Friends Seminary educates students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, adhering to the values of the Religious Society of Friends. We strive to build a diverse school where students exercise their curiosity and imagination as they develop as scholars, artists and athletes. In a community that cultivates the practices of keen observation, unhurried reflection, critical thinking, and coherent expression, we listen for the single voice as we seek unity. The disciplines of silence, study, and service provide the matrix for growth:  silence opens us to change; study helps us to know the world; service challenges us to put our values into practice. At Friends Seminary, education is rooted in the Quaker belief in the Inner Light – that of God in every person. Guided by the testimonies of integrity, peace, equality, and simplicity, we prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be.

Founded in 1786, Friends Seminary, the oldest continually operating coeducational, independent Quaker school in New York City, seeks applications for a full-time educator for our Middle and Upper School drama program. Qualified candidates should demonstrate a variety of experience in teaching drama and directing plays with students in grades 8-12. Candidates must display a commitment to engaging, inspirational and dynamic teaching, in addition to a dedicated pursuit of diversity, equity and belonging in their work. We seek candidates who are proven program builders and who have a natural rapport with students in this age group. The School seeks a theater educator with a passion and commitment to student development through drama and theater.

Responsibilities

• Teach drama classes in grades 8-12
• Teach Upper School Playwriting; and Acting: Intro & Public Speaking (Fall Semester)
• Teach Upper School Tech Theater: Sound and Lights; Directing; and Acting: Scene Study (Spring Semester) 
• Direct and produce the Upper School Fall Play as well as run rehearsals
• Direct and produce the Upper School Musical as well as run rehearsals
• Serve as an advisor
• Collaborate on drama programming throughout the department
• Engage with the community beyond classes taught
• Attend and participate in all faculty meetings
• Attend community meetings
• Carry out assigned ancillary responsibilities according to the established schedule
• Prepare student reports which include narrative descriptions of students' achievements and needs
• Actively engage in anti-bias and equity work, in an effort to implement culturally responsive pedagogy and understand the social justice dimensions of education
• Communicate respectfully with families and demonstrate sensitivity to cultures, values, configurations, and beliefs

Qualifications  

• Experience teaching drama and directing plays with students grades 8-12
• Dedication and energy to engage middle school and high school students in creative self-expression, storytelling and drama
• Participation and collaboration in designing and implementing a drama-in-education curriculum
• Commitment to studying and exploring content that represents a diverse group of theater makers including representation of all races, sexualities, genders, and historically marginalized voices
• Appreciation and understanding of pedagogical techniques for teaching students with multiple learning styles

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred

Compensation

Annual salary range for 2026-2027 based on years of teaching experience and level of degrees earned: $82,000 - $164,000+

This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. The salary range listed reflects the 2025–2026 school year contract. A successor agreement is currently under negotiation, and final compensation for the position will be adjusted in accordance with the ratified contract, including any negotiated cost-of-living or step increases.

Benefits

Friends Seminary offers excellent benefits including paid time off, health, dental, vision, 403(b) with a School-paid match; wide-ranging opportunities for professional development, including tuition support and summer grants; and a talented and dedicated team of teaching colleagues and supportive administrators. Successful candidates will join a dynamic and forward-thinking teaching community of over 150 educators.

To apply, please submit the following:

1. Completed Friends Seminary employment application
2. Cover letter
3. Resume
4. Contact information for three to five professional references
5. A statement of educational philosophy

When submitting your materials, kindly be sure to reference your first and last name, the position for which you are applying, and where you heard about the position in the subject line. i.e. [last name], [first name] - Drama Teacher - MS/US - Friends Seminary website. You will receive a confirmation email when you submit your application. No phone calls, please.

Submit all materials to: performartsjobs@friendsseminary.org

Friends Seminary actively promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in all its programs and operations, including admissions, financial aid, hiring, and all facets of the educational experience. To form a community which strives to reflect the world’s diversity, we do not discriminate on the basis of race or color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, economic background, physical ability, sex, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. Friends Seminary is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates of color and members of other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. We urge all applicants to identify and express their individuality and the ways in which they might enrich and diversify the School community.

Moreover, all successful applicants, whether for a faculty or administrative staff post, must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in their professional lives. Applicants for a faculty position should highlight ways their curriculum, pedagogy, and classroom culture may advance these goals. Applicants for an administrative staff position should highlight ways they seek to promote these goals in their office work, programming, or operational endeavors.

About Friends Seminary

Friends Seminary educates students from Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade, adhering to the values of the Religious Society of Friends. We strive to build a diverse school where students exercise their curiosity and imagination as they develop as scholars, artists and athletes. In a community that cultivates the practices of keen observation, unhurried reflection, critical thinking, and coherent expression, we listen for the single voice as we seek unity. The disciplines of silence, study, and service provide the matrix for growth: silence opens us to change; study helps us to know the world; service challenges us to put our values into practice. At Friends Seminary, education is rooted in the Quaker belief in the Inner Light – that of God in every person. Guided by the testimonies of integrity, peace, equality, and simplicity, we prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be.

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