Visual Art Teacher

Position Type:
Middle School Teaching/Art

Date Posted:
7/23/2026

Location:
Middle School
Secondary Theatre Teacher (6 12)

This position will be for the 2026/2027 School Year and will start on July 1, 2026. E COMMUNITY ACADEMY

HOPE Community Academy is an accredited, public co-educational charter school comprising primary, intermediate, middle school, and high school levels. The entire school community seeks to provide a safe and trusting learning environment where each student is valued and challenged to grow academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.

Mission:

To inspire students to achieve high academic success while embracing Hmong language and culture.

Vision:

To be a public school of excellence, with high quality staff, diverse programs, and successful students.

Culture Statement reflects who we are:

HOPE is a safe space where all feel valued, empowered, and inspired. Learning at HOPE promotes cultural appreciation, character, and lifelong growth. Our scholars leave ready to lead with purpose and contribute to their community.

HOPE's Values:

High-Impact; Scholar-Focused; Sense of Belonging; Leadership; and Joyful Excellence.

Our work for the next two years is illustrated in our 2026 2028 Strategic Plan focused on four priorities - Radical Growth, Stabilizing Operational Systems, Being Data-Centered, and Building Community Impact. All employees are expected to operate with high impact to continue improving the experiences of HOPE's community.

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Secondary Theatre Teacher (6 12)

Salary Range: $45,000.00 - $58,000

Reports To: Educational Leader - Secondary

Status: Exempt, Full-Time | 40+ hours a week

Contract Type: School year contract

At HOPE, we believe that the arts are not an extracurricular luxury - they are a fundamental part of how scholars discover who they are. Theatre, in particular, offers something that no other subject can: a space where a young person can step outside of themselves, try on a new voice, tell a story that matters, and be seen and heard in a way that transforms how they see the world and their place in it. For our scholars - many of whom are navigating complex questions of cultural identity, language, belonging, and self-expression - the theatre classroom can be one of the most powerful rooms in the building.

The Secondary Theatre Teacher at HOPE is a creative leader, an instructional artist, and a builder of community. This educator designs and delivers a rigorous, standards-aligned theatre arts curriculum for scholars in grades 6 12 that develops performance skills, creative thinking, collaboration, empathy, and self-confidence. But this role goes beyond teaching technique - it is about creating a space where scholars feel safe to take risks, express themselves authentically, and explore their own stories and the stories of their community through the art of theatre. The Secondary Theatre Teacher will direct school productions, build a theatre program that scholars are proud to be part of, and create performance opportunities that bring the entire HOPE community together.

At HOPE, theatre is also an extraordinary vehicle for cultural expression and preservation. Our scholars carry the stories of the Hmong and Karen diaspora - stories of resilience, migration, family, and identity that deserve to be told, performed, and celebrated. The ideal Theatre Teacher at HOPE will not only teach the craft of theatre but will create space for scholars to tell their own stories in their own voices, weaving cultural narrative into the fabric of the program.

This role supports HOPE's Scholar Impact, Hmong Language and Culture, and Community Impact strategic priorities - because a strong theatre program builds scholar engagement, strengthens school culture, deepens cultural pride, and creates visible, joyful moments that bring scholars, staff, and families together. The ideal Secondary Theatre Teacher leads with creativity, holds high expectations for artistic rigor and scholar behavior, and believes that every scholar - regardless of experience - has a story worth telling and a voice worth hearing.

Primary Responsibilities


Theatre Arts Curriculum & Instruction.

Plan and deliver a rigorous, sequential, standards-aligned theatre arts curriculum for scholars in grades 6 12. Teach the foundational and advanced elements of theatre including acting, improvisation, voice and movement, script analysis, character development, stagecraft, directing, and theatre history. Differentiate instruction to engage scholars at all experience levels - from those with no prior theatre exposure to those with significant performance backgrounds. Ensure that instruction is intentional, purposeful, and connected to meaningful learning goals.

School Productions & Performance Opportunities.

Direct and produce school theatre productions, showcases, and performance events throughout the school year. Manage all aspects of production including auditions, casting, rehearsals, set design, costuming, lighting, sound, and stage management. Create multiple, varied performance opportunities for scholars - including full-length productions, one-act plays, monologue showcases, student-written pieces, and classroom performances - so that every scholar who wants to be on stage has a chance to be there. Build a production calendar that is sustainable, ambitious, and integrated into the school's broader calendar of events.

Culturally Responsive & Scholar-Centered Theatre.

Create a theatre program that reflects, celebrates, and amplifies the cultural identities of HOPE's scholars and community. Incorporate Hmong and Karen stories, narratives, and cultural traditions into the theatre curriculum and production selections. Provide scholars with opportunities to write, adapt, and perform pieces that tell their own stories and the stories of their families and community. Position theatre as a space where cultural identity is not just acknowledged but centered and celebrated through performance.

Social-Emotional Learning Through Theatre.

