A Career Teaching at Kent Place School
Kent Place recognizes that teachers are the foundation of the school’s mission. Our faculty is made up of a diverse group of roughly 75 men and women who are inspiring scholars and leaders of exemplary character. They have the power to inspire each student to achieve her full academic, physical, and creative potential; to love learning; to gain confidence; to live responsibly; and to develop respect for herself and others in the global community.
KPS is always seeking teaching candidates who reflect these qualities themselves; who possess the communication skills to guide students in meaningful and productive ways; and who can make positive contributions to the collegial environment at the school. For our current employment opportunities, please see below.
A Collegial Working Environment
As an all-girls’ school, Kent Place promotes a model of education that is not just challenging but cooperative, guiding students to approach learning as a shared experience. The same holds true for our faculty. Teachers routinely share new ideas and insights, both formally at faculty meetings and informally through day-to-day interactions. Those at the same grade level often pair up to coordinate lessons, units, or even their entire curriculum for the year. Because KPS believes so firmly in technology as a teaching tool, all new teachers receive computers when they join the faculty.
KPS has a number of programs in place to help new faculty members adjust to the school and become part of this community. These include:
- An orientation to both the school and its curriculum in August, along with a day of training in diversity issues
- A mentoring program that pairs each new faculty member with a current KPS teacher
- Regularly scheduled meetings with department chairs and division directors.
Professional Development Opportunities
Kent Place recognizes the importance of providing teachers with both the inspiration and the means to develop their knowledge and their craft. Truly excellent teachers are lifelong students and scholars themselves, and everything they learn enriches what happens in their classrooms.
KPS supports teachers’ professional development in a number of different ways:
- Tuition reimbursement
Roughly three out of four KPS teachers already have advanced degrees when they join the faculty. However, those who come here wishing to further their education are encouraged to do so, and KPS offers them up to 50-percent tuition reimbursement. Currently, seven percent of the faculty is pursuing advanced education.
- Attendance at professional workshops and conferences
KPS supports teachers’ travel to and attendance at workshops related to teaching, curriculum development, independent education, and girls’ education. Recent examples include:
- NJAIS - Excellence in the Arts Conference
- Leadership and Technology at Independent Schools
- Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
- National Council of Teachers of Math - Annual Meeting
- Advanced Placement workshops
- People of Color Conference
- American Association of Teachers of Foreign Language Conference
- American Choral Directors Convention
- National Council of Teachers of English - Summer Institute for Teachers of Literature
- Attendance at summer courses
Recent examples include Advanced Placement institutes in English and biology and a painting workshop.
- Halsey Grants
These grants allow selected teachers to develop their curricula over the summer months. Recent areas of emphasis include: Upper School history and English; Middle School math, science, and Latin; and 4th grade social studies.
- E. J. Grassman Award
This annual travel grant recognizes the contributions of one or two teachers who have been at KPS for five years or more. Over the past few years, awardees have traveled to Alaska, Italy, Senegal, Peru, Hawaii, and Japan.
The Community of Summit, NJ
Summit, NJ, located roughly 20 miles west of New York City, has a vibrant downtown and a train station that affords easy access to New York City and a number of communities in northern and central New Jersey. There is perhaps no better location in the nation for exploring the arts, culture, history, and science, both for teachers’ own benefit and the enrichment of their work with students.
Kent Place recognizes that the cost of living in the New York metropolitan area is quite high. The school makes every effort to work with new teachers to find affordable living arrangements. The school has approximately 13 on-campus faculty apartments, with availability varying from year to year.
Compensation and Benefits
Kent Place offers compensation and benefits that competes favorably with other area independent schools.
Our benefits package includes:
- Excellent medical plans
- Short + Long term Disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Excellent retirement and pension plans
- Tuition remission benefits for children attending Kent Place
Applying to Teach at KPS
Candidates interested in teaching at Kent Place School should send a cover letter and resume to the Director of Studies by mail, e-mail, or fax:
42 Norwood Avenue
Summit, NJ 07902-0308
teaching@kentplace.org
Fax: (908) 608-9064
Current Employment Opportunities
STAFF POSITIONS
Director of Diversity
The Director of Diversity will provide leadership and assistance with the development and implementation of initiatives, programs, policies and procedures that sustain a school community of inclusion and acceptance. The director will serve as an inside consultant, available to assist those who have responsibilities for the implementation of diversity initiatives across the various divisions and departments within the school community and for outreach to the community-at-large. The Director of Diversity will report directly to the Head of School and will serve on the extended Administrative Team.
