Elementary Visual Arts Teacher (26-27 SY)

Capital City is looking for innovative, experienced, and passionate teachers for the school year 2026-2027.

At Capital City, we challenge the status quo every day. Our staff are skilled, compassionate, solutions-oriented, and unwavering in their commitment to give children of all ages, all backgrounds, and all abilities the education they need to thrive. If you want to help prepare the next generation of changemakers, apply today!

Teaching roles are 10-month positions, which are exempt and therefore not eligible for overtime pay under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Why teach at Capital City?

• Work hard and achieve results, together! At Capital City, teachers work on collaborative teams that grapple with challenges, celebrate successes, and support and learn from one another.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords. We believe the diversity of our staff and the students we serve is our greatest asset. We take seriously the responsibility to achieve equity for our students and build a culture where staff engage in dialogue about race and work to build an inclusive culture.
• Invest in your own learning. Capital City prioritizes the professional growth and learning of our teachers through weekly internal professional development and opportunities to learn from experts around the country. Campus and school-wide leadership opportunities are available for teachers who want them.
• Make your classroom and curriculum your own. Our teachers value the autonomy they have at Capital City to design a curriculum that is dynamic, personal and exciting. There is a culture of innovation that is supported by Principals and Instructional Coaches.

Elementary Visual Arts Teacher at Capital City:

This is a 10-month position which is exempt and therefore not eligible for overtime pay under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The responsibilities of an Arts Teacher include:

Curriculum/Instruction

• Implement the principles and components of EL and the Responsive Classroom (LS) or Developmental Design (MS) models. Teachers at Capital City are expected to commit to learning these models.
• Teach weekly arts (visual arts, music, dance or drama) classes to students according to a schedule provided before the start of school.
• Plan challenging and engaging lessons and experiences for students to help students achieve content and curriculum standards. Ensure that lessons have multiple entry points and support structures so that students with different abilities and learning styles are successful.
• Work with inclusion staff to understand the needs and goals of students with Individual Education Plans(IEPs) and English Language Learners(ELLs). Differentiate instruction and provide accommodations and supports as needed. Actively seek to improve knowledge and skills to better address the needs of special education students and ELLs.
• In keeping with the CES principle “Student As Worker, Teacher As Coach”, utilize a workshop model as the main format for instructional time. Keep lecture-style lessons to a minimum.
• Work to help plan, develop and refine the arts curriculum to address the national arts core standards and motivate students to participate in the arts. Ensure the arts curriculum reflects the diversity of the student population and the importance of the arts in different cultures and time periods.
• MS: When possible, work with classroom teachers to support classroom expeditions, including authentic and well-designed projects. When possible, fieldwork, visiting experts and service opportunities should be included as well.
• Develop strong long-range plans including a curriculum map for the year. Provide plans to the Arts Director and Principal and share with other staff as needed. Provide students and their families with a semester-long course syllabus.
• When possible, work with teaching teams to plan projects and activities related to classroom learning expeditions.
• Incorporate diversity issues and multicultural content into instruction throughout the year in big and small ways. Ensure that all students see their culture(s) represented in curriculum and materials.
• Develop and revise clear criteria and standards for quality work and regularly examine student work to ensure that it meets increasingly higher standards of quality.
• Display student work documenting the process that went into creating the work. Involve students in developing and creating displays.
• Ensure students have regular opportunities to share their work with others through All School and grade level meetings, in-class and cross-campus sharings and other performances and showcases of work. Work with the arts team and/or teaching teams to plan exhibitions of student work.

Assessment

• Conduct ongoing assessment of student work using multiple assessment tools including anecdotal records, student performances, reflections, and performance assessments with rubrics as appropriate. Use assessment data to plan for instruction and to set short and long-range goals.
• Regularly analyze student data to improve instruction, insure equity and make program recommendations and improvements.
• Utilize assessment for learning strategies to engage students in assessing their own understanding and mastery. Involve students in creating and using Learning Targets, rubrics, and checklists for this purpose.
• Plan for the collection of portfolio items outlined in the criteria for portfolio collection established by the teaching staff. Support students in selecting and reflecting on arts pieces for their portfolio. Work with the teaching teams to coordinate the process.

Social Curriculum/School Culture

• Create and maintain a physically and emotionally safe environment for students. Communicate respectfully to students at all times. Model, practice and discuss respectful, unbiased and effective communication with students.
• Involve students in creating classroom rules. Establish and consistently apply logical consequences for not following them.
• Uphold and support the school-wide discipline policies. Document serious and less serious infractions to the policies and seek help and support from colleagues and administrators when discipline concerns arise.
• Engage students in age appropriate discussions of diversity. Use student observations, questions, actions and reactions as teachable moments to explore diversity.

