Salary Range: $78,000 - $170,000. The position on the scale will be based on years of teaching experience and education.

The Dalton School, a progressive K-12 gender-inclusive school in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, is consistently recognized as one of the preeminent independent day schools in the nation. Known for its child-centered approach and an exceptional, inspiring faculty, Dalton enrolls over 1,300 students with approximately 350 faculty and staff. Guided by the Dalton Plan, the foundation of a Dalton education, our faculty meets each student’s evolving needs, interests, and abilities, and fosters diversity as an integral part of school life. Dalton challenges each student to develop intellectual independence, creativity, curiosity, and a sense of responsibility toward others both within the School and in the broader community. 

The First Program at The Dalton School seeks a full-time Art Teacher for grades K-3 starting in September 2025. Art education at Dalton is centered on helping young learners explore and understand their roles as artists. The successful candidate will join a collaborative team of two Lead Teachers and an Assistant Teacher in the school’s Art Studio, delivering a materials-based curriculum that integrates techniques and skills while supporting both individual students and small groups.

Responsibilities:

The objectives of teaching at The Dalton School include….

• Fostering a classroom environment that is safe, inclusive, and nurturing for both students and their families.
• Designing and implementing an integrated, hands-on, and inquiry-based curriculum that encourages problem-solving, social-emotional growth, and intellectual curiosity.
• Personalizing each student’s learning experience to meet their individual needs, interests, and abilities.
• Developing students’ independence, dependability, and sense of responsibility through consistent and effective classroom routines.
• Supporting the development of students’ social skills and fostering an understanding of community responsibility both within and beyond Dalton.

Qualifications:

• A master’s degree in art education is required.
• Minimum of three years of head teaching experience is required, with a focus on studio art and woodworking for children aged 5-9, using a progressive, developmentally minded, and materials-based art curriculum. Candidates must also have experience teaching a variety of media in a developmentally appropriate manner.
• Strong communication (verbal, written, interpersonal) skills and leadership qualities.
• Excellent classroom management and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively within a team of art educators and mentor an assistant teacher.
• Demonstrated organization and planning skills; strong attention to detail, as well as follow-up and follow-through skills to ensure completion of goals and objectives.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ease in effectively prioritizing multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Proficiency with technology is required.
• Ability to maintain a safe and tidy workspace environment for children.
• A positive attitude toward the classroom and greater community and the ability to oversee a creative environment that validates and supports each child.
• Demonstrated cultural competency and skills engaging with and learning from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

The Dalton School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, ethnic origin, age, physical disability, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by applicable law in the administration of our educational policies, hiring policies, admissions policies, financial aid programs, athletics, and other school-administered programs.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to the employment portal using the following link - https://www.dalton.org/employment-opportunities

About The Dalton School

The Dalton School is an independent, co-educational day school (K-12), founded in 1919 by the renowned progressive educator Helen Parkhurst. Parkhurst’s visionary Dalton Plan remains the keystone of the school’s progressive educational philosophy and is now the model for over 200 Dalton schools in other parts of the world. The Dalton School is the innovative leader in developing creative problem solvers who identify issues, grapple with possibilities, and design solutions to global challenges from multiple perspectives. Dalton is recognized for its rigorous, innovative educational curriculum and offers its 1,300 students a breadth of stimulating and challenging programs taught by our dedicated faculty. Our high academic standards are complemented by an exemplary performing and fine arts curriculum – taught by faculty who are professionals in their fields – and a full range of athletic teams and extra-curricular activities. The Dalton School actively seeks to forward diversity through its programs and hiring.

Connections working at The Dalton School