Employment
Founded in 1926, Wooster School is a co-educational, 5-12, college preparatory day school with an enrollment of approximately 350 students, and a regional leader in student-centered education. The School is located in Danbury, Connecticut. By design and mission, it educates a student population diverse in academic ability, socioeconomic background, religious affinity, and race and ethnicity. Wooster is a member of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools and the National Association of Independent Schools.
While Wooster’s traditions of self-help and relationship-building have long been recognized as strengths, our more recent commitment to innovative approaches to teaching and learning are making us a leader in the independent school world. We are committed to a learner-centered environment for our students, and to exploring the full potential of competency-based and personalized teaching and learning.
Wooster School is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we provide a work environment that welcomes diversity. In addition to a competitive salary, employees receive retirement, health insurance, tuition remission, short and long term disability and life insurance benefits.
All employees are subject to a criminal background check before any contractual offer is final.
Current Openings
- Assistant Director of Admission
- Director of Development
- Middle School Science Teacher
- Middle School Humanities Teaching Fellow
- Upper School History Teacher
- Middle School Bridge Program Teacher
- Upper School Bridge Program Teacher
- International Student Coordinator and ESL Teacher
- Substitute Teachers
Assistant Director of Admission
Position Description
Wooster School seeks an Assistant Director of Admission to begin in the summer of 2023. Joining a small but tightly-knit and organized team, the position involves a wide range of duties facilitating our admissions program and enrollment goals. The ideal candidate will have at least several years of prior admissions experience in independent schools. Facility with core admissions software (Blackbaud) and experience interfacing with a diverse group of prospective families is a plus. A strong sense of humor, eagerness to learn and grow with authentic responsibilities, and flexibility are key assets.
The Role
- Help manage Wooster’s admission program: new student attraction and matriculation, and retention.
- Anchor the back end of the admission office: scheduling, database, and initial family communication.
- Interface with prospective families -- parents and students -- and guide them through our process.
- Participate in admission team meetings, contributing constructively as to candidate status and systems-related progress.
- Help plan and execute admission-related events, virtual and in-person.
- Remain current with local market trends and our school’s value proposition so as to be able to communicate clearly with prospective families.
- As a day school with a primarily local market, this position does not include much travel outside of the immediate school area.
Salary & Benefits
This is a full-time, 12 month, exempt position. Salaries are competitive with local independent schools. A competitive benefits package includes retirement, health insurance, tuition remission, short and long-term disability, and life insurance. All employees are subject to a criminal background check before any contractual offer is final.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and statement of philosophy to:
Will Sacco, Director of Admission
william.sacco@woosterschool.org
Director of Development
Position Description
Wooster School seeks a Director of Development, to start July 1, 2023. This newly designed position will report to the Chief Development Officer (CDO). The Director of Development will focus on building the donor community by identifying, engaging and retaining donors at all levels of giving. The Director will also assist in the development and execution of any capital campaign.
The ideal candidate will be innovative and forward-thinking -- just like Wooster School. A creative problem-solver and deep thinker, the Director of Development will also be highly organized and focused on research, planning, and implementation. A passion for education, affinity for young people, and desire to be an active member of a thriving school community are requisite for any viable candidate. Finally, the successful candidate will be an eager and resourceful teammate who is confident, humble, and blessed with a ready sense of humor.
Responsibilities
- Generate creative solutions to enhance, strengthen and maintain the school’s close relationship with individual donors;
- Participate in the development and execution of a development program that meets the needs of a growing school;
- Plan, implement and manage fundraising programs and special events to secure individual, foundation, and corporate philanthropic support for capital, endowment, and planned giving campaigns;
- Along with the CDO, develop and manage long-term major gift and planned giving initiatives to build and maintain relationships with prospective donors; includes identification, cultivation, and face-to-face solicitation of donors;
- Work with the CDO to prepare reports for the Board of Trustees;
- Support Trustees in the articulation of annual fund gifts, major gifts and planned giving fundraising needs;
- Facilitate interaction of Trustees, Head of School, and CDO with major and planned giving prospects, top annual fund contributors, Parents’ Association leadership and other key volunteers;
- Stay current with industry trends, innovations, and best practices.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree;
- 3-5+ years of experience as a major gifts officer and/or manager/leader in development in an independent school or not-for-profit;
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to comfortably, warmly and effectively engage individuals and large groups in social settings;
- Demonstrated track record as a contributing member of a high functioning leadership team;
- Positive energy, curiosity, creativity and a ready sense of humor;
- Ability to maintain absolute confidentiality and the integrity of the advancement process, and exercise good judgement and tact in all situations;
- Commitment to being part of a diverse, equitable and inclusive school community;
- Familiarity/Proficiency using Raiser’s Edge modules to track event budgets, generate reports, and benchmark results;
- Preferred familiarity with event management software such as GiveSmart, EventBrite, or the like.
