General Summary:

Deerfield Academy, a private coeducational boarding school founded in 1797 and annually serving approximately 650 students grades 9-12, seeks a History and Social Science Department Chair with a start date in July 2026.

Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Dean of Faculty and Dean of Academic Affairs, the History and Social Science Department Chair leads the pedagogical and curricular development in the department. They supervise department members and facilitate the growth and professional learning of student-centered teachers by regularly observing class meetings and offering teachers actionable feedback through the Classroom Insights program. The History and Social Science Department Chair provides instructional leadership by helping to ensure effective teaching strategies and multi-section and grade-level alignment. They assure curricular coherence within the department while creating a culture of collaboration, growth, and professional learning by planning and leading pedagogical and curricular department meetings. They provide curricular leadership by ensuring the department student learning outcomes are specific, measurable, and meaningful. They also collaborate with the Dean of Faculty to recruit and hire the highest quality teachers for the History and Social Science Department.

The primary classroom responsibility will be teaching three sections, likely split between introductory global histories and junior-year U.S. offerings. The primary out-of-classroom responsibilities will include leading co-curricular activities (varsity or sub-varsity teams, community service activities, publications, etc.), dormitory residence or supervision, advising, committee work, and family-style dining hall meals with students. Faculty also have opportunities to design and lead domestic and international travel programs.

Qualifications:

We are looking for candidates who exhibit excellence in the classroom and who can help develop in students the fundamental learning traits outlined in The Deerfield Student and A Framework For Schools. Beyond the classroom, candidates must be prepared to fully engage in the activities and less formal spaces that help define a strong residential educational community. Additionally, candidates for this position will possess the following specific attributes/qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
• Pedagogical excellence and expertise
• Candidates with expertise in any field of history and social science will be seriously considered
• Astute classroom observation skills to diagnose growth opportunities and high-leverage feedback
• Excellent communication skills to give clear and direct feedback to advance pedagogical growth
• Facility in assessment of student learning for departmental improvement
• Success running discussion-centered classes or facilitating inquiry-driven discussions
• Strong writing skills and enthusiasm for teaching analytical writing
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Canvas Learning Management System, and other basic classroom technologies
• Interest and demonstrated skill in working with adolescents
• Demonstrated multicultural competency and commitment to inclusivity
• Excitement for continued professional growth
• Enthusiasm for developing and aligning shared approaches to student learning
• The ability to work with colleagues as part of a team
• A sense of humor

Working Conditions:

• Close visual acuity to view a computer terminal, analyze text, data and/or figures.
• Ability to frequently stand and/or sit for sustained periods of time
• Ability to frequently reach items and paperwork
• Ability to frequently sustain substantial movements of the wrists, hands and/or fingers
• Ability to frequently receive and communicate information, verbally and in writing
• Ability to occasionally stoop or kneel
• Ability to occasionally lift/carry/push up to 10 pounds

Disclaimer:

The above job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. This job description is not intended to be construed as a comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. It is expected that job duties and responsibilities will develop over time commensurate with performance.

Application materials must include a cover letter (specific to this position) and a resume. Candidates may also submit a brief statement of educational philosophy.

About Deerfield Academy

ABOUT DEERFIELD: Deerfield offers an unmatched environment for teaching. Near the Five Colleges (Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, and UMass Amherst), Deerfield’s 300-acre campus hosts exceptional facilities that enable powerful teaching both in and out of the classroom. Our students are engaging and excited to learn—and they are willing to work hard at their studies. Outside the classroom, our community is focused on active and ethical living. Our teachers are committed to ongoing renewal. We seek candidates who are committed to their own professional growth, who are eager to work with colleagues in a productive manner towards departmental goals, and who can foster critical thinking, empathy, and determination in our students. As a boarding school, our faculty teach, mentor, and model—in the classroom, in the dorm, at the dining hall, and on the playing field. Diversity is essential to Deerfield’s success. Diverse perspectives within our school population fuel creative and innovative thinking, build empathy and consideration, and provide varied skills and experiences from which the entire community can benefit. Deerfield actively seeks candidates who are members ...of or support traditionally underrepresented groups—especially in terms of race, sexual orientation, religious, ethnic and socioeconomic background. Deerfield Academy is a private, coeducational boarding school located in western Massachusetts with 650 students and 130 faculty. The Academy was founded in 1797 and has no religious affiliation. Deerfield Academy is committed to equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected military veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Show more

Show less

Connections working at Deerfield Academy