Middle School Art Teacher (SY26/27) - Federal Campus

Job Description

Job Description

Location: This school-based position is 100% in person at Rocky Mountain Prep Federal. All school-based staff are essential members of our campus community, working on-site each day alongside students, colleagues, and families to create a strong school community and support student growth and achievement. This position is not remote or hybrid.

The RMP Promise

Rocky Mountain Prep is a movement of educators, families, scholars, and advocates committed to changing public education in Colorado by democratizing college access for historically marginalized students and families. We operate twelve college-preparatory schools serving students from early childhood through twelfth grade, and we are fundamentally a world-class learning organization that invests deeply in every educator who joins us. Teachers engage in ongoing coaching and professional development, supported by clear expectations, transparent feedback, and opportunities to strengthen their craft and advance along individualized career pathways grounded in our PEAK values. Rooted in a culture of rigor and love, RMP promises to coach, develop, and champion every team member so they can do their best work and grow as professionals, people, and leaders.

RMP’s Big Five Goals

Every RMP team member plays a role in advancing our shared goals for student success and organizational strength. Our Big Five Goals establish the key outcomes we are working toward together across our schools and network:

1. Student Achievement: 60% average proficiency on CMAS & PSAT by Spring 2027; zero schools rated Orange or Red on the 2027–28 Colorado School Performance Framework
2. Financial Sustainability: 5,100 students enrolled, as measured by October Count; $4MM in total philanthropic gifts during the 2026–27 school year
3. Parent Satisfaction: 90% regular attendance; no more than 10% chronic absenteeism
4. Staff Engagement & Enablement: 75% annual staff retention from July 2026 to July 2027
5. Student Persistence — Health & Wellness: 90% year-over-year student persistence from September 2026 to September 2027

Each team member contributes to these goals through their role and collaboration across RMP.

Our Approach to Art Education

At Rocky Mountain Prep, art is an essential part of a college-preparatory education. Our art classrooms operate as joyful, rigorous studios where scholars develop technical skill, creative confidence, and the habits of mind necessary for long-term success—observation, analysis, revision, and perseverance. Art teachers design their own standards-aligned curriculum and authentic performance tasks that require scholars to create, critique, revise, and publicly present original work connected to meaningful themes and diverse artistic traditions. These performance tasks are collaborative, reflective, and celebratory: scholars engage in structured critique, analyze exemplars, write artist statements, and showcase their work in exhibitions that honor growth and excellence. Clear criteria for success, aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards, ensure rigor and transparency while supporting equitable access to high-quality instruction. By centering diverse artists and fostering a culture of feedback and revision, we ensure every scholar sees themselves as an artist capable of producing meaningful, high-quality work they are proud to share.

Art Teachers at Rocky Mountain Prep will...

• Design and deliver rigorous, standards-aligned visual arts curriculum and authentic performance tasks that require scholars to create, revise, and publicly present original work.
• Establish clear criteria for success aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards, using rubrics, exemplars, and critique protocols to define mastery and ensure rigor.
• Facilitate collaborative and reflective studio practices, including peer critique, artist statements, revision cycles, and analysis of diverse exemplars.
• Create joyful, high-expectations studio environments where scholars take creative risks and persevere toward excellence.
• Center artists, movements, and traditions from historically marginalized communities, affirming scholar identities while expanding global artistic understanding.
• Differentiate instruction and performance tasks to ensure equitable access, meaningful challenge, and measurable growth for all scholars.
• Assess scholar learning through standards-based grading practices and celebrate growth through exhibitions, showcases, and public displays of learning.
• Collaborate with grade-level teams and special educators to ensure alignment, inclusion, and cross-curricular connections where appropriate.
• Engage in continuous professional growth, refining curriculum and performance tasks based on student data, feedback, and coaching.

All Teachers at Rocky Mountain Prep will:

Take ownership of student outcomes by setting high expectations, using data to guide instruction, and ensuring all scholars grow through strong planning, rigorous teaching, and timely re-teaching. They build inclusive, relationship-centered classrooms by implementing proactive routines, culturally responsive practices, and consistent communication with families. RMP teachers collaborate closely with colleagues and support staff, contribute to school-wide initiatives, and support daily operations to maintain a safe and organized environment. They also model RMP’s PEAK values in all interactions and remain flexible and responsive in a fast-paced, data-driven environment aligned to our evolving Concept Essence.

Education Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree (any subject)
• Subject matter expertise required, as evidenced by either a record of results in teaching the content or a content-specific degree.

Other Requirements

• Within the first year of your employment, you’re required to complete CDE READ Act training or CDE Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) -45 contact hours.
• Pass a background check.
• Demonstrate Eligibility to work in the United States.
• We use E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires.
• Preferred Certifications

Salary

This is a full-time position with a salary range of $63,000 to $89,000, based on experience and qualifications.

Benefits

At Rocky Mountain Prep, taking care of our team is essential to building joyful, academically excellent schools. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Paid Time Off – including vacation, personal, and sick days
• 5 Weeks of Paid Organizational Holidays – including Winter and Summer breaks
• Comprehensive Health Insurance – medical, dental, and vision coverage, with 100% of medical coverage for employee-only plans.
• Retirement Through PERA – Public Employees' Retirement Association of Colorado
• Paid Leave of Absence Options – including parental, medical, and disability leave
• Mental Health & Wellness Support – to help you thrive personally and professionally
• Pre-Tax Accounts – flexible spending accounts (FSA), dependent care accounts, and health savings accounts (HSA)

*A detailed list of benefits is here.

Why RMP?

At Rocky Mountain Prep, you're joining a movement to change what's possible for public education in Colorado. We believe every child’s brilliance deserves a world-class education, and we build schools where rigor and love are the foundation for that promise. Here, you’ll be developed, challenged, and championed as you grow into the educator you aspire to be. If you want to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who believe deeply in kids, this is the place.

Demonstrate Eligibility to Work in the United States

All employees must verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States at the time of hire. Rocky Mountain Pre