Music Teacher, Upper School
**We are currently hiring for the 2025-2026 school year**
Job Description
Title: Music Teacher🎵
Division: Upper School
Reports to: Upper School Division Director
Status: Full-time, Exempt, CalSTRS Retirement Eligible (During the Academic Year)
Salary: Faculty Scale. and MWA Benefits
When You Join Making Waves Academy You Commit to Intergenerational Change
You will join a team dedicated to rigorously and holistically preparing students from the 5th grade to their ultimate career success. Our bold mission is to interrupt inequity by supporting every Wave-Maker's journey to a rewarding life dream. As an employee, you will uphold high expectations for academics and behavior within a close-knit, supportive community. You will be instrumental in fostering essential durable skills like critical thinking and self-advocacy, crucial for any field. This is more than a job; it’s a commitment to empowering students to lead fulfilling lives, have rewarding careers and give back to their respective communities to recycle their success.
We are looking for leaders and advocates ready to make a lasting impact.
What You Will Be Doing...
As the Upper School Music Teacher, you are not just teaching a subject; you are building and directing a performance pipeline that prepares Wave-Makers for college and beyond. Your daily commitment is to excellence, in the classroom and on stage.
Your Core Deliverables:
Lead engaging music classes: General music, choral, and instrumental music that support students’ understanding of music fundamentals.Assess student progress: Evaluate student performance and track student progress in areas such as rhythm, pitch, and instrumental skills.
Coordinate musical performances: Organize musical performances to provide students with opportunities to perform and showcase their skills.
Maintain a positive learning environment: Establish a supportive learning environment that encourages creativity, respect, and a love for music.
Prepare instructional materials: Utilize a variety of instructional materials to accommodate diverse learning styles and promote music appreciation.
What We're Looking For...
We need an expert musician with the grit of a dedicated educator. This is a high-commitment, high-reward role for someone ready to drive results in student performance and academic achievement.
- Proficiency in musical instruments and expert knowledge of music theory, advanced harmony, and comprehensive music history.
- California Single or Multiple Subject Teaching Credential in the subject area and English Learner (EL) Authorization Certificate is desired. Applicants without credentials or an EL designation, as well as those who are eligible or currently enrolled in a CTC-approved program, will also be considered.
- Bachelor’s degree in music education, music theory, or a related field. A master’s degree is strongly preferred.
- Teaching experience is desirable, but related work experience will be considered.
- Ability to manage student behavior and drive high engagement in a structured, professional environment.
- Comfort with educational platforms (Canvas, PowerSchool, Google Suite).
The Making Waves Fit
We are looking for a community member, not just an employee. You must actively support our mission, uphold strict confidentiality, and be willing to participate in campus life, including weekly supervision duties. Excellent communication skills, flexibility, and a high degree of patience are non-negotiable.
Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40
Equal Employment Opportunity
Making Waves Academy is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to veteran status, disability or other legally protected characteristics.
Benefits and Compensation 🚀
Joining Making Waves Academy means securing a robust, comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your long-term financial, physical, and professional well-being right here in the Bay Area. We ensure your stability and growth so you can focus on maximizing every Wave-Maker's potential.
Financial Well-being 💰
We offer competitive, above-market salaries that reflect your vital expertise in educational support, recognizing your commitment to our students. Beyond your base pay, you will have immediate access to a dedicated retirement savings plan, helping you build financial confidence for the future. The annual salary is Faculty Scale.
Health and Wellness 🏥
Your health is our priority. You will have access to robust, comprehensive 100% paid for Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance options for you and your family. We also offer benefits such as employee assistance programs to support your mental and emotional wellness.
Time to Recharge 🌴
We believe educators need time to recharge. You will receive generous Paid Time Off (PTO), plus all school holidays and breaks. This schedule is designed to ensure meaningful time away from campus, facilitating a sustainable and healthy work-life balance that is critical to preventing burnout.
Professional Growth 💡
We commit to your continuous improvement. You will benefit from ongoing training, dedicated collaboration time, and resources specifically designed to enhance your instructional and behavioral support expertise. You’ll be part of a culture that sees professional growth as essential to our mission.
Reasonable Accommodation
Consistent with its obligations under the law, MWA will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.
Equal Employment Opportunity Is Our Policy
Making Waves Academy is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the School to afford equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to their perceived or identified: race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and hairstyle, including but not limited to braids, locks, and twists); color; gender, (including gender identity, gender expression, and transgender identity, whether or not the employee is transitioning or has transitioned); sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and medical conditions related to such); religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices); marital/registered domestic partner status; age (forty (40) and over); national origin or ancestry (including native language spoken and possession of a driver’s license issued to persons unable to prove their presence in the U.S. is authorized by federal law); physical or mental disability (including HIV and AIDS); medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics); taking of a leave of absence pursuant to the Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), Pregnancy Disability Leave (“PDL”) law, Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”), the Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”), or laws related to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking laws; genetic information; sexual orientation; military and veteran status; or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.
This policy extends to all job applicants and employees and to all aspects of the employment relationship, including the hiring of new employees and the training, transfer, promotion, discipline, termination, compensation and benefits of existing employees. For a full copy of our non-discrimination policy, visit: https://bit.ly/mwapublicnotices