Art Teacher | Elementary School | BTWA ES

Elevate Charter Schools•New Haven, CT

1d•$50,500 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

Booker T. Washington Academy Elementary School seeks a passionate, mission-driven Elementary School Art Teacher to join its K–4 team in New Haven, Connecticut. The teacher delivers standards-aligned visual arts instruction that nurtures students’ creativity, technical skills, artistic expression, cultural appreciation, and confidence. The role supports an inclusive and joyful learning environment in which students feel safe exploring, taking creative risks, and celebrating their identities, particularly within a historically underserved urban community. The teacher collaborates with classroom teachers and specialists to integrate the arts across academic subjects, partners with families and the community to celebrate student work, and contributes to a collaborative school culture. The position also includes opportunities to lead enrichment activities, school-wide arts events, and a homeroom or advisory setting, as well as participation in school routines and professional learning. This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the School Principal. The anticipated start is the 2026–27 school year. The listed compensation range is $50,500 to $90,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Elevate Charter Schools offers comprehensive benefits packages to regular, full-time employees; specific benefits are not enumerated.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher.
Valid teaching certification in Art Education or Elementary Education with an arts endorsement; Connecticut certification or eligibility for reciprocity is required.
At least 2–3 years of teaching experience with a strong track record of student engagement and growth.
Ability to create a classroom environment in which students feel safe, supported, and inspired to explore creatively.
Reflective practice and personal accountability for student growth, achievement, and experience.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrated commitment to educational equity, youth development, social-emotional learning, restorative practices, and culturally responsive pedagogy.
Alignment with the mission and values of ECS and BTWA, including a resolute belief in every student’s potential.
Ability to perform the stated physical activities with or without reasonable accommodation, including moving around the school, engaging with students and stakeholders, communicating clearly, occasionally lifting or carrying light materials, bending or reaching, standing for extended periods, and sustaining energy and focus across the school day.

Nice To Haves

Three or more years of teaching experience with a proven track record of student achievement.
Experience in an urban, high-expectations, and/or charter school setting.
Familiarity with elementary visual arts curricula, interdisciplinary planning, and arts integration strategies.
Experience differentiating instruction for diverse learners, including English Learners and students with IEPs.
Familiarity with project-based learning, inquiry-driven instruction, or blended learning models.
Experience organizing student exhibitions, performances, or community arts initiatives.
Experience using the arts to support early literacy, numeracy, and other developmentally relevant interdisciplinary learning.

Responsibilities

Design and deliver engaging, standards-aligned visual arts lessons introducing foundational techniques in drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, and mixed media.
Foster creative exploration and artistic risk-taking while building technical skills, visual literacy, and appreciation for diverse artistic traditions.
Differentiate instruction for varied developmental levels and learning needs, including English Learners and students with IEPs.
Use portfolios, rubrics, and student reflections to assess artistic growth and encourage self-evaluation and pride in creative work.
Use culturally responsive materials and practices that affirm student identities, celebrate global art forms, and teach through an explicitly anti-racist lens.
Collaborate with classroom teachers to support interdisciplinary learning and integrate visual arts into core academic subjects.
Create a joyful, inclusive, and organized studio environment where students feel safe to explore, express themselves, and take creative risks.
Build trusting relationships with students that foster motivation and belonging in the art room.
Incorporate social-emotional learning into artistic practice to develop empathy, perseverance, and confidence.
Reinforce school values through collaborative projects, critique routines, and classroom norms.
Communicate proactively with families and collaborate on goals supporting students’ creativity and growth.
Organize and lead school-wide arts events, exhibitions, and showcases celebrating student work and building community pride.
Collaborate with families to support artistic exploration at home and strengthen the home-school connection.
Participate in weekly professional learning communities, coaching cycles, and peer observations.
Collaborate with grade-level teams and specialists to align curriculum, share best practices, and support interdisciplinary projects.
Contribute to an adult culture of feedback, reflection, and collective responsibility for student achievement.
Lead enrichment opportunities such as art clubs, mural projects, or community exhibitions.
Support school routines such as arrival and dismissal, lunch and recess duties, and transitions.
Lead a homeroom or advisory setting that builds relationships, community, and students’ social-emotional development.
Help design and implement school-wide systems, rituals, and traditions, including student performances, exhibitions, and demonstrations of learning.
Take initiative on school-wide projects and lead efforts to elevate enrichment within the school’s educational model; model flexibility, innovation, ownership, professionalism, adaptability, and a growth mindset.