Salary & Benefits
This is a full-time, 12 month, exempt position. Salaries are competitive with local independent schools. A competitive benefits package includes retirement, health insurance, tuition remission, short and long-term disability, and life insurance. All employees are subject to a criminal background check before any contractual offer is final.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references:
Shannon Prohaszka, Chief Development Officer
shannon.prohaszka@woosterschool.org
Middle School Science Teacher
Position Description
Wooster School seeks a Middle School science instructor to begin in the fall of 2023. The position will involve teaching science to middle school students as part of collaborative, interdisciplinary multigrade-level teams. The ideal candidate will have an advanced degree and at least 3 years of teaching experience at the middle school level. Candidates should be curious students of the art and science of teaching and learning, particularly in the context of competency-based education and personalized instruction. Demonstrating flexibility, a strong sense of humor, and fluency with technology is also essential.
The Role
Full-time Wooster teachers:
- Teach five sections of middle school science, ranging from grades 5-8
- Participate in student-focused programs such as: advisory, chapel, community meals, and clubs
- Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning through continued professional development
- Commit to designing culturally responsive curricula and experiences in collaboration with our Equity and Justice Center
Salary & Benefits
This is a full-time, exempt position. Salaries are competitive with local independent schools. A competitive benefits package includes retirement, health insurance, tuition remission, short and long-term disability, and life insurance. All employees are subject to a criminal background check before any contractual offer is final.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and statement of philosophy to:
Parvin Taraz, Chief Academic Officer
parvin.taraz@woosterschool.org
Middle School Humanities Teaching Fellow
Position Description
The Teaching Fellowship Program at Wooster School is a supportive program designed to equip Teaching Fellows with the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions to become a transformational teacher. Candidates for the Teaching Fellowship commit to a two-year program and participate in the academic, student-life, and extracurricular activities of Wooster School. Of particular interest are recent college graduates of color from our local geographic area, who feel the call to teach.
This full-time role includes preparation for and teaching of three classes under the supervision of a Mentor Teacher, participation in Wooster’s Teacher Learning Program, and additional responsibilities such as coaching, club supervision, and tutoring. Deep curiosity about the science and practice of teaching and learning, affinity for young people, flexibility and collaborative skills are essential. For the cohort starting in the 2023-24 school year, Wooster is particularly interested in teachers of Middle School science.
The Role
The Teaching Fellow will:
- Teach three Middle School English or history courses with support from a Mentor Teacher
- Participate in student-focused programs such as: advisory, chapel, community meals, and clubs
- Play a role in our extracurricular and athletics programming
- Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning through continued professional development
- Commit to designing culturally responsive curricula and experiences in collaboration with our Equity and Justice Center
Salary & Benefits
Teaching Fellows will receive a $45,000 salary and full health benefits. Teaching Fellows have the opportunity to pursue an advanced degree in the Independent Schools Teacher Leadership Program at Mount Holyoke College, funded by Wooster School. For more information: Mount Holyoke IS Fellowship Timeline. All employees are subject to a criminal background check before any contractual offer is final.
Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and resume to:
Elizabeth Higgins, Director of Teacher Learning
elizabeth.higgins@woosterschool.org
Upper School History Teacher
Position Description
Wooster School seeks an Upper School History instructor with primary responsibility for co-teaching Humanities with an English teacher. This position requires a strong background in writing and the Humanities. Candidates should be voracious readers and seekers of new knowledge with a deep desire to foster that same disposition in our students. The ideal candidate will have an advanced degree and at least 3 years of history teaching experience. Candidates should be curious students of the art and science of teaching and learning, particularly in the context of competency-based education and personalized instruction. Demonstrating flexibility, a strong sense of humor, and fluency with technology is also essential.
The Role
Full-time Wooster teachers:
- Teach five sections of history, including co-taught 10th-grade Humanities
- Participate in student-focused programs such as: advisory, chapel, community meals, and clubs
- Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning through continued professional development
- Commit to designing culturally responsive curricula and experiences in collaboration with our Equity and Justice Center
Salary & Benefits
This is a full-time, exempt position. Salaries are competitive with local independent schools. A competitive benefits package includes retirement, health insurance, tuition remission, short and long-term disability, and life insurance. All employees are subject to a criminal background check before any contractual offer is final.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and statement of philosophy to:
Elizabeth Higgins, Director of Teacher Learning
elizabeth.higgins@woosterschool.org
Middle School Bridge Program Teacher
Position Description
The Wooster School Bridge Program supports high-achieving students with language-based learning disabilities. The Bridge Program teacher will work with a Middle School student cohort to: support students by providing academic intervention and remediation; support students in a mainstream classroom setting in an effort to advance students with various learning needs; partner with parents, students, and outside professionals in order to better support students with special needs, and collaborate with colleagues to support students’ learning. The Bridge Program teacher may teach a Bridge-specific Literacy class aligned with the students’ needs and the general curriculum. Depending on the cohort need, they may also teach a Bridge-specific Math class. The Bridge Program teacher will push into Middle School Humanities and STEM classes to co-facilitate learning for all students. Communication with colleagues and parents is essential.
