Lower School Associate Music Teacher

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Mary McDowell Friends School (MMFS) invites applications for a full-time Lower School Associate Music Teacher beginning August 2026.

Position Overview

Associate Teachers support the mission of the school by overseeing the safety and well-being of the students in advisory, content area classes, core classrooms, and homeroom classes by monitoring and stimulating educational and social-emotional growth within the framework of the school’s mission by collaborating with the teaching partner to implement a curriculum that meets the needs of the MMFS student.

Associate Teachers work alongside experienced classroom teachers to develop skills in working with individual children and small groups, as well as gaining experience and confidence in building relationships with families and communicating about students’ learning and development in person and through documentation.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

• Work in collaboration with their teaching partner to implement parts of the curriculum and gradually assume increased responsibilities.
• Act as the advocate for homeroom students, supporting each student in their relationships with other teachers and working with the cooperating homeroom teacher to be the primary point person with parents.
• Supervise homeroom students when participating in division-wide and school-wide activities such as silence, assembly, and meeting special guests.
• Implement individualized student plans for homework, organization, and behavior.
• Participating fully in the life of the school, including professional development, MMFS committee, weekly faculty meetings, regular supervisory meetings, and all school silence and staff meetings.
• Write, edit, and submit timely trimester reports, grades, recommendations, evaluations, and other requests as needed.
• Duties based on assigned schedules include supervising a study hall, arrival/lunch/dismissal duty, student trips (including overnight trips), and student clubs.
• Leading a reading and math group independently.
• Other duties as assigned.

Diversity and Equity Commitments

• Understand and participate in all school-wide diversity and equity initiatives.
• Examine administrative practice through the lens of race, identity, equity, and privilege.
• Provide an equitable framework for leadership decisions.
• Support a school culture that allows for social identities to feel welcome.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time, exempt ten-month position that follows the academic calendar. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a half-hour paid lunch; faculty meetings occur every Wednesday from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand and will be scheduled in advance.

Travel

On occasion, travel between campuses is necessary for meetings, which are scheduled with advance notice and are within walking distance from each other. School trips are also scheduled with advance notice, and teachers are required to chaperone day-long and overnight school trips.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

This position requires the ability to maintain the physical capacity required to navigate the school environment and to ensure the safety of the students. The ability to open filing cabinets and bend or stand for long periods of time, as necessary. This position occasionally ascends/descends stairs to reach different rooms in the building (one to five flights).

The physical demands described here are representative of 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.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• BA in music; special education experience a plus.
• Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with all levels of employees, management, and external agencies to maximize performance and problem-solving, and to achieve results.
• Willingness to learn and adapt to a new environment is required.
• Familiarity with new technologies; GSuite and Veracross a plus
• Commitment to equity and justice, including knowledge and skills related to cultural competency, are desired.

Application

To apply, please upload a letter of interest, resume, and contact information for three professional references as a .pdf (preferable) or Word document. If your background and experience are appropriate for the position, you will be contacted directly by a member of our search committee.

We offer a rewarding work experience in downtown Brooklyn, NY, where we encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work. We recognize, appreciate, celebrate, and honor our diverse community as we build an awareness of who each individual is and who we are collectively.

Applicants who enhance the diversity of the school's faculty and administration are strongly encouraged to apply. Please visit our website for more information on our school and a full list of vacancies.

In compliance with NYC’s Pay Transparency Act, this position's annual base salary range is $50,000 - $59,000. Mary McDowell Friends School considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, essential skills, internal peer equity, and market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Employment at Mary McDowell Friends School is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position, without regard to race, color, ethnic origin, nationality, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, familial status, or any other category protected by the law. Mary McDowell Friends School’s policy of non-discrimination extends to all employment practices, including but not limited to hiring, transfer, promotion, training, compensation, benefits, layoffs, and termination.