Friends Seminary educates students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, adhering to the values of the Religious Society of Friends. We strive to build a diverse school where students exercise their curiosity and imagination as they develop as scholars, artists and athletes. In a community that cultivates the practices of keen observation, unhurried reflection, critical thinking, and coherent expression, we listen for the single voice as we seek unity. The disciplines of silence, study, and service provide the matrix for growth: silence opens us to change; study helps us to know the world; service challenges us to put our values into practice. At Friends Seminary, education is rooted in the Quaker belief in the Inner Light – that of God in every person. Guided by the testimonies of integrity, peace, equality, and simplicity, we prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be.
Founded in 1786, Friends Seminary, the oldest continually operating coeducational, independent Quaker school in New York City, seeks creative, organized team members to serve as Associate Teachers in Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year.
The community of Friends Seminary celebrates the uniqueness of each child. In the Lower School, we encourage our children to “follow their curiosity and exercise their imaginations… to bring about a world that ought to be.” We help children cultivate a strong sense of their identity and academic talent through joy, structure and play in a child-centered environment.
An Associate Teacher (AT) at Friends collaborates with the lead teacher in planning curriculum and reviewing lesson plans. ATs prepare and study the materials being taught in order to be knowledgeable of lesson objectives. The AT works with the lead teacher to support student learning through whole class, small group or individualized instruction, and works in conjunction with the lead teacher to maintain a positive classroom learning environment to support the academic, emotional and social development of students.
ATs report directly to the Assistant Head of Lower School.
Responsibilities
- Attend faculty meetings, grade-level meetings, and all required events.
- Engage in ongoing professional development relevant to the position.
- Attend specialized meetings to support their professional growth and development.
- Support the mission and philosophy of the School.
- View curriculum as well as classroom and School culture through a lens focused on the core values of equality, diversity, and community engagement.
- Perform additional responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications
- Experience guiding children in a preschool or lower school setting.
- Some proficiency with the Spanish language is a plus.
Required Education
- Bachelor's degree required; master’s degree preferred.
Compensation
Annual salary range for 2026-2027 based on years of teaching experience and level of degrees earned: $62,000-$65,000
This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. The salary range listed reflects the 2025–2026 school year contract. A successor agreement is currently under negotiation, and final compensation for the position will be adjusted in accordance with the ratified contract, including any negotiated cost-of-living or step increases.
Benefits
Friends Seminary offers excellent benefits including paid time off, health, dental, vision, 403(b) with a School-paid match; wide-ranging opportunities for professional development, including tuition support and summer grants; and a talented and dedicated team of teaching colleagues and supportive administrators. Successful candidates will join a dynamic and forward-thinking teaching community of over 150 educators.
To apply, please submit the following:
- Completed Friends Seminary employment application
- Cover letter
- Resume
- Contact information for three to five personal references
- A statement of educational philosophy
When submitting your materials, kindly be sure to reference your first and last name, the position for which you are applying, and where you heard about the position in the subject line. i.e. [last name], [first name] - LS Associate Teacher - Friends Seminary website. You will receive a confirmation email when you submit your application. No phone calls, please.
Friends Seminary actively promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in all its programs and operations, including admissions, financial aid, hiring, and all facets of the educational experience. To form a community which strives to reflect the world’s diversity, we do not discriminate on the basis of race or color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, economic background, physical ability, sex, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. Friends Seminary is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates of color and members of other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. We urge all applicants to identify and express their individuality and the ways in which they might enrich and diversify the School community.
Moreover, all successful applicants, whether for a faculty or administrative staff post, must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in their professional lives. Applicants for a faculty position should highlight ways their curriculum, pedagogy, and classroom culture may advance these goals. Applicants for an administrative staff position should highlight ways they seek to promote these goals in their office work, programming, or operational endeavors.
