Music Teacher

https://www.instagram.com/holy_souls_school/

Music Teacher (Preschool - 8th grade)

• Full-time (180 contract days minimum)
• Little Rock, Arkansas

We’re looking for an energetic and creative Music Teacher who brings a fresh and joyful approach to music education and liturgical leadership, helping our students grow in confidence, talent, and love of music.

Position Overview:

• We are seeking an inspiring music teacher who is responsible for teaching music education to students in early childhood through eighth grade. The teacher helps students develop their enjoyment, appreciation, and performance of music that’s both grounded in Catholic tradition and alive with contemporary creativity through a variety of planned music experiences including singing, moving to music, and playing instruments. 
• The Music Teacher will direct the school choir, lead music at weekly Mass, and offer unique elective class opportunities for our junior high students.
• The position requires maintaining a full teaching load, daily duties, professional meetings, extended practice sessions, and continual teacher development with possible travel- including out-of-state.

School Overview:

Our Lady of the Holy Souls is a vibrant Catholic school in the heart of the Hillcrest neighborhood, serving approximately 530 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, with class sizes averaging 15 to 25 children. Rooted in faith and dedicated to the belief that we learn best through discovery and rich opportunities for autonomy, we seek to form children by nurturing their individual voices, intellect, and most importantly, their souls.

Teachers tap into students’ sense of wonder to craft fun, multisensory learning experiences, both indoors and outdoors. We aspire to make the magic happen! Each staff member is responsible for creating a school environment that is as supportive and nurturing as it is challenging. Our approach is ultimately guided by our Catholic faith, preparing children to become who God calls them to be.

Position Specifics:

• Plans a balanced music program and schedule so that preparation, rehearsal, classroom instruction, performances, and weekly Mass can be accomplished within the allotted time.
  • Lead and direct the school choir for weekly practices, Masses, and traditional events throughout the school year.
    • Encourage participation in choir and foster a strong sense of community and joy in singing.
  • Establish and maintain standards of student behavior to provide an orderly, productive environment during classes, practices, group rehearsals, performances, and Masses. 
  • Creates opportunities for students to showcase their musical talents both within the school and in the wider community.
  • Attend occasional school activities outside of the school day, as needed. 
• Cooperate and communicate effectively with staff in providing musical programs for school assemblies, events, parent meetings and seasonal programs. 
  • Demonstrate professional behavior, including discretion, judgment, and integrity.
• Teach using engaging and developmentally appropriate methods for general music for PK-8th students including instrument exploration, appreciation, history, and performance with an emphasis on Catholic identity.
  • Utilizes repertoire of all types of music literature, including traditional and contemporary that are appropriate for the ages and skill levels of students. 
  • Design and lead elective music courses for 7th-8th grade students that might include instruments, songwriting, digital music production, or musical theater.
  • Frequently document and display relevant and current student work.
  • Evaluates each student’s musical growth and contribution to the performance of the group.
    • Communicate clearly with parents and school faculty/staff on the progress of individual students.  
  • Intentionally differentiate instruction for children with a range of skills, knowledge, and abilities.
    • Supports each child’s executive functioning, self-regulation, and social/emotional development.
    • Provide students with accommodations and modifications, support, and assistance implementing them as advised by the Director of Student Learning.
• Create a warm and nurturing environment for students and families.
  • Invest in the life of the school by participating in students’ extra-curricular programs, social and emotional learning, team meetings, and all aspects that support the student experience. 
  • Interact with students outside of the classroom at least once a week during recess or lunch.
  • Engage in positive ongoing collaboration with families.
• Maintain an organized, inviting, and clean physical environment.
  • Maintains care/ responsibility for school-owned music, musical instruments, and equipment to prevent loss or abuse. 
  • Create, select, store, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies. 
• Adhere to all rules, regulations, and requirements governing child care programs, as set forth by the state of Arkansas.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Music Education or related field
• Arkansas teaching license 
• Strong classroom management and organizational skills
• Prior experience teaching music in a school setting (especially PreK–8th) is strongly preferred
• Skilled in leading music for Catholic liturgy; familiarity with liturgical planning
• Proficient in voice and at least one musical instrument (piano or guitar preferred)
• Passion for working with children and fostering a positive, inclusive classroom environment
• Creative, flexible, and excited to explore non-traditional, fresh, and joyful music with students
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills with the ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with all constituents
• Commitment to prioritizing Catholic education
• Ability to handle multiple tasks efficiently and accurately
• Demonstrates professionalism, including good judgment and strong integrity

All prospective employees must be able to clear a background check, LiveScan fingerprinting, and child maltreatment screening.

Physical Demands and Work Environment 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made. 

• The position can be physically demanding.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Frequently required to stand and walk; occasionally sit.
• Occasionally required to reach with hands and arms
• Frequently required to talk and hear
• Occasionally required to bend, twist, or climb.
• Moderate concentration/intensity, which includes prolonged mental effort with limited opportunity for breaks.
• Average memory, taking into consideration the amount and type of information.
• Moderate level of complexity for decision-making. Average time-pressure of decision making.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

How to Apply

Candidates for this position should submit a cover letter, resume, sample plans, and a minimum of three references. Please combine all documents into a single PDF and send it to: Amber Bagby, bagby@holysouls.org.

Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this position is based on qualifications and experience. Benefits include:

• A supportive faith-based school community (We like to call OLHS a family.)
• Opportunities for artistic and instructional freedom
• A chance to bring new, vibrant music into the hearts and halls of a Catholic school
• Competitive salary
• Health insurance available
• Free dental coverage
• Free preschool tuition for children of full-time teachers
• 3% employer retirement contribution after 3 years of service
• Paid holidays and personal time off
• Ongoing professional development and training opportunities

Note:

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to their health or safety or that of others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at-will” relationship.