The Role
The Bridge Program Teacher will:
- Partner with Humanities and STEM instructors in the Middle School grade level(s)
- Provide literacy, mathematics, study skills, and executive functioning support to students who participate in the Bridge Program.
- Nurture a cohort of Bridge Program students by providing relationship-based, social-emotional support
- Participate in student-focused programs such as: advisory, chapel, community meals, and clubs
- Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning through continued professional development
- Maintain routine and effective communication with Bridge Program families.
- Commit to designing culturally responsive curricula and experiences in collaboration with our Equity and Justice Center
Salary & Benefits
This is a full-time, exempt position. Salaries are competitive with local independent schools. A competitive benefits package includes retirement, health insurance, tuition remission, short and long-term disability, and life insurance. All employees are subject to a criminal background check before any contractual offer is final.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and statement of philosophy to:
Joulé Bazemore, Director of The Bridge Program
joule.bazemore@woosterschool.org
Upper School Bridge Program Teacher
Position Description
The Wooster School Bridge Program supports high-achieving students with mild language-based, attentional, or auditory processing differences. The Bridge Program teacher will collaborate with teachers and students in the Humanities and/or STEM classroom setting in an effort to advance students' learning. The Bridge Program teacher also works with a small cohort of students in support classes designed to develop effective learning strategies and strong executive functioning skills. Various methodologies, such as direct instruction, front loading and re-teaching of content-specific skills, are also integrated into the support classes. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated familiarity with or background in multi-sensory language-based instruction, and a knowledge of best practices in executive functioning, social-emotional, and study skills.
The Role
The Bridge Program Teacher will:
- Partner with Humanities and/or STEM instructors in the Upper School grade level(s)
- Provide literacy, study skills, and executive functioning support to Bridge Program students
- Nurture a cohort of Bridge Program students by providing relationship-based, social-emotional support
- Participate in student-focused programs such as: advisory, chapel, community meals, and clubs
- Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning through continued professional development
- Maintain routine and effective communication with Bridge Program families.
- Commit to designing culturally responsive curricula and experiences in collaboration with our Equity and Justice Center
Salary & Benefits
This is a full-time, exempt position. Salaries are competitive with local independent schools. A competitive benefits package includes retirement, health insurance, tuition remission, short and long-term disability, and life insurance. All employees are subject to a criminal background check before any contractual offer is final.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and statement of philosophy to:
Joulé Bazemore, Director of The Bridge Program
joule.bazemore@woosterschool.org
International Student Coordinator and ESL Teacher
Position Description
Wooster School seeks a cross-divisional International Student Coordinator and ESL teacher to begin in the fall of 2023. The position involves managing our international student admissions program, and teaching ESL to students in our middle and upper schools. The ideal candidate will have experience in international admissions, an advanced degree, and at least 3 years of teaching experience. Candidates should be curious students of the art and science of teaching and learning, particularly in the context of competency-based education and personalized instruction. Demonstrating flexibility, a strong sense of humor, and fluency with technology is also essential.
The Role
International Student Coordinator:
- Manage Wooster’s international admission program: new student attraction and matriculation; retention; and, in collaboration with teachers and advisors, day to day student management
- Remain current with international market trends and explore potential new school partnerships
Full-time Wooster teachers:
- Provide ESL support to international students
- Perform intake assessments with international students to determine their support needs
- Monitor student growth and progress
- Participate in student-focused programs such as: advisory, chapel, community meals, and clubs
- Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning through continued professional development
- Commit to designing culturally responsive curricula and experiences in collaboration with our Equity and Justice Center
Salary & Benefits
This is a full-time, exempt position. Salaries are competitive with local independent schools. A competitive benefits package includes retirement, health insurance, tuition remission, short and long-term disability, and life insurance. All employees are subject to a criminal background check before any contractual offer is final.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and statement of philosophy to:
Parvin Taraz, Chief Academic Officer
parvin.taraz@woosterschool.org
Substitute Teachers
Wooster School is looking for substitute teachers with teacher training and experience with students in grades 5th through 12th. Please send resumes and letter of interest to Mary Beth Brady at mary.beth.brady@woosterschool.org.