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The St. Paul’s Schools is pleased to announce an opening for a full-time upper school English Department Chair.
The successful candidate will be a creative, dynamic, and experienced Upper School English language and literature teacher. He or she will possess a strong knowledge of literature appropriate for grades 9 through 12 and will be able to draw upon a variety of teaching techniques to engage girls in their work. He or she shall inspire a passion for the written word in all its forms and teach students to think, discuss, and write with clarity. He or she will be familiar with focused strategies to guide the drafting and peer editing processes and will be experienced in providing feedback on student writing. Additionally, the successful candidate will masterfully and imaginatively teach the complexities of grammar, style, and usage. They will foster a student-centered, 21st century classroom environment where all students are encouraged to think critically, to offer up their ideas, and to welcome the notion that learning extends beyond the classroom. In such a classroom, discussions are creative and enhanced by intellectually stimulating discoveries. In keeping with the mission of the school, the successful candidate will support individual students so they thrive academically. He or she will foster and maintain genuine relationships with students.
Additional department chair responsibilities
- Oversee middle and upper English department members, facilitating regular department meetings and coordination within curriculum.
- Serve as a communication liaison between faculty and administration including advocating for departmental positions, implementing school policies, fostering a collegial work environment within department and working to increase awareness of diversity within the community and curriculum.
- Act as a leader in curriculum and pedagogy in their department, guiding conversations about teaching and learning to ensure that rigor and innovation are being pursued and best practices are being followed.
- Assists in hiring, training, evaluating, and supporting the faculty members in their respective department. The chair supports teachers that are new to the department or profession, teachers who might be struggling professionally or personally, and provides a first line of accountability for teachers in the department, partnering with the administration when more significant intervention is needed.
- During meetings with the other department chairs and with administrators, the department chair serves as an advocate for his or her own department while at the same time supporting the wider mission of the school. The department chair supports a culture of healthy and open discussion about school issues, while also showing active support for the school’s decisions.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in English language or literature is required; a Master's is preferred.
- Possess a passionate enthusiasm for their craft
- Enjoy transmitting knowledge to, as well as receiving knowledge from, his or her students
- Be a thought-leader in the field of teaching English, be well-informed of the latest techniques and topics in English instruction and skillful in implementing those techniques and topics
- Adroitly employ instructional methods that meet the needs of a diverse range of learners and be willing to personalize learning for students
- Collaborate with the English department, the learning services team, other faculty groups, and administrators to plan and implement departmental and school-wide goals
- Work closely with parents, teachers, and Division Heads to support the development and well-being of students
- Possess strong interpersonal, communication, writing, and organizational skills
- Have a minimum of six years of combined experience teaching Upper School English
- Proactively assume a leadership role, demonstrate initiative, and function independently when needed
- Department Chair candidate experience would be preferred, but not required to be in this leadership role.
In addition to teaching, full-time faculty members serve as student advisors, mentor clubs, and contribute in other significant ways to the work of the community. We are especially interested in candidates with coaching experience and/or those who can demonstrate initiative and serve as coaches in a variety of significant ways outside of the classroom. Other supervisory responsibilities and duties are shared among faculty members.
The St. Paul’s Schools is a family of independent schools located in Brooklandville, Maryland. With more than 1,400 students from ages 6 months to grade 12, St. Paul’s Pre and Lower School (coed), St. Paul’s School for Girls, and St. Paul’s School for Boys share a 120-acre campus, an Episcopal affiliation, and a focus on developing confident, well-balanced students who will use their education and ethics to improve the world. In July 2018, the schools unified under the umbrella of The St. Paul's Schools, with a single board of trustees and one president, but each school retains its individual traditions and its gender-specific programs. A coordinated structure allows The St. Paul’s Schools to preserve the small-school feel within each school while sharing resources and certain programs to maximize opportunities for students. With St. Paul’s unique model, boys and girls are taught together and separately at just the right times in their development.
Specifically, St. Paul's School for Girls has over 430 girls in grades 5-12. St. Paul’s School for Girls educates hearts and minds in an inclusive community that is grounded in the Episcopal values of respect, integrity, and spiritual growth. We empower voice, nurture intellectual curiosity and creativity, and inspire confident leaders who serve in the world.
