Art and Instructional Support Teacher

Mission Statement: St. James is a faith-based educational community deeply rooted in transformative loving relationships.

Vision Statement: A world without inequities.

Values Statement:

St. James…

Believes … that every person is a child of God

Recognizes … that every moment is an opportunity for learning

Understands … the value of listening, discerning, and growing together

Strives … to create disruptive change around educational, wealth, health, and other disparities

Honors … the dignity of every human person

Partners with … other advocates for social justice

About St. James School:

St. James is a faith-based educational community deeply rooted in transformative loving relationships.

The School serves students and families who are most in need, providing a full scholarship to every student. Students benefit from small class sizes, an extended day, robust music programs, extensive social-emotional support, and 11-month school year (Sept. - July).

The Graduate Support Program is a lifelong commitment to every child. It prepares students for future success and supports them along the way – through high school, college, careers, and beyond.

The Welcome Table designs community actions and creates spaces for members of the school and broader community to access essential needs and experience a community of sharing.

The Church of St. James the Less seeks to be a place to encounter God, build community and grow personally with weekly mass and worship services.

Commitment to Anti-Racism Education:

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

St. James School is committed to partnering with others to dismantle systemic racism and to build an antiracist multicultural diversity within our school community and beyond. Through teaching a more complete and unbiased history, St. James School will arm students, graduates and employees with the tools and knowledge to better engage in complex issues like systemic racism and privilege and to hopefully solve them rather than contribute to them.

Benefits of role for St. James School students:

The unique circumstances and needs of our students (African American, low art exposure, economically disadvantaged area). Key things students could benefit from learning:

1. Expression and Creativity: Encouraging students to express themselves creatively through various art forms, allowing them to explore and discover their unique talents and interests.

1. Cultural Awareness: Introducing students to diverse art forms and artists from different cultures and backgrounds, helping them appreciate and understand the rich tapestry of human creativity. Students seeing representation.

1. Self-Confidence: Building students' confidence by providing opportunities for them to showcase their artwork and receive positive feedback and encouragement from peers and teachers.

1. Problem-Solving Skills: Teaching students to think critically and solve artistic challenges, fostering resilience and adaptability in the face of obstacles.

1. Art Appreciation: Helping students develop an appreciation for different styles, periods, and movements in art history, exposing them to a wide range of artistic experiences and perspectives.

1. Community Engagement: Engaging students in art projects that address social issues or contribute to the local community, empowering them to make a positive impact through their creativity.

1. Technical Skills: Providing instruction in basic artistic techniques and mediums, equipping students with the technical skills needed to bring their creative visions to life.

1. Collaboration: Fostering a sense of collaboration and teamwork by encouraging students to work together on group art projects, promoting communication, cooperation, and mutual respect.

1. Coping Mechanisms: Art serving as a therapeutic outlet for students facing challenges in their personal lives. Teaching them how to use art as a means of self-expression and emotional processing.

1. Career Opportunities: Introducing students to potential career paths in the arts, such as graphic design, illustration, photography, or art education, opening their eyes to future possibilities and aspirations.

The goal: developing a lifelong appreciation for art while nurturing their creativity, self-confidence, and sense of belonging.

Responsibilities/Initiatives and Partners:

The Welcome Table

An arts education “coordinator”- someone to work with all the different populations (students, neighbors, etc.) designing projects with all groups

• Classes for adults, senior citizens, family opportunities

School House

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Plan and teach art lessons to grades 4-8 two times a week (10 lessons)
• “AP” type of art enrichments (identify arts for future HS opportunities/work/job)
• Graduate support art mentoring (intergenerational engagement)
• Coordinate and plan cross curricular lessons with fellow instructional staff members
• Serving as an expert in residence for fellow staff members to help bolster instruction in non-art courses (ELA, Social Studies, Math, Science)
• Coordinating a yearly Art show for students, families and neighbors to highlight their creations
• Hosting after school enrichments to develop small, tight knit art communities.
• Types of art to expose kids to:
• Sculpture
• Painting
• Technology-related art - graphic design, etc
• Printmaking
• Fashion-related? Designing and making clothes
• Other types of design…. Interior design?

Liaison with local art museums / field trips: PAFA, PMA, Barnes, Rodin Museum, etc…

Community Partners

Collaborate with local agencies to promote art education beyond the St. James campus and beyond a traditional K-8 Art classroom curriculum. Coordinate field trips to off campus agencies and invite agencies to campus for partnership and projects as part of an intergenerational” approach to art (St. James School students, St. James graduates, RAH community members, etc…). For example, Asian Arts Initiative, Village of Arts and Humanities, Fresh Artists, Clay Studio, Claymobile, Mural Arts, Tyler School of Art, and more.

