Arts Teacher (Atelierista)

Junior School 

Full-time – Continuing Contract 

Starting August 2025 

About York House School
It all began on the corner of Granville and 28th where seven fearless women welcomed 17 students to the very first York House School in 1932. Nearly a century later, thousands of students have found their unique path and purpose at YHS. Our School has since grown into one of Canada’s leading independent schools for girls. Today, we serve approximately 700 students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12.

At York House School, our Vision is clear: seeing the world as it is, and imagining what it could be, we aspire to create a transformational experience for students who are empowered to reshape the future.

Our Mission

We are dedicated to creating an environment that elevates the mind, celebrates uniqueness, inspires creativity, and encourages discourse.

Why Join Us?

At York House School, we’re fostering a learning environment where creative exploration, courageous conversation and deep intellectual engagement are equally celebrated. This bold approach requires a highly skilled, diverse and energetic team of committed faculty and staff. Please check out our Spark Strategic Plan to learn more. If you are passionate about education, excited by the opportunity to inspire future leaders, and eager to be part of a vibrant, forward-thinking community, we would love to hear from you.

About This Role

The Arts Teacher (Atelierista) is a unique role grounded in the BC Arts Education Curriculum (K–7) and guided by the principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach, with a focus on the arts as a core language for thinking, communication, and meaning-making.

The Arts Teacher (Atelierista) is not only a teacher of visual arts, but a collaborator and creative partner, working side-by-side with children, teachers, and fellow specialists to support inquiry-based, project-driven learning across the curriculum.

Qualifications:

• Valid BC Teaching Certificate or equivalent
• Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts, Art Education, or a related field
• Training and/or demonstrated experience with the Reggio Emilia Approach is an asset
• Experience or coursework related to interdisciplinary teaching and/or STEAM is an asset
• Minimum of three years of elementary teaching experience
• Coaching and/or extra-curricular experience is an asset

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Strong knowledge of the BC Arts Education Curriculum (K–7), including how to foster artistic habits of mind, creative expression, and visual literacy in children.
• Understanding of the Reggio Emilia Approach, including key principles, such as the image of the child, the hundred languages, the environment as the third teacher, and pedagogical documentation.
• Experience planning and facilitating arts-based learning experiences that are open-ended, inquiry-driven, and responsive to children’s thinking and interests.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with homeroom teachers to integrate the arts into classroom project work, co-constructing and supporting the inquiry process.
• Proven experience integrating with specialist teachers, particularly in connecting visual arts with STEAM learning experiences.
• Skilled in creating and maintaining a welcoming, organized, and inspiring Atelier (studio space) that supports exploration of diverse materials and artistic processes.
• Ability to observe, document, and interpret children’s artistic and cognitive processes to make learning visible and support next steps in teaching and learning.
• Experience working in a child-centred, inquiry-based learning environment, ideally in a Reggio-inspired or progressive educational setting.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build respectful and collaborative relationships with children, colleagues, and families.
• Comfortable working with a variety of art media and materials, including both traditional and contemporary approaches (e.g., watercolour paint, clay, natural materials, photography, mixed media).
• Strong knowledge of the current research on girls and learning.
• Flexible, reflective, and creative approach to teaching, with a commitment to ongoing professional growth.
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive teaching practices.

Faculty at YHS are provided with the following:

• A diverse and inclusive work environment
• Small class sizes and time for planning and working collaboratively
• Access to exceptional resources
• Comprehensive compensation and benefits package

Review our Career Page.

Please apply here.

This posting will remain open until the position is filled. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, as applications will be reviewed as they arrive. We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Compensation is based on qualifications and experience per the salary grid (From $67,741.00 to $121,179.41) in the Collective Agreement with BCGEU.