We seek talented faculty and staff to be a part of a culture dedicated to innovating education. We challenge our students to be knowledgeable, savvy, creative, confident leaders. We believe our teachers make the difference; our salaries are in the top 5 percent of New England Independent Schools reflecting that.
Our Community
We recognize the unique experiences some underrepresented students may have at independent schools, and we work diligently to promote success for all students.
Through a broad range of activities and programming, we help students affirm identity, build community, and cultivate leadership skills. Throughout their time at Beaver, students have access to teachers, administrators, and staff who support them—and learn and grow alongside them. Empathy for other viewpoints is imperative for a diverse, equitable, and inclusive school.
Our Students
Our curriculum is based on a pedagogical approach that engages students in real-world experiences. We are teaching them in the context of the world they are living in today, and we are challenging them to demonstrate their grasp of subject matter through meaningful work.
This unique approach creates a tremendous advantage: students build independence through learning structure and accountability; they also grow as critical thinkers who embrace exploring new subjects and are able to creatively and thoughtfully apply information. From day one, students are connected with a team of teachers and advisors who help them create personal benchmarks and goals and who give them the structure they need to reach their highest aspirations. This gives us an objective way to assess the quality of each student’s individual work and is an impetus for students to push themselves further.
Our Teachers
BVR Faculty are committed to the art and science of teaching. Educational practices are always evolving, so there is a fluidity to how we approach teaching. We are continuously re-examining and rethinking our approach to teaching for learning.
We believe teachers should have an active role in designing and carrying out their professional development, and we invest in those opportunities. Our faculty attend and present at conferences across the country and globe (see some recent places we’ve been below) and have time dedicated each week to exchange experiences and ideas, share best practices, and debate new ideologies.
This collaborative culture ensures our teachers have access to—and training on—the ever-evolving tools and techniques critical to being an extraordinary educator. By being in tune with new advancements in teaching, our faculty are empowered to try new things to help students push themselves in a well-supported environment. As a result, our students are being led by best-in-class faculty.
Working at Beaver
Beaver offers competitive compensation and a generous benefits package to its faculty, staff, and administrators. Some highlights of the plan include:
- Group health insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield)
- Group dental insurance (Delta Dental)
- Life insurance
- Long-term disability insurance
- Retirement plan
- Flex spending plan for medical and dependent care expenses
- Employee Assistance Program
- Beaver tuition remission for children of employees
- Full remission of “General Camp” Summer Program tuition for children of employees
Additional benefits Beaver provides are:
- A light breakfast and hot lunch available daily, free of charge
- Free on-campus parking
- Use of the school’s Swim Club during the summer
- Subsidized health club membership
- Paid vacation time and personal days
- Parental and family medical leave
- Personal computer purchase program
New Faculty Onboarding
Professional development at Beaver begins in the summer preceding a teacher’s first year with a four-day workshop called “Introduction to Life @ Beaver.” Participants learn about our modern approach to curriculum and assessment, about how we use instructional technology, and about teaching in a multicultural learning environment.
Throughout the year, new teachers receive direct support from Department and Division Heads. In addition to classroom observations, ongoing support includes close lesson analysis, new faculty retreats, and opportunities to attend professional development workshops organized by some of the nation’s leading authorities on innovative classroom practice.
Ongoing Support
Every Monday morning (8-9 AM) is set aside for faculty meetings designed to inspire collaboration and improve instruction. Weekly workshops cover a range of topics from curriculum design to civic engagement and teaching with technology. In addition, divisions and departments are engaged in a continuous process of program review that affords all teachers the opportunity to take on active roles as instructional leaders in the school and beyond.
Conferences and Workshops
Beaver is especially proud of the number of faculty at various stages of their careers—including first-year teachers— that are presenting at national conferences and educational events—including the annual conferences of the National Arts Education Association, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the American Educational Research Association, the American Association of Physics Teachers, the National Association of Independent Schools, and the NAIS People of Color Conference. All faculty are encouraged to submit conference proposals, and the school will eagerly support teachers whose proposals are accepted.
Beaver also supports faculty members in participating in local or regional conferences and workshops related to their discipline, to pedagogical topics, or to themes related to the school’s goals around civic engagement.
Professional Evaluation
Observation and feedback are critical to professional growth, and the Beaver evaluation system is designed to give all teachers support and guidance in developing and expanding professional competence in all aspects of the work performance. Teachers receive specific evaluation in over a dozen categories. Each evaluative conversation is anchored by close analysis of planned lessons and pedagogy, giving teachers a wealth of tangible feedback that can support continuous improvement.
Continuing Education
Beaver provides some financial support for coursework leading to a teacher’s first master’s degree.
Sabbaticals
A sabbatical program is available to all full-time teachers on a seniority basis. The program provides support for a full year at half pay or a half year at full pay.
“I know firsthand the enormous impact of not having a teacher who shared my identity when I was a student. At Beaver, I’m able to bring all of my identities to work. Specifically, in the history classroom, I get to disrupt the dominant narrative students have been exposed to for most of their lives. By centering the voices of those who have been marginalized and underrepresented in the historical narrative, all of my students experience and see all of history and not some of it.”
Yolanda Wilcox González, Global History Department Head + History Teacher