Qualifications

• Master’s, Bachelor’s, or Associate’s Degree (education degree preferred) or commensurate experience and/or certification in the arts or education field
• Middle School Teaching Experience preferred
• Desire to work in a small school community that values hard work and long hours
• FBI, Child Abuse and PA Criminal Clearances

Requirements:

• Arrives at school by 8:30 am each morning and has teaching responsibilities until 5:00 pm on Monday through Thursday. Friday arrival by 7:30 am and having teaching responsibilities until 4:15.
• Uses authentic and varied forms of assessment
• Teaches 4 days of Saturday school per school year
• Communicates often with parents/guardians, especially about student success
• Schedules and attends parent/guardian conferences and home visits
• Identifies student needs and cooperates with other professional staff members ( counselors, teachers, nurse, chaplain, support staff ) in a one team effort to assess and help students reach success
• Disciplines effectively, compassionately and consistently
• Teachers are encouraged to serve on school committees/groups (e.g. School Culture Committee, Racial Equity Team, Student Services Team, Talent Recruitment Advisory Committee, Faculty Staff Choir, etc…)
• Required to attend school wide events, including, but not limited to: Board Meet & Greet, Fall Staff Retreat, All Saint's Day Full School Mass, Thanksgiving Family Feast, Advent Family Event, Christmas Mass, Epiphany Mass, MLK Day of Service, Absalom Jones Mass, Ash Wednesday Service, Palm "Sunday" Mass, Maundy Thursday Mass, Good Friday Service, Easter Mass Monday, Feast of St. James the Less, Pentecost Mass, Baccalaureate, Commencement, Staff Retreat, and all weekly Masses (majority of these are during the school day)

Salary: $50,000 to $60,000, based on experience

Employee Benefits:

• St. James School offered competitive salaries that are based on experience and qualifications
• Medical/Prescription/Dental/Eye Care Insurance Coverage through a group health maintenance organization (HMO) health insurance plan (PAISBOA HBT); St. James covers 95% of premium, with employee covering remaining 5%
• Defined Contribution Plan through The Church Pension Fund; St. James contributes a minimum of 5% of annual salary and potentially as much as 9%, based on level of employee contribution
• Life Insurance through The Church Life Insurance Corporation valued at 2Xs employees annual salary; St. James covers 100% of premium
• Fertility & Family-Forming Support Benefit through Maven
• Mental Health Supports through PAISBOA HBT
• Available Professional Development and Continuing Education funds
• Available Interest-Free Hardship Loans (after one year of service)
• Available Tuition expense coverage, for qualifying courses of study (with dollar limits and after one year of service)
• Paid breaks and holidays include Labor Day, Thanksgiving (3.5 days), Christmas break and New Year’s Day, President's Day (2 days), Spring Break (1 week), Memorial Day (2 days), June Break (1 week) and August Break (3 weeks)
• Health & Wellness paid time off
• Wellness Benefit covers expenses for gym membership (Kroc Center, Philadelphia or Planet Fitness)
• Spiritual and Religious resources (e.g. spiritual direction, theological study, school and community masses, community building)
• Free Lunch Benefit available daily as part of the School’s school-wide community lunch program

Application Requirements:

Qualified candidates should send a resume, cover letter and salary requirements for consideration to Sarah Carroll, Asst. Principal at scarroll@stjamesphila.org. We regret that we cannot respond to every applicant. Only those of interest will be contacted.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

St. James School is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. St. James School seeks to have the best available person in every job. St. James School policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex, marital status, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment. All unlawful discrimination is expressly prohibited.

Employee Benefits:

• St. James School offered competitive salaries that are based on experience and qualifications
• Medical/Prescription/Dental/Eye Care Insurance Coverage through a group health maintenance organization (HMO) health insurance plan (PAISBOA HBT); St. James covers 95% of premium, with employee covering remaining 5%
• Defined Contribution Plan through The Church Pension Fund; St. James contributes a minimum of 5% of annual salary and potentially as much as 9%, based on level of employee contribution
• Life Insurance through The Church Life Insurance Corporation valued at 2Xs employees annual salary; St. James covers 100% of premium
• Fertility & Family-Forming Support Benefit through Maven
• Mental Health Supports through PAISBOA HBT
• Available Professional Development and Continuing Education funds
• Available Interest-Free Hardship Loans (after one year of service)
• Available Tuition expense coverage, for qualifying courses of study (with dollar limits and after one year of service)
• Paid breaks and holidays include Labor Day, Thanksgiving (3.5 days), Christmas break and New Year’s Day, President's Day (2 days), Spring Break (1 week), Memorial Day (2 days), June Break (1 week) and August Break (3 weeks)
• Health & Wellness paid time off
• Wellness Benefit covers expenses for gym membership (Kroc Center, Philadelphia or Planet Fitness)
• Spiritual and Religious resources (e.g. spiritual direction, theological study, school and community masses, community building)
• Free Lunch Benefit available daily as part of the School’s school-wide community lunch program