employment

Community School of the Arts is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity of ethnicity, age, experience, education and thought among our faculty and staff, and we search for colleagues who can relate well to students of all backgrounds. We are dedicated to the safety and well-being of our students and conduct thorough investigations of all potential faculty and staff.

Position:      Early Childhood Arts Specialist
Status:       Full time, exempt

Organization
 
Community School of the Arts' mission and passion is transforming lives and inspiring community through outstanding, accessible arts education.  The School abides by six core values in its governance, hiring, programming and teaching:  excellence, accessibility, nurturing, joy, sustainability and diversity.

For more than forty years, the School has ensured that inspiring arts instruction is available to all by pursuing a simple strategy of compassion and inclusion:  Create excellent art and music programs that appeal to families of all income levels, then strive to make those programs available to every child through free outreach initiatives, merit scholarships and need-based financial aid.  CSA’s after-school programs are taught by degreed, experienced arts professionals and include: private music lessons, visual art classes, group music classes, visual art lessons, summer camps, art therapy, family workshops and extensive free outreach programs.

The School has more than 50 professional arts educators and five full time staff serving more than 3,100 students each year.  Ninety-five percent of CSA students are children and youth with the large majority between the ages of 3½ and 12 and reflects the diversity of Mecklenburg County, NC.  CSA is headquartered at Spirit Square in uptown Charlotte, NC and students attend programs at a dozen satellite studios throughout the County.

Founded in 1969, Community School of the Arts is an independent 501(C)3 organization with an annual budget of $1.2 million.

Opportunity
 
Community School of the Arts, Discovery Place, Inc. and the Bethlehem Center are thrilled to launch a two-year grant funded pilot program creating a new national model for integrating science and arts into the pre-K curriculum. This collaboration will empower teachers to be passionate, confident advocates for integrated learning environments that nurture wonder, creativity and innovation through the arts and sciences.  These three respected Charlotte institutions will form a unique partnership to change the preschool experience for 850 children at the Bethlehem Center’s eight Head Start locations. The program’s strategic goals will focus on teachers, students and families and on creating sustainable change in the educational process.  To achieve these goals, CSA will hire an early childhood arts specialist with experience and passion for arts education.  This full-time employee will focus exclusively on serving Bethlehem Center students and faculty.  
 
PNC Foundation, the philanthropic unit of PNC Bank has established this two-year grant as part of its Grow Up Great campaign to improve early childhood education in the communities where it does business.

Job Description

Summary: This position will plan for and implement early childhood integrated art and science programming specified in the PNC grant and will be responsible for meeting all timelines and expectations, implementation of program offerings, providing internal formative evaluation of the programs, and reporting progress of programs to Director of Programs for CSA.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following.  Other duties may be assigned.  

•    Report status of PNC Grow Up Great Foundation grant program to the Executive Director and the Director of Programs as outlined.
•    Work with Discovery Place early childhood specialist to co-develop an integrated, inquiry based, arts and science curriculum to be implemented at the Bethlehem Center sites.
•    Work with Discovery Place early childhood specialist to co-develop and implement an intensive 3 day professional development workshop for Bethlehem Center teachers.
•    Deliver integrated arts and science curriculum and work with staff to enhance parent engagement at Bethlehem Center sites as scheduled and required.
•    Develop methods for internal assessment and work with external evaluator to evaluate program success, making adjustments as appropriate.
•    Work with the Executive Director and the Director of Programs to meet reporting deadlines set forth by grantors.
•    Attend required staff meetings and serve on staff committees as appropriate.

Competency To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

•    Master’s degree or equivalent certificate in early childhood education and/or arts education.
•    Minimum of three (3) years of experience in early childhood education.
•    Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) required.
•    Competency in monitoring budget and program-related expenditures.
•    Competency in ordering supplies and equipment needed to support instruction.
•    Effectiveness in gathering and organizing a variety of materials, equipment, and media.
•    Proven and demonstrated skills in teaching and working with young children.
•    Knowledge and understanding of child growth and early childhood education theories and practices.
•    Ability to implement developmentally appropriate curricula and teaching structures.
•    Ability to engage learners in differentiated learning experiences based upon a given range of skill levels and developmental needs.
•    Experience in effectively navigating and balancing needs of diverse constituents.  This position’s constituents include students, teachers, administrators, collaborating partners and donor representatives.
•    Excellent proficiency in written and oral English language, as demonstrated through communication with students, parents, and colleagues.  
•    Simultaneous skill in team-building and supervising.
•    Ability to instruct teachers on how to establish nurturing, supportive, and positive climates for a creative space, while still encouraging student responsibility, motivation, and adherence to classroom routines.
•    Ability to demonstrate a model for cooperative relationship to children by regularly communicating with teachers and seeking their support and advice.
•    Commitment to establishing a professional rapport with teachers that generates an atmosphere of mutual respect.
•    Commitment to maintaining positive, cooperative, and mutually supportive relationships with administration, instructional staff, students, parents, and representatives of resource agencies within the community.
•    Professionalism as displayed by time-management skills and adherence to operational requirements.
•    Professionalism as required to protect confidentiality of records and information gained as part of exercising professional duties, and discretion in sharing such information
within legal confines.
•    Authentic, optimistic and joyful approach to work and people.
•    Passion for transforming lives and inspiring community through outstanding, accessible arts education.

Contact Information:

Aram Kim Bryan
Director of Programs
Community School of the Arts
345 N. College Street
Charlotte, NC  28202
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
FAX  (704) 377-1132
Email or fax only, please.