Career Center

Hawken School seeks teachers comfortable taking risks and embracing a growth mindset. Our faculty members are constantly looking for new ways to inspire student curiosity while remaining dedicated to nurturing compassion and kindness in our students. We are committed to using time differently and want faculty members to expand their definition of a classroom. This means designing learning experiences for students that deepen their learning, engaging their emotions as well as their intellects. 

We desire culturally competent candidates who clearly appreciate a community of teachers and learners from diverse backgrounds and perspectives and are committed to equity and social justice. If you are a teacher who is committed to the ideals of progressive education and inspired by this description of our community, we encourage you to read on to learn more about this position and our school. 

Successful candidates for any role at Hawken School must demonstrate skill and commitment in all the following key areas: 

Mission, Culture, and Philosophy Alignment

Candidates must show they can thrive at Hawken and are highly motivated by the school’s mission.

Fair Play: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice

Candidates must indicate a commitment to and have experience with serving students and communities equitably.

Relationship Building and Cultivation

Candidates must show they can build relationships throughout the Hawken community. 

Content Knowledge

Candidates must demonstrate that they can lead and guide colleagues and/students to depth in their work.

 Humility and Growth Mindset

Candidates must be eager to learn new approaches and methods and be able to team effectively with others. 

Approach to Work

Candidates must show initiative and agency with a commitment toward feedback and flexible problem solving. 

THE POSITION 

Hawken School is seeking a full time biology teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. The Hawken science curriculum features a 3-discipline core sequence starting with a Physics 9 course followed by Chemistry and Biology. Beyond the core courses, students can take advanced electives and conduct research through our STEMM program. The Hawken Science Department prioritizes engaging in scientific argumentation and building problem solving and critical thinking skills. The department also offers 3-week Intensive courses twice a year in which students engage hands-on, deep dives into topics such as forensics and kitchen science, among others. Two of our current Intensives include travel: Marine Science students travel to Trinidad and Tobago, and the Space Camp class travels to Space Camp in Huntsville, AL. Development of new Intensives that respond to the requests of our students is a primary goal of the department.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced facilitator of project-based learning in the science classroom and will be excited to co-design interdisciplinary learning opportunities with students and colleagues. A successful candidate for this position will have experience teaching all levels of biological sciences along with experience and expertise in another scientific discipline including but not limited to biomedical science, engineering, chemistry, or physics. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated interest and experience in teaching beyond the traditional boundaries of scientific disciplines, as our department works to develop interdisciplinary courses within the scientific disciplines and across disciplines in the school. This is an opportunity to develop an innovative curriculum and teach exciting courses both in the regular semester and the Intensive courses.

Hawken School is committed to teaching the total child. Candidates should be eager to work in a collaborative team-based environment with thoughtful individuals committed to making teaching and learning more authentic and meaningful . The essential duties/responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Teach four sections of science courses according to school needs.
• Actively participate with in re-envisioning curricula along with other members of the Math and Science Departments
• Coach or lead significant co-curricular activities within the Upper School, preparing students for national scale competitions such as science fairs and robotics competitions
• Advise a group of 10-12 students
• Be available on a regular basis for offering extra help in subject areas of expertise
• Create and co-plan (with grade-level team members) interdisciplinary units that bridge humanities and the sciences.
• Utilize feedback-based assessment
• Perform other non-teaching duties as assigned by the Upper School director or head of school

Because Hawken believes in supporting teachers’ passions, in deepening their expertise, and in fueling their spirit of innovation, we provide substantive professional development opportunities that lead to the kinds of excellence that are a hallmark of our community.

QUALIFICATIONS

• An undergraduate degree in science with experience teaching physical sciences (An advanced degree and at least three years teaching experience are preferred)
• Joyful enthusiasm, flexibility, good humor, and a team spirit necessary for curricular collaboration and innovation
• Familiarity with diverse ways of engaging students over a range of learning styles enhanced by a desire to try new approaches
• A passion for creatively designing unique programing within our department and across disciplines to support curriculum that encompasses interdisciplinary approaches, multicultural perspectives, and experiential opportunities in and out of the classroom
• A continuous commitment to improve teaching proficiency, particularly with technology as applied to best practices in education
• A deep understanding of adolescence and a passion for working with teenagers as they engage the complex issues of today’s world  

THE SCHOOL

Founded on the ideal that “the better self shall prevail and each generation introduce its successor to a higher plane of life,” Hawken School is a coeducational independent day school with 1,550 students from toddler through grade 12. Our four campuses within 25 minutes of downtown Cleveland provide a demanding and integrated course of study in a diverse and dynamic environment.

This position is for our Upper School, located in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland and situated on over 300 acres featuring sprawling lawns, wooded trails, and both modern and historic buildings. To execute the school’s forward-focused missions, Stirn Hall - Hawken’s state-of-the-art academic building - offers expansive classroom space and common spaces, fabrication and media labs, a science wing, a learning commons, a writing center, and more. The adjacent building known as the White House serves as the primary dining facility at Hawken’s Gates Mills campus and is a stunning reminder of Hawken’s historic charm.

The Gates Mills campus also features an expansive athletic complex that includes two gymnasiums, one of the best competitive swimming pools in Ohio, a weight room, and a wrestling room. Surrounding grounds include eight tennis courts, a stadium, a track, artificial turf fields, and a high and low ropes course with 15 separate challenges.

To learn more about us, visit www.hawken.edu.

INTERESTED

Please send a resume, references, and a cover letter to:  upperschoolemployment@hawken.edu

Hawken School is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to promoting all forms of diversity in the workplace and in our student body. We strongly urge all qualified individuals to apply.