K-8 Music and Vocal Teacher
Elementary and Junior High School

St. Mary’s Catholic School of Sleepy Eye is seeking a K-8 music and vocal teacher for the 2019-2020 school year. St. Mary’s is a PreK-12 Catholic school in search of an individual of the Catholic faith, who desires to make a difference in the lives of our students. Applicants must be passionate about education, strong in collaboration, focused on instructional best practices, and contribute positively to the learning and development of all students. Applicants must possess or be eligible for a MN teaching license.

Applications for this position will be accepted until the position is filled. Mail, email, or fax a cover letter, personal resume, St. Mary’s application, short essay questions, copy of MN licensure, copy of transcript, and three letters of recommendation to:
Mrs. Mary Gangelhoff, Principal
St. Mary’s Elementary School
104 St. Mary’s St NW Sleepy Eye, MN 56085
Phone: 507-794-6141
Fax: 507-794-4841
mrs.gangelhoff@sesmschool.com

Job Description PDF

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St. Mary's and Sleepy Eye are a wonderful parish and community, with a gorgeous, historic church and school building, and a pastor strongly supportive of excellence in liturgical music. Latin choral works are often heard even at English Masses, and ensembles at liturgy sing from the loft, accompanied by the organ. The parish and school have a vibrant choral program, with a weekly choral Mass in the OF and most Sundays in the EF as well (there is an EF Mass every Sunday). The OF choir averages about 20-25 voices SATB, and the EF Choir about 15-18 voices, SATB. The parish is served by a full-time Director of Music, who is also the HS Choir instructor.

The New Ulm Diocesan Office of Worship is also highly supportive of excellence in sacred music and liturgy.

The High School vocal program into which the JH and Elementary choral program feeds consists of a Concert Choir class and Schola Cantorum; these combined ensembles were recently awarded a Category 1 Superior at Large Group Contest, although this represents a rebuilding of a program that had decayed somewhat over the past decade; the right hire would be essential to maintaining this growth.

Elementary Choristers exist, and are used either by themselves or with the Caecilian Choir about monthly, and at Christmas and First Communion. This program is fledgling, and exists somewhat on borrowed class-time. This could be a major project of the Elementary music teacher.

The prior teacher was very supportive, beloved, and surprised us all with her retirement at the end of a long career (the longest in Catholic education in the diocese); this could be an ideal transition, with low politics or baggage, a lot of goodwill, and strong community support. With the right motivation, the sky is the limit in terms of building a strong choral program for life, feeding into and bringing into full blossom the high potential of the parish's sacred music program and the school's ensembles.