Improv Coach

ABOUT GANN

Gann Academy is a pluralistic Jewish high school that challenges students to cultivate their talents and interests in all areas of human potential: intellectual, artistic, spiritual, and physical. Our faculty, comprising Jewish and non-Jewish educators, facilitates the student journey. We seek teachers committed to collaborating and growing in their teaching practice; supporting diverse learners in the classroom; and connecting with students outside the school, both formally and informally.

Gann Academy is committed to building an inclusive workplace culture where talented people of widely diverse backgrounds can thrive. We believe that including diverse perspectives will improve our work and societal and learning outcomes. All employees participate in this commitment, whether internally by building a welcoming workplace culture or externally by ensuring inclusive engagement with families and other community members.

Perhaps most of all, Gann offers a community of intelligent, collaborative, and compassionate professionals who care about their work, school, and colleagues. We help one another learn, solve problems, and have fun.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Gann Academy is seeking a coach for Button Fly, the school's improv team. The coach is responsible for leading, mentoring, and developing a high school improvisational theatre team. This role includes running auditions, teaching fundamental improv skills, directing rehearsals, preparing students for performances or competitions, and fostering an environment where creativity, teamwork, and personal growth can thrive. The coach will model professionalism, inclusivity, and respect while ensuring that all comedic material aligns with appropriate school standards.

This is an in-person, part-time, seasonal position for approximately one month, 2 days a week.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Work with the student leaders to advertise auditions, followed by conducting auditions. The ideal team size is 12 students. The coach will work with the students to get to this number.
• Lead rehearsals and training sessions that teach core improv principles, including listening, collaboration, character work, spontaneity, the game of the scene, and longform structure.
• Create and uphold clear boundaries for high school-appropriate comedy.
  This includes guiding students away from material involving adult themes, disrespectful content, or humor that targets individuals or groups. The coach will actively teach students to generate smart, age-appropriate, and school-policy-aligned comedic ideas.
• Cultivate a safe, inclusive, and supportive rehearsal environment in which all students-regardless of personality, experience level, or background-feel comfortable taking creative risks. The coach ensures students' emotional, social, and physical safety while still challenging them artistically.
• Maintain professional standards of conduct and hold students accountable to those standards during rehearsals and performances. This includes reinforcing expectations for respectful collaboration, appropriate language, and behavior consistent with the school's values.
• Plan and facilitate structured rehearsals that build skills over time, introduce new formats and games, and prepare the team for community events.
• Provide constructive feedback that helps students refine their performance abilities and grow in confidence. This includes balancing encouragement with clear, age-appropriate guidance.
• Prepare students to perform in both school wide Arts festivals. These festivals occur in the evenings in January and June. The Button Fly coach is expected to attend and to coordinate with the manager of these festivals.
• Communicate with school staff, administrators, and parents as necessary.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Physical demands include dexterity for office machine/supply operations, including but not limited to computers, telephones, electronic calculators, copy machines, and printers. Stooping, bending, reaching for files or supplies, and sitting or standing for extended periods are common.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Gann Academy is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the school to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression), pregnancy, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or veteran status.

ACCOMMODATION

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, must be able to perform the essential job functions (as listed) either unaided or with a reasonable accommodation, as determined on a case-by-case basis by management.

E-VERIFY

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If…