Mounds Park Academy is a PreK–12 independent school in Saint Paul that serves approximately 500 students from throughout the Twin Cities area. For 39 years, Mounds Park Academy has engaged students in a rigorous college preparatory experience that is rooted in whole-child education. Students are challenged to apply their understanding to stir the human spirit, stand for justice, and be a positive change in the world. This is what we call rigor with purpose, and it grounds our students in the radical idea that their identity in the world is not measured by a test score but rather by the depth and decency of their impact on the world.

From its founding, MPA has been committed to embracing diversity, seeking equity, and continually striving to be truly inclusive. As a community, MPA has focused on fostering a safe and inclusive space for all, aspiring to be cognizant of gender-identity and equality, religious understanding, socio-economic diversity, and racial justice. Equity, goodness, and inclusion are embedded in MPA’s mission statement and woven into the very fabric of every aspect of our community’s day.  

Art is an essential element in the growth and development of every student. The art department provides learning experiences for students to create and produce solutions to visual problems thus gaining insight to the elements of the visual language. Through a variety of methods and authentic experiences, students develop skills in self-expression and realize an appreciation of art in the world around them.

Mounds Park Academy seeks a full-time Visual Arts teacher to join the Lower faculty for the 2021-2022 school year. All visual art teachers at MPA are responsible for providing a classroom instructional program that supports the individual needs of all students in accordance with the school’s mission and values. We seek individuals passionate about teaching lower and middle school age students with practicing artist experience and/or degrees in art, art-education, or related fields.

It is expected that a successful candidate would:

• Inspire and lead students to enter into the creative process
• Supervise, encourage, counsel, and evaluate students
• Challenge and engage students artistically
• Foster and sustain an effective classroom environment
• Communicate and meet with students and parents as necessary
• Participate in the Fine Arts Department and staff development activities, as possible
• Show a willingness to contribute to the life of the school outside of the classroom
• Have demonstrated experience in the visual arts field
• In addition, a candidate should possess the following personal qualities:
• A passion and commitment to art education and personal growth as an artist
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal skills
• Admirable and compassionate leadership skills
• Strong collaboration skills and a commitment to shared decision making
• Exceptional personal and professional organization skills
• Creativity, a sense of humor, warmth of personality, and energy
• Flexibility and collegiality