Annie Wright Schools seek an Assistant Director of the Upper School for Boys to begin on August 1, 2026. This full-time position reports to the Director of Upper Schools and works closely with the Assistant Director of the Upper School for Girls.

Mission Statement

Annie Wright’s strong community cultivates individual learners to become well-educated, creative, and responsible citizens for a global society.

About AWS

Tradition meets innovation at Annie Wright Schools, where we honor our rich history and traditions, embrace the present, and continue always to move forward. Founded in 1884, Annie Wright Schools serve students from age three through high school. The Lower and Middle Schools offer co-ed programs in Preschool through Grade 8, while separate Upper Schools for Girls and Boys offer day and boarding options in Grades 9 through 12, welcoming students from Tacoma and around the world. We are proud to be an International Baccalaureate World School, delivering IB programs in every division.

Position Description

The Assistant Director of the Upper School for Boys is an energetic and visionary educator committed to empowering young men and collaborating with colleagues to support adolescent growth. Annie Wright Schools values the benefits of single-gender education. With both an Upper School for Boys (USB) and an Upper School for Girls (USG) on campus, the school intentionally cultivates a positive coeducational social environment while championing single-gender learning in its Upper School classrooms.

Grounded in integrity, the Assistant Director of the USB recognizes collaboration as essential to supporting the identity development of high school students and fostering a strong, connected culture across divisions. In partnership with the Director of Upper Schools, fellow Assistant Directors, faculty, advisors, and other community members, the Assistant Director supports student programming while also advancing new opportunities for engagement and growth. This role plays a key part in guiding USB students through their high school experience and toward graduation as empathetic, responsible individuals prepared to contribute meaningfully to the world.

As a steward of student culture and well-being, the Assistant Director safeguards the social and emotional health of USB students. In collaboration with Upper School leadership, they design and implement programming that promotes belonging, representation, and a deep engagement with learning, while also leading conversations about community, responsibility, and shared values. Working closely with the Director of Upper Schools, the Assistant Director helps develop and strengthen programming with a focus on growth—particularly in the areas of academic self-advocacy, cultivating emotional awareness and communication in young men, and social engagement.

Position Overview: Core Duties and Responsibilities

The Assistant Director of the Upper School for Boys:

• works with the Director of the Upper Schools to oversee the student life program and student culture of the Upper School for Boys;
• supports student culture, access, and belonging, and designs USB student life programs aligned with the Schools’ Preschool-Grade 12 mission of equity and inclusion;
• works with the Director of Upper Schools and the Assistant Director of Academic Affairs to support students and faculty in upholding the Schools’ community standards and the expectations outlined in the Upper Schools handbooks relating to academic integrity and student behavior;
• creates and oversees a USB advisory program that supports students’ identity development, emotional literacy, social integrity, and leadership, which complements a parallel program in the USG;
• coordinates with the Assistant Director of the Upper School for Girls, planning and implementing the opening orientations, single gender grade level retreats, and all coordinate social event planning; 
• advocates for the social and emotional wellness of USB students in partnership with the Learning Support Director, Athletics and Arts Departments, and the Upper Schools Counselors;
• counsels students and parents in extracurricular, social, and behavioral issues;
• supervises a calendar accessible to USB students which supports both a cohesive Upper Schools student life program as well as affirming established traditions in a learning environment that serves boys;
• fosters a balanced, equitable, and affirming culture in the Upper School for Boys;
• leads the USB student government (s)Elective in accordance with the responsibilities of a (s)Elective leader;
• fulfills other duties as assigned and reports directly to the Director of the Upper Schools.

Salary & Benefits

This position offers a salary range between $74,000 and $90,000, depending on qualifications and experience. Benefits available to the hired candidate include the following, subject to the terms of the applicable benefit plan:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Life insurance
• Accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Paid sick leave (known as Wellness Days): Each regular full-time employee earns 80 hours of Wellness leave per accrual year
• Eighteen (18) paid Holidays in 2026
• Fifty percent (50%) Tuition remission in accordance with school policy. All fees and incidental expenses are the sole responsibility of the employee-parent
• All children of benefited employees of AWS, who are currently enrolled at AWS, are eligible for extended day services at no charge when school is in session. Charges apply for faculty in-service days or similar days  
• A 403(b) retirement plan with a 6% company match, with a 3% employee contribution

Application process

Annie Wright Schools remain firmly committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. Annie Wright shall hire, promote, transfer, terminate, and make all other employment-related decisions without regard to an employee’s race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, political ideology, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. Annie Wright Schools are actively seeking to create a more culturally diverse school community and accordingly, applicants of color and underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply. 

To apply, email a cover letter, resume, email, and telephone contact information for 3-5 professional references, and this completed and signed application, all in PDF format, to Mrs. Erin Gann, Executive Assistant to the Head of Schools, at erin_gann@aw.org. In accordance with Annie Wright Schools’ strategic focus on issues related to social justice, candidates should anticipate being asked to address how their past work, as well as future contributions, might serve to advance Annie Wright’s commitment to a more diverse and inclusive community. Applications for this position will be accepted until filled.

Qualifications

The Assistant Director of the Upper School for Boys will demonstrate key elements of the listed expertise and experiences. This is an aspirational list, and Annie Wright Schools encourages candidates to apply who may not currently possess, but are working on building, all of these qualities. The Assistant Director: 

• holds a BA in education, education leadership, or a related field;
• has experience as a teacher, coach, or advisor;
• is familiar with independent schools, and/or demonstrates familiarity with the International Baccalaureate and its programs;
• creates fun in school life, while maintaining the boundaries of a trusted adult;
• is able to navigate both coeducational and single-gender educational spaces and speak to the benefits of both;
• demonstrates effective cultural competence skills and knowledge of adolescent development related to identity, bias, and empowerment;
• exhibits a capacity to build an equitable and inclusive community through a deep knowledge of systemic oppression and how it plays a role in school culture;
• is a strong written and verbal communicator and empathetic listener, and understands the nuances of communicating with a range of constituencies, including students, colleagues, and families
• values collaboration and has a desire to learn from others;
• has excellent organizational skills and attention to detail;
• is eligible to work in the United States. Note: Under our current employment policies, we are unable to sponsor work visas and do not offer positions to candidates who are not yet eligible to work in the United States.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to sit and stand for extended periods of time;
• Must be able to move comfortably around a classroom, accessing materials and assisting students as needed;
• Must be able to communicate and exchange information with students, other teachers, and families. 

About Annie Wright Schools

Tradition meets innovation at Annie Wright Schools, where we honor our rich history and traditions, embrace the present, and continue always to move forward. Founded in 1884, Annie Wright Schools serve students from age three through high school. The Lower and Middle Schools offer co-ed programs in Preschool through Grade 8, while separate Upper Schools for boys and girls offer day and boarding options in Grades 9 through 12, welcoming students from Tacoma and around the world. We are proud to be an International Baccalaureate World School, delivering IB programs in every division.

Connections working at Annie Wright Schools