US Media & Studio Art

The Agnes Irwin School, an all-girls' Pre-K through 12th-grade independent school in the Philadelphia suburbs, is committed to fostering the intellectual and personal growth of girls and young women. 

The purpose of this position is to develop and implement the visual arts program in conjunction with other members of the VPA department and the Division Director.

The ideal candidate:

• Will embrace The Agnes Irwin School and its Core Values of Strive for Excellence, Lead with Character, Nurture Passions and Wellbeing, Foster Trust and Community, and Respect and Celebrate All.
• Is passionate about studio and visual arts and turns that passion into engaging and meaningful learning experiences for students
• Has skills designing and implementing project based learning and experiential curricula.
• Demonstrates cultural competency and skills engaging with and learning from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Regards collaboration as an essential component of professional growth and values working on a team.
• Is willing and eager to take on significant co-curricular responsibilities outside of the classroom (eg advising, coaching, club advisor, trip lead, etc), and who finds joy in working with high school students.
• Demonstrates a dedication to continuous growth and development in areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and commits to our DEIB Philosophy at Agnes Irwin. 
• Is willing to engage across difference with empathy and understanding

Essential Functions:

• Implement current curriculum and contribute to its ongoing development 
  • Teach and develop foundational art skills through traditional and digital media
  • Teach problem solving and the iterative design process through project based learning
• Teach and manage students in studio and media arts in the Upper School
  • Prepare course materials
  • Maintain student attendance and grade records
  • Evaluate and grade students' work
  • Be available to meet with students during office hours and planning periods
  • Create and maintain a caring, safe environment conducive to students doing their best work
• Design and conduct outreach programs to attract new art students and foster a lifelong love of art
• Participate in the life of the upper school by serving as an advisor, coach, chaperone and/or club sponsor as necessary
• Participate in all staff meetings, assemblies, and other required school functions, including occasional evening or weekend events
• Work constructively with parents and colleagues
• Inform parents and Division Director of students’ progress through written reports and conferences
• Attend conferences, workshops, and other professional development opportunities, and participate in the faculty evaluation process
• Assume other duties as assigned 

Successful candidates will possess:

• Bachelor's degree in Visual Art, or related field
• Experience in the study of or field of graphic design and typography
• Prior experience teaching studio, media or digital art to high school aged students in a school or other structured setting
• Proficiency in the use of classroom technology: Google Suite, Adobe Suite including but not limited to Photoshop, Illustrator, and inDesign
• Prior experience or willingness to explore web design, motion graphics and augmented reality
• Experience curating digital work in the gallery setting via printed graphics and digital displays
• Ability to engage students in meaningful classroom activities; excellent classroom management skills
• Outstanding organization, and interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with all members of the School community
• Willingness and availability to work evenings/weekends for meetings, conferences, to chaperone field trips and other school activities as required
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment and respect different values and viewpoints

Physical Demands of This Job:

• Adequate physical mobility, dexterity, strength, and endurance to actively supervise and lead students and be responsible for their physical safety during all school-related activities, including evacuations and other emergency response procedures

The position specifications described here are those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Agnes Irwin School does not discriminate in any term or condition of employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other characteristic or status protected by federal, state, or local law.

Interested candidates should upload a resume or CV, cover letter, statement of teaching philosophy, and contact information for three professional references.