Great things are happening at Battle Creek Public Schools!

Battle Creek Public Schools (BCPS) is located in Calhoun County, Michigan (between Chicago and Detroit), serving the City of Battle Creek as well as parts of Emmett, Pennfield and Bedford townships, and the City of Springfield. With a bold goal of achieving 100% success for every Bearcat, we offer a broad range of educational experiences to meet the individual needs of students at all levels, including experiential learning, individualized instruction, advanced and accelerated curricula, and outdoor education. In 2017, BCPS received an historic investment from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and we are continuing our transformation plan, advancing bold, top-to-bottom changes to provide a world-class career, college, and community-ready education for every student, in every grade, at every school. In May of 2023, we were thrilled to announce an average teacher pay increase of more than $10,000, positioning us as one of the best-paying districts for teachers in Southwest Michigan.

We offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits (including up to $20k in home purchase assistance), and opportunities for professional development. Apply now and join the Bearcat family!

Position Summary: The Northwestern Academy of Visual and Performing Arts seeks a passionate and innovative Middle School Science Teacher to inspire students in grades 6-8 through a dynamic, student-centered, arts-integrated learning environment. The ideal candidate will design engaging lessons that connect core science concepts to artistic expression across theatre, dance, music, visual arts, and media. This role emphasizes inquiry-based learning and hands-on exploration, empowering students to investigate real-world scientific phenomena while fostering creativity, critical thinking, cultural awareness, self-expression, and collaboration. By integrating science with language arts, mathematics, social studies, and technology, this teacher will guide students in exploring complex themes, using the arts as a powerful vehicle for learning and self-expression. Through this interdisciplinary and arts-integrated approach, students will engage in meaningful, real-world experiences that enhance academic achievement, promote critical thinking, and deepen cultural awareness. This is a unique opportunity to inspire curiosity, innovation, and a lifelong love of science in young learners.

In this position, the teacher will create a flexible, student-centered classroom where students select a major and minor arts discipline to engage with academic content, ensuring that individual learning needs are met through thoughtful modifications and differentiated instruction. By exposing students to diverse artistic traditions and perspectives, the teacher will help cultivate civic responsibility and encourage students to explore societal issues and global perspectives, fostering compassion, tolerance, and advocacy for positive change. Additionally, the teacher will collaborate with colleagues across disciplines, participate in professional development opportunities, and build partnerships with community and arts organizations. Together, these efforts will deliver meaningful, cross-disciplinary learning experiences that inspire innovation and empower students to use their talents to address local, national, and global challenges.

Position Responsibilities:

Instructional Delivery

Arts-Integrated Science Instruction: Develop and engage students in arts-integrated science lessons that explore sound, vibration, resonance, acoustics, light, biomechanics, and material science across theatre, music, dance, visual arts, media, and other academic subjects, deepening their understanding each year by applying scientific principles to enhance both their artistic creations and performances.
Grade-Level Focus: In grades 6-8, students will deepen their understanding of foundational to advanced science concepts, applying them to build structure and aesthetic appeal in creative projects. This approach encourages students to recognize real-world applications of science while fostering critical thinking, creativity, and an appreciation for the interconnectedness of various creative disciplines.
Student-Centered Learning: Create individualized learning opportunities connecting science with artistic endeavors and disciplines.
Classroom Culture and Studio Environment: Establish a studio-like classroom atmosphere where students explore and engage in dynamic, interdisciplinary projects blending science with the arts, fostering self-expression and inquiry-based learning. Create an inclusive and safe space where students feel empowered to take ownership of their creative process, building empathy, adaptability, and social responsibility. Encourage self-expression, respect, and collaboration, supporting artistic growth and personal development through engaging, experiential learning.
Differentiated Instruction: Tailor lessons to meet diverse student needs, ensuring that all students have meaningful, accessible, and challenging experiences in dance and physical education.
Portfolio Development: Guide students in creating portfolios showcasing personal growth, goal setting, and social responsibility through science, reflective journaling, and project documentation.
Assessment and Reflection: Develop assessments that evaluate students' understanding of both science and artistic concepts, encouraging reflection on how science informs their creative work. Guide students in analyzing science applications in their projects through self-reflection and peer critiques.

