 90th anniversary and appointed its Head of School, Meera Ratnesar.

Connections working at Curtis School