Based upon the school’s mission, provide strategic leadership in the area of diversity across the school community; Work with the Administrative team to support school-wide initiatives that promote inclusion and acceptance; Support and manage the activities of parents, students, faculty/staff groups whose purposes and goals are related to diversity topics and issues; Serve as a resource on diversity issues as they pertain to faculty and staff in their work with students and families and in their development of curriculum and programs; Act as a liaison between the school and the greater community in outreach efforts; and Work on specific tasks and initiatives as they arise in the community.
Please direct cover letter and qualifications to Director of Diversity Search Committee, Kent Place School, 42 Norwood Avenue, Summit, NJ 07902-0308.
Registrar
The Registrar position is responsible for the data entry, storage, reporting, maintenance and integrity of all current and historical academic records. Duties include Assistant to the Director of Technology, support of scheduling process, reporting of attendance, grades, comments and transcripts, management of the school calendar, maintenance of permanent records and creation of directory and ID cards. Candidates should posses the ability to multi-task, excellent communication skills, and a proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite. Experience with Blackbaud's Education Edge or other student information system preferred. College degree desirable.
This is a full time position starting July 2008. Please send letter of interest and resume to Director of Technology, Kent Place School, 42 Norwood Avenue, Summit, NJ 07902-0308 or employment@kentplace.org.
NEW Camp Nurse for Summer Explorations Day Camp Program
June 30 – August 8, 9:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m.
Position available for 4 or 6 consecutive weeks. Prefer RN or school nurse certification. Please contact Director of Summer Program, Kent Place School, 42 Norwood Avenue, Summit, NJ 07902-0308 or e-mail summer @kentplace.org.
NEW Help Desk Support Specialist
This position is responsible for the configuration and maintenance of computers. Duties include troubleshoot and resolve PC and Mac hardware and software, printers, and AV equipment, create ghost images, track and process vendor repairs and claims. Experience in support of >300 desktop and portable systems. Candidates should posses excellent verbal, listening, and interpersonal skills. Experience with K-12 education or help-desk environment preferred. College degree desirable. Please send letter of interest and resume to Director of Technology, Kent Place School, 42 Norwood Avenue, Summit, NJ 07902-0308 or employment@kentplace.org.
FACULTY POSITIONS
Please submit resume and cover letter to: Director of Studies, Kent Place School, 42 Norwood Avenue, Summit, NJ 07902-0308. Email: teaching@kentplace.org Fax: (908) 608-9064
Part-time Primary and Middle School Mandarin Chinese Teacher
This is an exciting opportunity for someone interested in growing Kent Place School’s Mandarin Chinese program, K-12. For the 2008-09 school year, responsibilities include teaching one sixth-grade class and teaching four afternoons per week, one half hour per day (Monday-Thursday), in the Primary School After School Program. Interest and experience in curricular leadership and development for this program is desired. Primary and Middle School Mandarin Chinese teaching experience is desired. Master’s degree is a plus.
Part-time Primary and Middle School Spanish Teacher
Responsibilities include teaching one yearlong second-grade Spanish class and two Middle School Spanish classes. Primary and Middle School Spanish teaching experience is desired. Master’s degree is a plus.
Upper School Biology Teacher
Responsibilities include teaching three sections of ninth-grade biology and one section of Advanced Placement biology. The person in this position may also serve as an Upper School advisor to a group of six to eight students for the entire school year. Attendance at faculty meetings, Upper School morning meetings, department meetings, parent-teacher conferences and one Open House session is required throughout the school year. Upper School biology, especially Advanced Placement biology teaching experience, is desired. Master’s degree is a plus.
Upper School Physical Education Teacher
Responsibilities include teaching physical education to classes of 4-25 students in mixed grades, 9-12, from 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Class times range from 45-60 minutes and there are three to four classes per day. There are also coaching responsibilities from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., which may include coaching a Middle School (grades seven and/or eight) soccer, field hockey, tennis, basketball, volleyball, swimming, lacrosse, softball and/or track and field team. Each coach will host home games and also travel with his or her teams to compete against local schools. There are approximately 8-12 games per trimester. Most games and matches begin by 4:00 p.m. and end by 5:30 p.m.
The person in this position may also serve as an Upper School advisor to a group of six to eight students for the entire school year. Attendance at faculty meetings, Upper School morning meetings, department meetings, parent-teacher conferences and one Open House session is required throughout the school year. Upper and Middle School physical education teaching and coaching experience is desired. Master’s degree is a plus.
