Lower School Art Teacher

About Charleston Collegiate:

Charleston Collegiate School (CCS) is an independent, co-educational, non-sectarian day school serving students from PS through 12th grade. Situated on a picturesque 30-acre campus of playing fields, wooded trails, and an Outdoor Education Center, CCS is located on Johns Island, just 20 minutes from Charleston’s historic district and the beach resorts of Kiawah and Seabrook Islands.

Founded in 1970, CCS fosters a challenging and supportive learning community that recognizes, nurtures, and challenges its diverse student body. Organized into Lower School (PS-5), Middle School (6-8), and Upper School (9-12), the school’s mission is to empower students through a student-centered approach that emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and individuality. With approximately 410 students, CCS is Charleston’s only independent PS-12 school of its kind, providing a unique education grounded in the pillars of project-based learning, entrepreneurship, arts and creativity, and outdoor education. These foundational elements equip students to become lifelong learners and resilient leaders ready for 21st-century careers.

Job Description:

Charleston Collegiate School (CCS) seeks to build on our strong arts foundation to become a local and national leader in arts education. The Art Lead is a critical driver of this vision, ensuring that our arts program is a "signature" experience that integrates student leadership, Project-Based Learning (PBL), and deep community connection.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Guarantees a Safe, Learning-Filled, and Joyful Experience

Ensures physical, emotional, and psychological safety within the art studio. Promotes a rigorous, real-world, and relationship-based experience for students in grades PreK3–5th, fostering an environment where students feel safe to take creative risks.

Elevates & Enhances the CCS Arts Brand

Owns the growth of a robust, dynamic, and differentiated art program. Through ongoing review of signature offerings and curricular innovations (including varied media and art history), the Art Lead ensures the program is a competitively viable and unique "product" of the CCS experience.

Academic Vision & Instructional Leadership

Develops and documents a developmentally appropriate art curriculum that aligns with CCS Pillars and scaffolds skills across grade levels. Collaborates with classroom teachers to integrate art into the PBL curriculum, ensuring the arts are not siloed but are central to interdisciplinary learning.

Student Experience & Empowerment

Follows a pedagogy of student leadership, empowering students to find their unique voices. Oversees student conduct within the studio, ensuring expectations are clear, consistent, and aligned with core values.

Community & Relationship Builder

Acts as a bridge for meaningful community connection. Engages with local businesses, collaborates with local artists for mentorship opportunities, and coordinates on-campus shows/art displays. 

Clear, Proactive Communication

Prioritizes transparency and follow-through with the Leadership Team, colleagues, and families. Regularly shares student progress and upcoming projects, and collaborates with the Specials team and Middle/Upper School arts department to showcase student work across the campus.

Studio Management & Operations

Maintains a clean, organized, and inspiring art studio that serves as a "showcase" for the program. Manages the class budget to maintain and refresh supplies, ensuring the proper care and safety of all equipment.

Qualification Requirements

• Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, Art Education, or a related field.


• Experience: Successful track record of teaching and coaching students in an elementary or independent school context.


• Artistic Expertise: Proficiency in a wide variety of artistic media and a strong foundation in art history.


• Instructional Skill: Experience with Project-Based Learning (PBL) and curriculum mapping/documentation.


• Professionalism: Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate across divisions and engage with the local Charleston arts community.


• Communication: Exceptional written and oral communication skills; ability to present a professional image as a representative of CCS.


• Technical Savvy: Proficient in Google Suite and digital tools for documentation and communication.


• Core Values: An appreciation for diversity in all forms and a high-energy, enthusiastic approach to academic life.

Salary and Benefits

Charleston Collegiate School is committed to attracting and retaining the highest quality faculty and staff through a competitive compensation plan, retirement benefits and full medical/dental coverage.
Individual salary is negotiable depending on years of experience and educational background.

Non-Discrimination: Charleston Collegiate School values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds.  All employment decisions are made without regard to unlawful considerations of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.