HISTORY TEACHER

Start Date: July 1, 2025

About John Burroughs School:

Founded in 1923, John Burroughs School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 7-12 located on a 49-acre campus in St. Louis, Missouri. Burroughs currently has 660 students, 47 percent of whom identify as students of color. Twenty-five percent of the student body receives tuition aid.

Burroughs strives to instill the joy of living through active learning, integrity, and service to others. We seek to cultivate an inclusive community that nurtures authentic learners who lead and inspire meaningful lives. At Burroughs we do so by loving and celebrating our differences, embracing challenges and championing growth, fostering a culture of great expectations, teaching empathy and the power of service, and offering a balanced and broad experience. We believe that the many dimensions of diversity, equity, and inclusivity are essential to excellence in education, and they are woven into the fabric of the Burroughs experience. Faculty, families, and students share a commitment to a liberal arts education that strikes a balance among academics, arts, athletics, and activities.

For more information, see:

• About JBS: https://jburroughs.org/about-jbs
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Engagement: https://www.jburroughs.org/about-jbs/diversityequityandinclusivity
• Working at Burroughs: https://www.jburroughs.org/about-jbs/working-at-jbs

Opportunity Description:

John Burroughs School seeks a supportive, collaborative, inspiring, and experienced teacher to join its history department as a full-time member. Burroughs teachers are contagiously passionate about their discipline. They value discussion-based lessons and understand that meaningful student-teacher relationships are the foundation of all effective instruction. 

Most history teachers teach both middle and high school courses. In addition to their teaching and departmental responsibilities, faculty members are expected to participate in the larger life of the school (e.g., attending morning assembly, supervising a lunch table, and advising students). Teachers are also expected to coach or provide leadership in co-curricular areas (e.g., community engagement, DEIE work, student clubs, or student publications).

Qualifications:

Ideal candidates will have 

• Three to five years of experience teaching history/social studies at the high school and/or middle school level
• A degree in history
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Experience working in an intentionally diverse environment, creating an inclusive classroom experience for all learners, and specifically supporting students from historically excluded groups.

Application Process:

Interested candidates should submit the following documents electronically to Sarah Yoselevsky Kaye at skaye@jburroughs.org.

1. Cover letter stating interest in and qualifications for the position
2. Statement of educational philosophy
3. Current resume, including phone number and email address
4. Names, email addresses, and phone numbers of three references

Files will be reviewed as received with preference given to candidates whose materials are submitted by January 6, 2025.

After reviewing all applications, Jennifer Salrin, assistant head of school for academic affairs, and Carrie Dodson-Ching, chair of the history department, will speak with a select group of applicants over Zoom. Our hope is to complete those Zoom interviews by the beginning of February. From that group, three to four candidates will be invited to Burroughs for a school day in mid-February or early March, during which they will teach a class, interview, spend time with students and faculty, and have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with our campus and community. 

If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Jennifer Salrin, assistant head of school for academic affairs at jsalrin@jburroughs.org.

About John Burroughs School

Founded in 1923, John Burroughs School is a top-tier, independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school for 650 students in grades 7-12 located on a 49-acre campus in St. Louis, Missouri. Burroughs strives to instill the joy of living through active learning, integrity, and service to others. We seek to cultivate an inclusive community that nurtures authentic learners who lead and inspire meaningful lives. At Burroughs we do so by loving and learning from our differences, embracing challenges and championing growth, fostering a culture of great expectations, teaching empathy and the power of service, and offering a balanced and broad experience. Faculty, parents, and students share a commitment to a liberal arts education that strikes a balance among academics, arts, athletics, and activities. We believe that the many dimensions of diversity, equity, and inclusivity are essential to excellence in education, and they are woven into the fabric of the Burroughs experience.

Connections working at John Burroughs School