Performance and Creation

Hands-on Experimentation: Guide students in applying scientific concepts like sound, vibration, light, biomechanics, and material science to artistic projects, encouraging exploration of how these principles shape the structure and aesthetics of their creative works.
Integration with Artistic Creation: Encourage recognition of science's role in rhythm, movement, material properties, and performance techniques, allowing students to enhance their technical and creative skills through integrated projects across theatre, dance, music, visual arts, and media.
Student Collaboration: Facilitate opportunities for students to collaborate in integrating scientific principles into artistic projects, enhancing both the technical and expressive qualities of their work.

Collaboration and Professional Development

Professional Growth: Engage in continuous learning to refine arts-integrated instruction, DEI principles, student-centered learning, and climate management practices.
Professional Learning: Participate in ongoing professional development to stay current on best practices in science and arts-integrated instruction.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Partner with faculty across arts and academic departments to design integrated curricula that link science with artistic practices and academics.
Collaborate with Colleagues and Community Partners: Work with other educators and community organizations to provide integrated educational experiences connecting social studies and culture with broader learning goals that support authentic, interdisciplinary learning experiences, experiential learning opportunities, and community sustainability.
Parental Communication and Engagement: Maintain regular communication with parents on student progress and development, while fostering an actively supportive and informed school community.

Event Coordination and Participation

Activity Leadership: Supervise and lead student activities integrating science with community engagement, service, and cultural events.
Showcases & Exhibitions: Plan and coordinate student showcases and exhibitions that highlight creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving, using scientific concepts to enhance artistic creations and fostering an appreciation for the real-world applications of science in the arts.

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Science, Education, or a related field. Master's degree in Science Education or a related field preferred.
Valid Michigan Teaching Certificate with a Science (DI, DX, or DQ) endorsement, or ability to obtain certification
Familiarity with Michigan Science and Arts Standards.
Prior experience in a student-centered, arts-integration, or project-based learning environment.
Experience in arts-based teaching or as a practicing artist.
Experience in teaching middle school students in an urban setting.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

Comfort with performing arts-based instruction in theatre, dance, music, visual arts, and media.
Knowledge of or willingness to adopt the Studio Habits of Mind framework and CASEL's social-emotional learning competencies.
Ability to create and manage a studio-like classroom environment.
Demonstrate ability to engage the interest of school-age children.
Ability to engage in hands-on activities and experiments with students.
Demonstrate commitment to all students' well-being and success, including adaptability in lesson planning and teaching to support students with diverse needs and skill levels.
Commitment to ongoing professional development, eagerness to learn, and effectively collaborate with colleagues, arts partners, and community members.
Excellent verbal/written communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
Patience, flexibility, and a willingness to take risks.

Core Values and Professional Standards:

Commitment to School Vision: Align instruction and culture-building efforts with the school's mission to nurture adaptable, compassionate global citizens, fostering growth in creative, intellectual, and social-emotional domains.
Student-Centered Teaching and Learning: Provide opportunities for students to take ownership of their education through active participation, personalized instruction, and collaborative reflection.
Arts-Integrated Education: Actively use creative expression to foster social responsibility and holistic student development, integrating arts practices across disciplines to deepen understanding and enhance learning.
Collaborative Leadership: Engage with colleagues, families, and community partners to create a supportive, inclusive, and dynamic learning environment that reflects shared values and promotes collective success.
Excellence in Teaching: Commit to developing students into creative, intellectual, and responsible global citizens through high-quality instruction, effective climate management, and arts-integrated practices.
Equity and Inclusion: Advocate for fairness, inclusion, and the equitable treatment of all students, ensuring opportunities for success in the arts and beyond, while embracing diverse perspectives and backgrounds.

Salary: $51,500 – $87,883 (Potential for additional stipends)

Contract: 188 Days (10 months)

SCHOOL SAFETY CLEARANCE: The successful candidate will be subject to a fingerprint and background check as a condition of employment. All fees required for this check (estimated $73.00) will be the responsibility of the successful applicant.

The Battle Creek Public School District is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, handicap, sex, age, religion, national origin, weight, height, or marital status in its employment practices.