Lower School Music Faculty

The Pingry School, a prestigious K-12 coeducational, independent day school with a rich history dating back to its founding by Dr. John F. Pingry in 1861, stands at the forefront of academic excellence in the United States. With campuses located in Basking Ridge, Pottersville, and Short Hills, New Jersey, Pingry is celebrated for its academic programs, a student-written Honor Code that underpins our community values, and a comprehensive commitment to arts, athletics, community, and civic engagement. Our mission is to inspire in our students a lifelong passion for learning, personal development, and social responsibility, preparing them to be global citizens and luminaries of the 21st century. Rooted in relationships and guided by our foundational philosophy, Pingry is a vibrant community of more than 1,100 students hailing from over 90 towns across New Jersey and New York. At Pingry, we are united by a love of learning and a commitment to preparing students to navigate the complexities of the 21st century with confidence and integrity. For more information, we invite you to visit our website at pingry.org or connect with The Pingry School on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to discover why we love school.

Position Summary:

The Pingry School seeks a dynamic and intellectually engaging Lower School Music Teacher for the 2024-2025 school year. The ideal candidate is committed to mentoring young learners in a caring, joyful, and innovative environment. A person with consistently high standards, the candidate of choice seeks growth and learning every day, both personally and professionally, and inspires others to do the same through optimism, selflessness, flexibility, and teamwork. With robust interpersonal skills, the selected candidate is open to new ideas and has a real desire to contribute to the life of the school beyond the classroom. Candidates for the position should have a degree in musical education and experience in pedagogy at the elementary school level.

Responsibilities:

• Teach music classes for the elementary school level, Kindergarten through Grade 3.
• Teach 1-2 sessions of strings.
• Increase skill sets of elementary students to understand further music concepts, music performance, performing arts, the history of music, and the role of music in other disciplines.
• Work to ensure academic excellence by fully knowing students and adapting curriculum to meet their needs.
• Work with K-5 music coordinator and 6-12 department chair to continue the ongoing development of K-5 music curriculum scope and sequence, ensuring alignment in the K-12 program.
• Collaborate across music and other disciplines to incorporate social studies, literacy, math, and science concepts into the music curriculum and advise classroom teachers on incorporating music techniques and skill development into their curricula.
• Balancing a focus on the process while developing comfort with and skill in the performance
• Keep careful anecdotal and assessment records to write accurate, comprehensive reports.
• Additionally, Lower School Music Teachers are responsible for producing and directing two school concerts, one in December and one in May.
• Fulfill all other assigned school-related duties (e.g., lunchroom duty, carpool duty, attendance at faculty meetings, etc.)
• Interest and availability for after-school enrichment and private lessons
• Partner with the Lower School Performing Arts Teachers on rehearsals and performances.
• Incorporating technology where appropriate in classroom activities and being comfortable teaching in a hybrid model
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Music Education or a related field
• Background in Orff training preferred
• Proficiency in Piano
• Background in Strings preferred
• An outstanding record teaching elementary school-aged groups
• Dedication to supporting the academic, social, and emotional well-being of students
• Enthusiasm for 21st-century pedagogy and cutting-edge practices
• Rich knowledge of disciplinary content and the developmental needs of children
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Experience creating, supporting, and sustaining a culture of access and equity in Music education.
• Comfortable with incorporating the latest technology into your workflow, including Google Classroom, Seesaw, and Zoom
• Skilled in navigating the Google Suite of applications (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, etc.)
• Dedication to partnering collaboratively with a team of talented faculty to implement an inspirational academic program
• Commitment to the mission, vision, and pillars of the Pingry School includes a commitment to DEIB and the requisite skills to work cross-functionally with diverse constituency groups across the organization.
  
  

The Pingry School aspires to be an anti-racist community and is committed to the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Pingry is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Pingry School's employment policy is that individuals will receive equal opportunity in all matters pertaining to recruitment, employment, salary, promotion, and assignment, regardless of race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy status, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran, or other basis proscribed by federal, state, and local law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.