Art Teacher (2026-2027)

Job Description

ART TEACHER
Royal Palm Academy, Naples Florida
Full-Time, 10-Month Faculty Position
Start Date: August 1, 2026
Compensation starting at $50,000-$70,000 depending on experience and qualifications; RPA also provides very competitive benefits for full-time employees.

Royal Palm Academy, an independent Catholic PK-8 school in Naples, Florida, is seeking a full-time Art Teacher for the 2026-2027 school year.

This is a mission-aligned faculty role for a creative, joyful, and skilled educator who loves children, values beauty, and wants to help students grow in both artistic skill and wonder. The Art Teacher will lead a once-weekly art class for every grade level from Pre-K3 through 8th grade and will help foster a school culture in which creativity, beauty, and joyful expression are taken seriously.

About Us
Royal Palm Academy is a joyful and thriving independent Catholic school serving students in Pre-K through 8th grade. We partner with families to provide rich academics and Catholic formation, helping students grow in wisdom, virtue, confidence, and character. We seek faculty and staff who believe in the formation of the whole child and who are eager to support our mission in the spirit and tradition of Saint John Bosco.

Position Overview
The Art Teacher is responsible for planning and teaching engaging, hands-on art instruction for students in Pre-K3 through 8th grade. This teacher will introduce students to a wide range of media, techniques, and styles while helping them grow in skill, confidence, attention, and delight in the creative process.

At Royal Palm Academy, we believe art is not simply an enrichment class. Art helps form attentiveness, discipline, imagination, and an appreciation for beauty. The right candidate will understand how to build a classroom culture that is ordered, joyful, and expressive, and will help students see that beauty matters.

This is also an exciting time in the life of the school. As part of our campus expansion, Royal Palm Academy is building a new Art Studio scheduled to open in Fall 2026. The Art Teacher will have the opportunity to help shape that space and contribute to the future of art education at RPA.

Key Responsibilities
• Plan and teach engaging, hands-on art lessons for students in Pre-K3 through 8th grade
• Introduce students to a variety of artistic media, techniques, and visual styles
• Foster a classroom environment marked by joy, creativity, order, and exploration
• Help students understand art as a reflection of beauty, meaning, and wonder
• Integrate age-appropriate instruction in art history, sacred art, and the relationship between faith and beauty
• Display student artwork throughout the school and at key school events
• Identify and encourage students with particular interest or aptitude in the arts
• Support the future development of art enrichment opportunities, including possible after-school programming
• Collaborate with school leadership on the development and future use of the new RPA Art Studio
• Maintain art materials, supplies, tools, and a safe, inviting classroom environment
• Communicate clearly and professionally with parents, colleagues, and school leadership
• Support the Catholic mission and educational philosophy of Royal Palm Academy

Required Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Art Education, Fine Arts, or a related field
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant teaching experience in a school, studio, or similar setting
• Experience working with elementary and middle school students across multiple age levels
• Demonstrated skill in a range of artistic media, including drawing, painting, sculpture, and mixed media
• Strong classroom management, communication, and organizational skills
• Clear alignment with the mission of Catholic education and the values of Royal Palm Academy

Preferred Qualifications
• Catholic strongly preferred
• Experience in an independent school or Catholic school strongly preferred
• Familiarity with sacred art, Catholic aesthetics, or classical education preferred
• Experience with student exhibitions, art contests, or after-school enrichment programs preferred

The Ideal Candidate
The strongest candidates will demonstrate:
• A joyful and confident presence with children
• Strong artistic skill and sound educational judgment
• The ability to balance creativity with structure
• A genuine love for beauty and the formative power of art
• Very strong classroom management skills for students ranging from 3 to 13 years old
• Strong organization and follow-through
• A visible love for children and commitment to their growth

Physical and Other Demands
• Ability to lead active, hands-on art instruction across multiple grade levels
• Ability to move throughout campus and between classrooms during the school day
• Ability to lift and organize classroom materials and displays, up to 20 pounds
• Ability to maintain an orderly, safe, and engaging classroom environment
To Apply
Please submit the following in PDF format to Michael Bussman, Head of School, at mbussman@royalpalmacademy.org:
• Cover letter describing your background, interest in the role, and alignment with the mission of Royal Palm Academy
• Resume

In your email, please include a link to your current LinkedIn profile, if you have one.

Royal Palm Academy seeks faculty and staff who are mission-aligned, collaborative, student-centered, and committed to helping children flourish academically, socially, and spiritually.

About the Employer

Royal Palm Academy is an independent, Catholic, pre-kindergarten to eighth grade school in Naples, Florida. Our mission is to partner with families to provide an education of rich academics with Catholic formation. Royal Palm Academy teaches the mind, educates the heart, and forms the character of tomorrow's leaders. This mission is pursued through the development of the whole person, integral formation, which encompasses the commitment to teach, to educate, and to form our students.