Middle School Digital Arts Instructor

: Description:

At The Mount Vernon School, students are empowered to discover, explore, learn, design, create, and effect change. With a commitment to Identity, Diversity, Equity, and Action (IDEA), we welcome the opportunity to engage in honest, vulnerable, and courageous conversations that challenge our biases and assumptions. Our goal is to design a better world , so we choose to equip students with the knowledge, skills, attributes, and relationships they need to be impact-ready.

The Team

The Middle School Maker, Arts, Design & Engineering (MADE) Team work collaboratively to teach elements & principles of design through a project-based approach. Using the Studio Thinking Habits of Mind, young artists are encouraged to see how physical/visual elements can be made digital and how digital art can be printed, produced, and made physical. Students have opportunities to elect MADE courses that fit their curiosities and passions as they build a wide set of design skills to design human-centered solutions, communicate visually, enhance user experience (UX), and reveal creative potential/aptitude. As a member of the Arts+Design team, this person should also be a team player who is able to help with the Audio/Video components of live and recorded events and student-centered digital assets such as the school yearbook.

The Role

Mount Vernon seeks a digital arts instructor who has a passion for inspiring Middle School students to reach their creative potential. As we seek to prepare students for Upper School courses in Digital Design, Virtual Reality, Film, and User Experience Design, we would like to continue developing a Middle School program that gives students a foundation in principles of design, digital literacy, basics of film/photography, and other emerging technologies. The digital arts instructor has the opportunity to explore emerging technologies and leverage apps/equipment that will help Middle School students build skills in digital literacy/citizenship as well as the mindsets and habits to continue pursuing digital art forms and industries.

What a typical week looks like | Responsibilities

• Design and teach a variety of Middle School digital arts courses
• Lead/facilitate 1-2 extracurricular digital arts clubs
• Care and nurture for the social and emotional needs of each student
• Give regular feedback verbally and through the digital learning platform
• Serve as a member of the Yearbook Team and continue to MV Yearbook
• Develop common assessments and standards for digital competencies at the Middle School level
• Help execute technical elements of live events including weekly chapels, assemblies, and showcases
• Share digital arts opportunities with students and parents
• Collaborate with colleagues in lesson planning, weekly meetings, school-wide initiatives, and professional learning cohorts
• Execute additional faculty duties (e.g. lunch, enrichment, and carpool) and others as assigned

What we are looking for | Core Competencies

• Ability to cultivate respectful and affirming environments
• Culturally proficient & equity literate
• A track record of giving high-quality, Responsive Feedback
• Understanding of Competency-Based Assessment/Mastery Approach to Learning
• Use of Technology in Service of Learning
• Proficiency in MacBook, iPad, Adobe Suite & other digital tools/apps
• An innovative, future-focused learner

• Passion for teaching/working with Middle School students
• Bachelor's degree in education, digital art, or related field
• 3+ years of teaching experience
• Experience in a variety of digital skills sets (filmmaking, live audio, photography, graphic design, virtual reality, UX, etc)
• Strong character with an absolute drive for excellence, a team-oriented spirit, and a commitment to meeting the learning and social-emotional needs of students
• Industry experience (preferred)

The faculty and staff of The Mount Vernon School believe the fair and equitable treatment of employees is critical to fulfilling its mission and purpose. It is the policy of The Mount Vernon School is to conduct business and provide equal employment opportunity to all persons without regard to race, color, age, gender, religion, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws