Music Director​/Teacher

The Gooden School
Sierra Madre, CA United States

Founded in 1975, The Gooden School celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025. We are a close-knit Episcopal school community with deep traditions, strong relationships, and a commitment to educating the whole child—academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. The Music Director plays a highly visible and influential role in school life, collaborating closely with faculty, administrators, the chaplain, and students across all grade levels.

This position is well-suited for an educator who is resilient, flexible, collaborative, and eager to lead, with room for creative curriculum development and support from an administration that welcomes innovation and 21st-century teaching approaches.

The Gooden School seeks a skilled, passionate, and versatile Music Director for the 2026-27 school year to lead and further develop our TK–8 music program following the retirement of our longtime music educator after more than 30 years of service. Music is a central and cherished part of life at Gooden, and this role is vital to sustaining our traditions while thoughtfully shaping the future of music education at the school.

The Music Director is an exempt position reporting to the Assistant Head of School and the Head of School. In all aspects of this role, the Music Director is expected to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and confidentiality, while upholding The Gooden School’s mission and motto:

“Respect for self, Respect for Others, and Respect for the World.”

The Music Director provides developmentally appropriate, engaging music instruction to all students in grades TK–8. The role spans early childhood music education, vocal and choral instruction, string and wind instrument instruction, and ensemble leadership for band and orchestra.

The Music Director teaches most classes twice per week and oversees performances, school-wide musical events, and special chapel services throughout the year.

• Create and maintain classrooms that are physically and emotionally safe, inclusive, and well-managed
• Meaningfully engage with all students and foster a love of music
• Model, teach, and uphold age-appropriate, respectful, and disciplined behavior aligned with the school’s mission
• Hold high (though not uniform) expectations for students
• Maximize instructional time and deliver an enriched, engaging curriculum
• Support student growth beyond the classroom through performances, field trips, and special events
• Plan and implement a developmentally appropriate, enriched TK–8 music curriculum
• Update curriculum maps on Google Drive as needed
• Post weekly lesson plans to the Faculty Folder and update FACTS homework pages by 5:00 pm on Fridays
• Demonstrate a wide repertoire of effective instructional strategies to meet diverse learning needs
• Seek out and apply current instructional theories and best practices
• Teach early childhood music classes twice per week (30 minutes each)
• Emphasize steady beat, pitch matching, folk songs, folk dancing, musical circle games, and movement
• Integrate Orff-Schulwerk and Kodály pedagogy into lesson planning (strongly preferred)
• Prepare TK–3 students for the annual Lessons & Carols Chapel Service in accordance with Episcopal tradition

• Teach instrumental music with a primary focus on string instruments (violin, viola, cello, string bass)
• Introduce wind instruments in Grade 5
• Blend vocal and instrumental instruction
• Prepare students for ensemble performances and choral participation in Lessons & Carols

• Lead band and orchestra programs
• Support student growth in technique, musicianship, ensemble skills, and collaboration
• Vocal/choral instruction is welcomed and may be developed as part of future curriculum enhancements

• Rehearse and prepare students for concerts, chapel services, and school-wide musical events
• Arrange and adapt music for performances, including Lessons & Carols, concerts, and special chapel services
• Collaborate with the chaplain, drama teacher, and classroom teachers as needed
• Form and rehearse small ensembles for events such as Open House and community…