Teach Chicago Turnarounds: Instrumental Music Director

Title Instrumental Music Director
Organization Teach Chicago Turnarounds
Posted 6/10/2009
Description Instrumental Music Director
…in a CPS Turnaround High School

Teach Chicago Turnarounds is an initiative of the Chicago Public Schools through the Office of School Turnaround and in partnership with the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), to recruit high quality teachers for the Turnaround Schools in Chicago.

Overview of Position
• The position of Instrumental Music Director and conductor requires an individual thoroughly trained in all aspects of music from solo techniques to large ensembles, and someone who is able to construct a leveled curriculum from survey/introductory to advanced/collegiate levels on multiple instruments, and that is supported with a high standard of performance work. Using imagination, perseverance and wisdom, the Instrumental Music Director must be able to assess the circumstances of the school, positively organize available materials and resources; arrange for prudent, appropriate fundraising to support performance work, as well as facility improvements, instrument acquisition, maintenance and repair; and organize instruction, selecting worthwhile, educationally-supportive, appropriately graded music literature for study and/or performance, encouraging enrollment and continuance in classes, and working within acceptable boundaries of the school culture. In performance, the Instrumental Music Director must oversee ALL activities at all times, teach instrument care and health habits, secure the areas in which students are working, and mediate discipline issues that may arise during co-curricular activities, ensuring the development of self and group discipline and an ensemble, non-competitive aesthetic culture. Partnership with the city’s many outreach programs should be encouraged, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Merit School of Music, and the various Chicago and Illinois adjudicated instrumental opportunities.

Principal Accountabilities
• Design curriculum using the appropriately available CPS course numbers, with reference to nationally acceptable frameworks for a four-year secondary-school program, ensuring entry points at any time in a student’s four-year program as well as continuity for those who elect to devote multiple years to their development.
• Design performance experiences that are curricular in nature, and challenge the advanced student as well as encourage students with no previous musical experience. Create, in advance, a rehearsal calendar commensurate with the school’s calendar, testing, holidays, and after-school availability. Insist on student commitment to the group as well as course the criteria for participation, instilling an organized, disciplined approach to music as a “team sport”, versus an after-school playtime.
• Ensure a secure, safe, disciplined practice that corresponds to the highest expectations for excellence, safety, and maturity, and, of course, supports school policies and protocols. Students should not confuse creativity with norm-breaking behaviors.
• Oversee all classroom and extra-classroom activity at all times.
• Seek and pursue scholarship, grant, college audition and conference opportunities that support the program.
• Accurately handle and report financial transactions according to CPS and school policy in a timely, organized, and strictly legal manner, including LSC fundraising applications, ticket accounting following performances, purchase of materials, etc.
• In preparation for the 2009-2010 school year, individuals will participate in Professional Development, Strategic Planning, and the School Staff Retreat during the summer.

Qualifications for Job
• Ability to organize and construct learning, revise in response to student achievement, rely on professional practices and collegiate models, engaging and appropriately assessing student learning primarily through performance-based assessment. Ability to teach all levels of Instrumental Music and Music Theory, including: band, beginning, concert, symphonic, jazz, marching, and AP music theory.

• A remarkable candidate will also have facility in orchestra, beginning, advanced, and chamber music.

Type of Experience and Number of Years
• Supporting professional experience of 4-5 years.
• Documented professional experience in more than one area of vocal music beyond college or university level. Continued, regular professional practice.
• Teaching experience in traditional and/or non-traditional, trade-school settings. Extensive professional experience can augment public school teaching experience; however, evidence of curriculum planning and classroom management skills required.
• Experience in diverse, non-traditional student settings, where the arts are a conduit for collaboration and academic achievement.

Certification
• Type 09 (with appropriate middle school endorsements), 10 or an alternative certification issued by the ISBE. Appropriate subject and high school endorsements are required for these positions.

Salaries for all teacher positions are based on the Chicago Public Schools salary scale.

1.) Candidates must submit a letter of interest and intent that includes:
o Acknowledgement of and candidate’s agreement to meet the commitments and conditions for position.
o A detailed description of how candidate meets each of the mandatory minimum qualifications, abilities, proficiencies and experiences and description of any preferred qualifications.
2.) Evidence that candidate possesses all mandatory minimum qualifications.
3.) Lesson modeling, on-site selection activities, interview by school-based hiring team, and consent to classroom observation.
4.) At least 3 references from persons with knowledge of candidate’s teaching and instructional abilities and other skills, proficiencies and experience.

ALL APPLICANTS MAKE THE FOLLOWING BINDING COMMITMENT IN SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR THESE POSITIONS. PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS WHO ARE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO MEET THESE COMMTIMENTS SHOULD NOT APPLY.

1) Extensive Collaboration and Transparent Sharing of Data: Classroom/clinical practices are public and open to improvement. Dashboard data on multiple levels will be shared publicly for the purposes of informing the work and mobilizing supports.
2) Block Schedule: Turnaround schools use a block schedule which is 90 minutes of instructional time.
3) Well Managed Classroom: Every single adult in a turnaround school will receive extensive training in the Well Managed Classroom model.
4) Summer Professional Development: Three weeks of summer professional development is required and all staff is expected to attend and fully participate.
5) Turnaround Leadership Academy: Senior and mid-level leaders hired in a turnaround school are expected to start meeting on a periodic basis to begin preparations for leading the school community. These sessions will be held in the late afternoons, evenings, and Saturdays.

*Note: The foregoing commitments are pre-conditions on which offers of employment for these positions will be made. Commitment is on-going and successful applicants who fail to meet commitments are subject to removal from position.
Applicants with the following qualifications are preferred:*
1) National Board Certification or Golden Apple Award recipients
2) Three years teaching experience
3) Knowledge and experience in curriculum mapping
4) Masters or advanced degrees
(*Note: Possession of preferred qualifications does not guarantee selection.)

Qualified applicants can submit resumes via email to Turnarounds@cps.k12.il.us
Applicants who are new to Chicago Public Schools must also complete the online CPS application.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to visit the Teach Chicago Turnarounds website to learn more about the mission, vision and work:
www.TeachChicagoTurnarounds.org

Change Schools. Change Lives. Teach Chicago Turnarounds.

Address Correspondence To turnarounds@cps.k12.il.us
Teach Chicago Turnarounds
125 S Clark 2nd Fl
Chicago IL 60603
(see map to location)
Phone
Fax 773.553.1131
Email Turnarounds@cps.k12.il.us
Web www.teachchicagoturnarounds.org