Employer: Elmwood School.
Location of Work: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Reports to: Principal, Middle and Senior School
Start Date: August 29, 2026
Status: Permanent, Full-time
Vacancy Status: This job posting is for an existing vacancy
Position Summary
At Elmwood School, we believe that when girls are given the space to explore, create, question, and lead, they become courageous architects of their own futures. We invite applicants to consider joining a community that has spent more than 110 years shaping confident, compassionate young women who are lifted and unstoppable.
As our Middle and Senior School Visual Arts Teacher, you will be a key force in nurturing our students' social, emotional, and academic well-being. Reporting to the Principal, Middle and Senior School, you will inspire creativity, technical skill, cultural awareness, and authentic self-expression through the visual arts. You will teach within the frameworks of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP), as well as the Ontario curriculum, ensuring that every student experiences a classroom intentionally designed for how girls learn best.
Elmwood is proud to be the first school in North America accredited in all three IB programmes. In our all-girls environment, students engage deeply in discussion, take intellectual risks, and grow in confidence without the limiting stereotypes that can shape coeducational settings. Here, the visual arts are a powerful pathway to voice, leadership, and self-discovery.
Compensation Details
Expected Compensation:
$70,000 to $100,000 per year, commensurate with 3-5+ years of experience and qualifications.
Additional Compensation Components (if applicable):
Comprehensive health and dental benefits
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), when applicable
Professional development funding, including IB training
Access to Elmwood’s wellness and community programming
Key Responsibilities
In alignment with Elmwood’s mission and vision, the successful candidate will:
Model and actively promote the IB Learner Profile in daily practice.
Design and implement an engaging Visual Arts curriculum aligned with the IB MYP and DP frameworks and the Ontario Arts curriculum.
Encourage students to develop a personal artistic process encompassing investigation, reflection, critique, and exhibition.
Nurture creativity, critical thinking, and innovation by motivating students to experiment, explore, and embrace artistic risk-taking.
Prepare students for IB assessments and, where appropriate, support submissions to exhibitions and competitions.
Coordinate and display student artwork in exhibitions, showcases, and community events.
Maintain a safe, organized, and inspiring studio environment, ensuring responsible use of materials and equipment.
Collaborate within the department and across disciplines to design coherent, well-articulated, and interdisciplinary programmes.
Support students’ academic, emotional, and social growth, nurturing each girl’s talents, purpose, and sense of self through our Homeroom/Tutorial program.
Build strong, trust-based relationships with families through ongoing communication and participation in community events.
Contribute meaningfully to co-curricular programmes, including clubs, workshops, and field trips, including overnight experiences as assigned.
Demonstrate an ongoing commitment to professional growth, including IB professional learning.
Ensure classroom readiness prior to the start of each school year.
Assume additional duties as assigned by the Head of School or designate.
Qualifications
Bachelor of Education with a focus in Visual Arts, Fine Arts, or Art Education.
Valid Ontario Teaching Certificate or eligibility to obtain certification prior to the start date.
Minimum of three years of experience teaching middle and high school Visual Arts; IB and independent school experience preferred.
IB MYP/DP Arts training and or experience considered an asset, or willingness to complete IB professional development.
Proficiency across a wide range of artistic media, including traditional and digital tools.
Experience integrating technology in the arts, including digital illustration, photo and video editing, and design software such as Adobe Creative Suite or Procreate.
Strong classroom management skills with an emphasis on safety, inclusion, and inspiration.
All Elmwood School employees are required to provide a Police Vulnerable Sector Check
Desired Dispositions and Approaches
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
A commitment to inquiry-based, experiential, and concept-driven learning.
Skill in formative and summative assessment aligned with IB philosophy.
Dedication to differentiated instruction and educating the whole student.
A passion for global perspectives and cultural awareness in the arts.
A collaborative spirit and eagerness to work across disciplines.
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
A deep belief in girls’ capacity to lead, create, and contribute with confidence and integrity.
In our all-girls setting, we see students who are thoughtful in critique, generous in discussion, and bold in experimentation. We are seeking a teacher who will help them discover that creativity is not simply a subject, but a stance toward the world.
Work Schedule
Full-time, permanent position (vacancy) commencing August 29, 2026.
School-year schedule with participation in required meetings, co-curricular programmes, and community events.
How to Apply
Please submit your resume and a brief letter of interest outlining your experience and what inspires you about this role to [email protected]. Please include the Job Title in the subject line.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, with interviews beginning after March 30, 2026.
We may use a closed AI system in our recruitment process to enhance efficiency and the review of all candidates. While this technology helps us assess qualifications, our team actively reviews outcomes to identify and address any potential assumptions or biases throughout the process.
Equity and Accessibility
Elmwood School is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and will provide accommodations throughout the recruitment process in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
We are united by a shared promise to deliver peace of mind and possibility to families. If you are inspired by the power of girls’ education and believe in building a learning environment where every student is lifted and unstoppable, we look forward to learning more about you.