Use theatre as a vehicle for developing empathy, confidence, self-expression, collaboration, resilience, and emotional intelligence. Design learning experiences that help scholars step outside their comfort zones, take creative risks, and build trust with their peers. Create a classroom culture where vulnerability is valued, where every voice matters, and where scholars support each other through the creative process. Partner with the Impact Coach team to connect theatre-based SEL practices with broader school-wide social-emotional support.

Building a Theatre Program & Community.

Build and grow a secondary theatre program that scholars are excited and proud to be a part of. Recruit and retain scholars across grade levels, ensuring the program is accessible and welcoming to all - not just the "theatre kids." Develop a sense of ensemble, community, and shared purpose among theatre scholars. Create traditions, rituals, and celebrations that give the theatre program a strong identity within the HOPE school community. Partner with school leadership and the Parent Engagement team to ensure productions and performances are visible, well-attended, and celebrated by families and the broader community.

Scholar Engagement & Extracurricular Participation.

Contribute to HOPE's strategic goal of increasing scholar participation in extracurricular activities. Use the theatre program as a vehicle for reaching scholars who may not participate in athletics or other school activities - creating a home for scholars who express themselves through performance, storytelling, design, and creative collaboration. Support HOPE's goal of increasing in-school and out-of-school programs that build school spirit and pride.

Assessment & Scholar Growth.

Use a variety of formative and summative assessment methods appropriate to the performing arts - including performance-based assessments, self-reflections, peer critiques, portfolios, and rubric-based evaluations - to measure scholar growth in theatre knowledge, skills, and artistry. Maintain accurate records of scholar progress and communicate meaningfully with families about their scholar's development and participation in the theatre program.

Classroom Environment & Scholar Behavior.

Establish and maintain a safe, inclusive, and creatively charged classroom and rehearsal environment with clear expectations, consistent routines, and a strong sense of community. Implement HOPE's scholar behavior and recognition model with fidelity. Set high expectations for scholar professionalism, respect, and effort in the theatre space - understanding that artistic discipline and personal discipline go hand in hand.

Collaboration & School Community Involvement.

Collaborate with fellow secondary teachers, the Bilingual Department, the arts community, and school leadership to integrate theatre across the HOPE experience. Partner with the Hmong Language & Culture team to explore opportunities for bilingual or culturally themed performances. Participate in staff meetings, professional development, school events, and team planning as a full and engaged member of the HOPE community.

Technical Theatre & Facility Management.

Manage and maintain the theatre and performance spaces, including stage equipment, lighting, sound systems, costumes, props, and set materials. Teach scholars the fundamentals of technical theatre - including stagecraft, lighting design, sound operation, and set construction - as part of the curriculum. Ensure all performance spaces are safe, organized, and ready for instruction and production use.

Professional Responsibilities.

Fulfill all professional responsibilities including timely lesson planning, accurate grading, attendance and documentation, and participation in school-wide events and initiatives. Contribute to a positive, collaborative, and joyful school culture where staff, scholars, and families all feel welcomed, valued, and proud to be part of the HOPE community. Each staff member will participate in at least three or more school events throughout the school year.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Theatre, Theatre Education, Performing Arts, Drama, or a related field required.
• Valid Minnesota teaching license in Theatre Arts or Communication Arts/Literature with theatre endorsement required, or eligibility to obtain licensure prior to start date.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience teaching theatre or directing productions in a secondary school setting preferred; student teaching or community theatre experience will be considered for exceptional candidates.
• Strong knowledge of theatre arts pedagogy including acting techniques, improvisation, directing, script analysis, stagecraft, and theatre history.
• Experience directing full-length productions, one-act plays, or other performance events in a school or community setting.
• Ability to teach and inspire scholars at all experience levels - from complete beginners to experienced performers.
• Demonstrated ability to create an inclusive, culturally responsive theatre program where all scholars feel welcomed and represented.
• Strong classroom management skills and ability to maintain a productive, focused, and creative learning and rehearsal environment.
• Experience with or willingness to learn technical theatre skills including basic lighting, sound, set design, and costuming.
• Strong organizational and project management skills; ability to manage complex production timelines, budgets, and logistics.
• Genuine enthusiasm for working with adolescent scholars and a deep understanding of how theatre supports identity development, self-expression, and social-emotional growth.
• Experience working with or in Hmong and/or other diverse communities is strongly preferred; willingness to incorporate Hmong and Karen cultural narratives into the theatre program is essential.
• Deep commitment to educational equity, culturally responsive pedagogy, and HOPE's mission and strategic priorities.
• Ability to interact effectively with scholars, families, and staff of diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Willingness to commit evening and weekend hours for rehearsals, performances, and production-related activities as needed throughout the school year.

Duties are performed in classrooms, the theatre and performance spaces, rehearsal areas, and other school spaces throughout the building. The school building is a multi-level building that has an elevator and is accessible. This role requires consistent daily presence and active, energetic engagement with scholars in both instructional and production settings. The Theatre Teacher regularly works in a dynamic, creative environment that involves movement, voice projection, set construction, and performance. Evening and weekend hours are required during production periods for rehearsals, tech week, and performances. The role requires strong stamina, flexibility, and the ability to manage the unique demands of both a classroom schedule and a production calendar simultaneously.

WORK ENVIRONMENT