Elementary School Dance Teacher (SY 21-22)

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing, public charter schools providing an outstanding K-12 education in historically under-resourced communities. We have proudly built schools that reflect our student population, with more than 60% of our teachers and staff across our network identifying as a person of color. Uncommon currently manages 55 schools serving more than 21,000 students in six cities: Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark, Rochester, and Troy. We are proud that Uncommon graduates persist in and graduate from college at five times the rate of their peers nationally. We achieve this by offering strong academic, co-curricular, and social-emotional learning that prepares students for success in college and beyond.

Uncommon Schools in Brooklyn currently manages twenty four schools serving students in grades K through 12. We believe in strong authentic relationships between teachers and students, supported by effective school systems and an engaging instructional model that enables students to flourish academically and personally. Our students in Brooklyn have an impressive 99% college acceptance rate.

Uncommon Elementary Dance Teachers foster a love for learning in every student. Our Dance program is culturally-responsive, fast-paced, and fun—with plenty of movement/dancing, and singing in every lesson. Teachers cultivate communication skills and build student self-confidence by sharing their expertise in dance/musical theater. We have built a community that encourages respect and hard work and celebrates our students’ academic and nonacademic achievements. Our performance based program goal is to train students to express their authentic unique selves with confidence.

Responsibilities

1. Teaching:

• You'll create an environment where students feel empowered to express themselves through dance, song and drama.
• You'll teach dance, movement, wellness, and performance, through our culturally relevant performance based program.
• You'll collaborate with fellow performing arts teachers to further develop a network-wide curriculum.
• You'll develop and teach Uncommon Schools Dance curriculum & lesson plans, which involves various dance styles and methodologies from beginner to intermediate level.
• You'll design, direct and produce multiple school productions annually.

2. Producing:

• You'll choreograph and direct annual productions that enhance and reflect school culture.
• You'll create or order costumes, production sets, and props when needed.
• You'll craft production elements such as lights, sound, and set.

3. School Culture:

• You’ll build positive relationships with students to ensure they feel seen, loved, and heard.
• You’ll partner with students’ families to ensure appropriate resources are available to support their children’s learning needs.
• You'll engage in practice-based professional development, mentorship, and coaching sessions.
• You’ll support morning arrival, lunch duty, student assemblies, class transitions, and after-school dismissal.
• You’ll support weekly morning circles and community meetings to celebrate student accomplishments and increase school spirit.
• You'll partner with your grade level team to develop academic goals and practice instructional strategies.

• A commitment to the mission of Uncommon Schools and investment in our vision for being an anti-racist organization
• A demonstrated commitment to supporting students’ social emotional and academic development
• An enthusiasm for working with families in the best interest of students
• A self-directed learner who solicits and implements feedback to improve outcomes and achieve objectives
• A passion for dance and musical theatre (dancing, singing, and acting) and an ability to provide individual and small group instruction
• Required Experience:
  • A minimum of 2 years of combined experience as a dance teacher, performer, producer, director, and/or technical support.
  • Prior to the start of employment, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Certification is not required to be hired at Uncommon, but you do need to meet NY state certification eligibility requirements. To meet these requirements, you must enroll in a teacher preparation program and maintain a GPA of 2.75 or higher during your employment with us if you do not have a degree in education. Uncommon Schools teachers are required to become certified in the state of New York within a reasonable period after beginning employment.

Uncommon Schools offers salaries commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package. All staff members receive extensive professional development, and are equipped with a laptop computer and all necessary supplies.

Uncommon believes in the importance of being a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization that enables our students and staff to thrive. We are committed to building an exceptional team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. We also strive to ensure an inclusive community by creating a space for meaningful dialogue about issues of race and identity for our staff and students. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability. We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions.