Humanities Instructor (Fall 2022)

Overview of School:

Sonoma Academy is an independent high school located in Santa Rosa, CA on a 34-acre campus, surrounded by 1,000 acres of protected open space, at the base of Taylor Mountain. Founded in 2001, it provides an engaging, challenging, and innovative college-preparatory education and a supportive community for motivated learners from Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Lake, and Mendocino counties. Our students come from 80+ middle schools, ensuring a broad mixture of students from all over the greater North Bay Area.

Our Mission:  Sonoma Academy calls its students to be creative, ethical, and committed to learning. The school nurtures inspiring teachers and engages with the surrounding community, and its students communicate across cultures as they prepare to become leaders in a dynamic world.

Sonoma Academy’s Commitment to Diversity: We believe that learning occurs best in a connected community. Diversity, equity, and inclusivity are essential to an education in which all members of our community thrive. We are committed to cultivating a diverse community that is conscious and welcoming of difference, dedicated to investigating and advancing equity, and engages with our local and global community. If you would like to join us in our work, we would welcome your application. As we are deeply committed to having a staffulty (staff and faculty) and student body that reflects the rich diversity within the North Bay, we strongly encourage candidates from BIPOC and/or educators from communities that are historically underrepresented to apply.

Position Overview:

The Humanities Instructor will be responsible for teaching core junior-year American Studies courses as well as Humanities electives of your choosing and design. Humanities classes are semester-long courses that meet for 80 minutes a day, five days a week (on-campus in-person daily schedule), and focus on literature and history, while drawing from a range of social science disciplines, including cultural and area studies, race and gender studies, geography, philosophy, law, economics, religion, international relations, psychology, political science, linguistics, creative writing, and art.

The start date for this position is August 10, 2022. This is a regular, full-time position following the (10-month) academic calendar, eligible for full health insurance coverage, generous retirement contribution, professional development, and other benefits.

Key Responsibilities:

• Teach up to 6 Humanities academic courses (3 per semester), core and electives
• Teach up to 1 Exploratory and Impact course each semester
• Teach 1 Intersession course
• Lead 1 Advisory group
• Attend and contribute to humanities department, full faculty and all staff meetings
• Engage in an active learning community

Required Skills and Experiences:

• BA in an Humanities-related academic field
• Minimum three years of experience teaching grades 9-12 (Humanities, English, or Creative Writing) or equivalent experience in a related field
• Passionate about teaching high school students
• Excited to develop original and innovative course offerings that challenge our students to interrogate dominant narratives and to think and write critically about their place in the world
• Thinks creatively about pedagogy and assessment
• Works collaboratively as a member of a connected community to deliver a range of programs, including Intersession, Advisory, Exploratory, Connections, DEI work, and more
• Committed to working in a community of diverse students and learners; actively supports adolescent growth and well-being
• Capacity to effectively facilitate discussions and debates with varied points of view
• Practices cultural competency in all aspects of school life
• Capable of teaching both remotely and in person
• Flexibility, resilience, good humor

Desired Skills and Experiences:

• Advanced degree (MA, PhD, or equivalent) in a Humanities-related academic field
• Background and expertise in Ethnic Studies and related fields and enthusiasm to design courses that draw from these disciplines

Benefits of working at SA:

• Comprehensive benefits package, including 100% paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees with several plan options to meet individuals’ specific needs
• Generous retirement plan contribution of 7% of annual income
• Commitment to professional development, including generously-funded training opportunities and a dedicated “exploratory fund” of $450 annually for learning opportunities unrelated to work
• Healthy and nutritious lunch service offered at no cost to employees during the school year (when on campus and our kitchen operational)
• A professional work environment defined by teamwork, collegiality, trust, agility, and altruism

Supervisory responsibilities:

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities for employees.

Work Environment:

This position operates in a professional, collaborative, office environment at a private, independent high school.

Physical Demands:

Ability to see at close distances and view a computer monitor
Works in a traditional climate-controlled office environment

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter through this portal.

Sonoma Academy is an equal opportunity employer. Sonoma Academy does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.