Middle and Upper School Band Director

The First Academy is seeking a dedicated, formally trained Middle and Upper School Band Teacher to foster a dynamic musical environment in which students can achieve performance excellence through a Christ-centered perspective. The ideal candidate will be a dynamic educator capable of leading students through the full spectrum of musical development, and proficient in woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments from introductory Middle School Beginning Band to the high-level musical literacy and performance techniques required for Wind Ensemble Honors. We are looking for a director who can masterfully balance the technical rigors of music theory and individualized evaluations with the creative execution of ensemble performances. The band instructor will be expected to teach advanced courses, such as Wind Ensemble III and IV Honors; prepare students for success in solo and ensemble festivals; and promote a deep appreciation for diverse musical genres by leading specialized groups, including the Jazz Band, Contemporary Band, and Royals Pep Band.

Core Instructional Competencies

Performance Excellence: The ability to facilitate a rehearsal environment that fosters high musical proficiency, offering students constructive guidance and personal evaluations to enhance individual and ensemble performance across all grades.
Assessment & Competition: Experience preparing students for competitive musical benchmarks, specifically guiding upper-level Honors students to compete and excel in solo and ensemble festival.
Extracurricular Leadership: Directing and growing highly anticipated extracurricular groups, including the Jazz Ensemble (focusing on improvisation and jazz standards) and the community-facing Royals Pep Band (supporting varsity athletics and local parades).
Differentiated Pedagogy: Implementing diverse teaching strategies—from foundational wind and percussion instruction for beginners to facilitating student-led collaboration in Contemporary Band—to cater to varying student proficiency levels from 6th to 12th grade.

Professional Qualifications

Required Education: Possess a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. A Master’s degree in Education or the specific subject area is preferred.
Subject Expertise: Degree emphasis in the area of instruction or a directly related field is strongly preferred.
Communication Skills: Possess solid, professional communication skills, both written and verbal, for effective interaction with students, parents, and colleagues. This includes the ability to present complex information clearly and engage in constructive dialogue.
Organizational Skills: Exhibit strong organizational skills, including efficient time management, meticulous record-keeping, and the ability to finish tasks in a timely manner and manage multiple classroom responsibilities simultaneously.
Collaboration: Proven ability to effectively partner and collaborate with colleagues, administration, and parents to support the holistic development of students.
Confidentiality: Absolute ability to maintain confidentiality pertaining to all sensitive school, student, and personnel matters, adhering to ethical and legal standards.
Work Ethic: Demonstrate a strong work ethic, professionalism, reliability, and punctuality.
Instructional Technology: Experience with and aptitude for using current educational technology to enhance classroom instruction, student engagement, and professional tasks.
Learning Management Systems (LMS): Such as Canvas or Google Classroom.
Productivity Suites: Including Google Suite for Education and/or Apple iWork Suite.
Hardware/Equipment: Expertise in operating devices such as MacBooks, iPads, and Interactive Whiteboards, or similar classroom presentation technologies.
Certification Requirement: Hold or be eligible to obtain a valid teaching certificate:
Licensure by a regional accreditation agency (e.g., ACSI) is highly preferred.
Valid/Professional State Teacher’s Certification (e.g., Florida Teacher’s Certification)
Eligibility for a Temporary State Certificate within 30 days of employment, with the expectation that a permanent certification is secured within three (3) years.
Teaching Experience: A minimum of three (3) years of successful classroom teaching experience in the subject area is recommended.
Demonstrated Ability: Possess demonstrated expertise and ability to manage, instruct, and motivate students, or provide equivalent proven subject expertise through related professional work experience.