Collaboration, Collegiality and Professionalism

• Attend weekly arts team meetings to coordinate the arts program. Attend regularly scheduled cross-campus arts team meetings.
• Communicate and plan regularly with teaching teams to best meet the needs of individual students and bring the arts into learning expeditions. Be available to meet with classroom teams on Expedition Planning Days.
• Seek information and support from the Director of Student Services to best support students in classes with special needs.
• Be on time for classes, duties, team meetings and professional development activities. Communicate about and plan for absences in advance with teaching teams, the Arts Director and the Principal.
• Seek to resolve conflicts with colleagues as soon as they arise. Seek support from the Arts Director, Principal or other administrators when needed.
• Make classes open to visits from other teachers, administrators, family members, prospective families and visitors to the school in ways that are not disruptive to student learning. Involve students in welcoming visitors and communicating about the program.

Professional Development

• Participate in weekly Professional Development Time (currently scheduled for Wednesdays, 1:30-4:15 pm) and contribute to sessions by sharing ideas and student work, offering feedback, and facilitating some sessions or discussions.
• Participate in peer observation using protocols established and agreed upon by staff.
• Participate in a Summer Professional Development Institute held two weeks before students return.
• Set professional development goals with the Arts Director. Annually seek out opportunities for professional development that will lead to achieving goals.

Parent Communication and Involvement

• Work with other arts teachers to communicate with parents about the arts program.
• Complete progress reports for students as required for specific campus (LS, MS, HS) using the reporting procedures agreed upon by the teaching staff and the principal. Collaborate as needed with other teachers.
• Meet with parents as requested to share information about student progress.
• Contact parents immediately when concerns arise about student performance or work completion.
• Involve parent volunteers in the classroom in ways that meet the needs of the class and utilize the strengths, talents, and interests of volunteers.
• Support parents in understanding the instructional approach at Capital City through regular communication. Assist with planning and facilitating of parent workshops, when needed (annually for LS, occasionally for MS and HS).

Other Professional Responsibilities

• Seek arts partnerships that will benefit the students and the school.
• Attend and participate in school events. Teachers are asked to attend at least two community meetings or events per year(note: one of these may be the parent workshop that the teacher helps lead.)
• Check voicemail and email daily and respond promptly to requests from parents, administrators and colleagues.
• Supervise students during lunch and recess times according to an agreed upon schedule.
• Sign-in daily and keep up to date attendance sheets for tracking leave.

Capital City seeks to employ experienced, credentialed teachers. Ideal candidates have a Master’s degree and 3+ years of full-time teaching experience.

Minimum required qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and at least one of the following:

• A major in education or field of instruction or equivalent 30 semester hours of credit
• District of Columbia teaching license in field of instruction
• Two years of verifiable teaching experience as a teacher of record
• One year as a support teacher at Capital City and enrollment in a teacher education or certification program

Additionally strong candidates have:

• Experience working in urban environments with diverse populations
• Strong knowledge of pedagogy and experience teaching in a constructivist way
• Proven ability to work as a member of a team
• Strong leadership capabilities
• A commitment to their own learning and development
• A commitment to meeting the needs of a diverse population
• Spanish language proficiency

In addition to the above requirements, teachers must meet the requirements of all hires at Capital City including a criminal background check.

About Our School

Capital City was founded in 2000 and currently serves a diverse population of nearly 1,000 students across PK-12th grade. We have been recognized as a model for social, emotional and academic development. Our program emphasizes a commitment to diversity and equity, a strong inclusion model and the integration of arts into the curriculum. We are a credentialed EL Education Mentor School (https://eleducation.org/) in the national network of over 150 schools. Through this model, teachers craft long-term learning expeditions that connect learning to the real-world and incorporate projects, research, fieldwork, and service to support students in meeting rigorous standards. Learn more at www.ccpcs.org.

Capital City is an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, marital status, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected status. All employment decisions will be made solely on the basis of the individual's qualifications as related to the requirements of the position being filled.

Capital City offers a competitive salary and benefits package. Learn more about our salary and benefits: bit.ly/Salary_Benefits

• Competitive compensation. At Capital City, salaries compensate for experience and qualifications. Teacher salaries are benchmarked regularly against area school districts and other charters. Teachers know how their salary is calculated and what to expect year-to-year.
• Benefits. Capital City invests in a comprehensive benefits package to support the happiness and well-being of staff at all stages of career and life. Benefits include 100% of health insurance covered for full-time employees, up to 6% in retirement contributions, preferred student admission for children of staff living in DC, and support for you and your family when needed.

Spanish is preferred