High School English, Broadcast Journalism Teacher, and PNN Coordinator

CERTIFIED POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position: English, Broadcast Journalism Teacher, and PNN Coordinator

Work Group:  Certified Teacher 183.5 Contractual Days

Licensure: Journalism 5-12 or Language Arts 5-12

Reports To: Penn High School Administration

Evaluation: Based on the Teacher Effectiveness Rubric 

Job Overview:

This role involves leading students in the production of high-quality, student-run broadcasts, including a daily 2-minute live morning announcements show and a weekly pre-recorded 15-20 minute program, and occasional live broadcasts of events. The teacher must instruct students in video production, scriptwriting, on-camera presentation, editing, newsgathering, and ethical journalism practices while fostering creativity, teamwork, and technical proficiency. The teacher will also oversee the other media outlets that Penn News Network runs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Oversee the production of daily live morning announcements and a weekly news show, ensuring timely and professional content.

2. Oversee the Penn News Network (PNN) website and copy edit stories.

3. Oversee & update the “Digital Signage” displayed across Penn High School monitors.

4. Oversee & update the PNN social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube).

5. Provide feedback on student work, helping them refine their on-air presence, editing skills, and journalistic writing.

6. Guide students in operating cameras, audio equipment, teleprompters, lighting practices

7. Manage a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, teaching students how to work efficiently under pressure.

8. Encourage responsible and ethical reporting while fostering a collaborative newsroom culture.

9. Coordinate with school administrators, faculty, and student organizations to cover relevant school news and events.

10. Proctor the Adobe Certification tests through the Certiport program.

Sports Journalism Responsibilities: 

1. Guide students as they promote and cover Penn High School athletics through a variety of platforms (website, podcast, YouTube and social media)

2. Teach students how to research, write, and edit sports articles, features and athlete profiles

3.     Provide guidance on journalistic standards, ethics, and multimedia storytelling

4.     Supervise the creation of content for sports publications and the Pennant website

5.     Train students in video interviewing and editing highlight packages

6.     Guide students in broadcasting live or recorded athletic events using proper techniques and equipment

7.     Coordinate with the athletics department to provide students with hands-on opportunities

Journalism Responsibilities: 

1. Teaching experience in English, journalism, media studies, or a related field  

2. Teach the fundamentals of journalism, including newswriting, interviewing, editing, photography, media law and media literacy

3. Introduce students to publication design, advertising, photography, and basic broadcasting

4. Emphasize core journalistic values such as accuracy, objectivity, and concise reporting

5. Guide students through newsgathering and content creation for school publications or broadcasts

6. Copy-edit students’ website stories for the Penn News Network website

PNN Studio Technical Knowledge:

All of the PNN Studio equipment is from Blackmagic Design. Running the equipment requires technical knowledge, including operating cameras, ATEM Switcher, Audio Equipment and Lighting. Knowledge of software integration is also needed to control the ATEM software, create graphics and titles and manage media playback. School broadcasts are distributed and streamed through YouTube.

Qualifications Requirements:

1. Licensed Teacher in good standing working for Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation.

2. Must be credentialed to teach dual credit through Ivy Tech Community College. 

3. Additional professional journalism experience preferred.

4. Strong knowledge of broadcast journalism, video production, and media practices.

5. Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills.

6. Proficient in video-editing software (Adobe Premiere Pro).

7. Basic graphic design knowledge with proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and/or Illustrator. 

8. Knowledge of Adobe After Effects and Audacity is preferred.

9. Ability to manage student-led productions and develop their leadership and teamwork skills.

10. Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.

11. Passion for teaching and mentoring students in a real-world media production environment.

12. Adept with the use of technology as well as proven competence of the pedagogy that fuses technology with problem-based learning.

13. Excellent interpersonal, communication, leadership, and organizational skills.

14. Demonstrated excellent work habits, attendance record, and interactions with parents.

15. Excellent time management skills and ability to multitask, prioritize work, and give exceptional attention to detail.

16. Willingness to improve and/or develop job-related skills.

Physical Ability ~ Physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, talk and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Sensory Requirements ~ Most tasks require visual perception and discrimination. All tasks require oral communications ability.

Environmental Factors ~ The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job: 

• Tasks are regularly performed without potential exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as temperature and noise extremes, odors, humidity, vibrations, traffic hazards, violence, disease, or pathogenic substances. 

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate; however the noise level can vary depending upon daily activity, but will still remain within the acceptable noise level range.

• Some photography and video responsibilities may require being outdoors under all weather conditions.

Mental Effort  ~ Normal Concentration/intensity, which includes prolonged mental effort with limited opportunity for breaks. 

~ When duties and responsibilities change and develop the job description will be reviewed and subject to changes of business necessity ~

The Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to allow them to perform the essential functions of the job when such individuals request an accommodation.

RBT 4/2025