Instructor - Biology jobs in Danbury, CT

The Frederick Gunn School, founded in 1850, is a co-ed boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12 as well as a post-graduate year. Mr. Gunn had a deep appreciation for the natural world, believing that in nature students understand themselves as humans and their place in the world. He took a principled stand against slavery and spurred students (and the town at large) to examine their beliefs. In addition to the habits and skills students will need in college and life beyond, we teach them to follow Mr. Gunn’s example: to cultivate wisdom, to be trailblazers, to act with conviction, and to value character as highly as intellect and achievement. 

Our continuous focus on moral character development intentionally engages all members of our school in the work of creating an inclusive and equitable living and learning ecosystem.  Community and citizenship are at the heart of our aspiration to both social justice and academic excellence, with individual diversity integral to the strength of that community. When we embrace difference and pursue school life with respect, equity, and compassion, we build a foundation for engaged citizens.

In keeping with the tenets of our founder Frederick Gunn, who was himself a prominent abolitionist and progressive educator, The Frederick Gunn School seeks to provide a pluralistic learning environment for all inclusive of (but not limited to): culture, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, national origin, learning differences, physical difference, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic differences.  

We invite applicants who resonate with our mission and who will foster an environment of cultural and intellectual richness and an active participant in advancing equity and inclusion.

The Frederick Gunn School is seeking candidates for a full-time science teacher position (specific courses are TBD as there is flexibility in the current staff and enthusiasm for teaching and instilling scientific skills is prioritized). Applicants must enjoy working with high school students of all ages, both in and outside the classroom, must understand and embrace the values of a boarding school community, and must bring passion and energy to the classroom. Further, they should have a devoted interest in the study of science and using the various disciplines of science as vehicles to increase the scientific literacy of their students and of the community as a whole.  Regardless of which courses they teach, at The Frederick Gunn School, all science teachers share commonality in the skills we seek to instill and strengthen in our students through laboratory work, activities, observations, and content.  Candidates should also prioritize student safety in the lab and be prepared to manage frequent lab activities in a way that advances the students’ ability to engage in a scientific process.  Lastly, the Science Department works closely with the Director of the IDEAS program and evolving this collaboration is a departmental priority.  This position also serves as a coach, a dorm parent, and an adviser to a group of students. 

The general responsibilities of a full-time science teacher at The Frederick Gunn School include: 

As members of a boarding school community, FGS faculty members are actively involved in all aspects of campus life, as teachers, coaches, dorm parents, mentors, and extra-curricular advisors. What this means for students is important – faculty members are accessible, we take learning seriously and support student explorations of many paths. It takes a community of individuals dedicated to becoming their best selves to chart the way. In 1870, founder Frederick Gunn wrote, “There is an unconscious influence, a mysterious, silent emanation going out from the personality of every teacher which is one of the strong forces of nature. Silent as the force of gravity, more powerful than the will of man, this influence works like the unnoticed electricity of the atmosphere, and makes it certain that every teacher will actually teach that which he is.” Joining our faculty means joining a rich history and an embedded philosophy that we all serve as positive influences on the lives of our students. 

Opening for the 23/24 school year. Offer of employment will be contingent upon a successful background check. 

The Frederick Gunn School offers an attractive compensation package that includes a salary commensurate with experience, school-provided housing, medical and dental insurance, and retirement plan contributions. 

Please submit the following materials in PDF format to hr@frederickgunn.org.

● Resume 

● Cover letter 

● Transcript(s) 

● Two to four letters of recommendation

Core Values 

Integrated Humans 

Thriving people learn to integrate the intellectual, the physical, the spiritual, and the emotional through an examination of the place of each, discernment about their relative role, and a commitment to balance and flourishing. 

Hopeful Faculty 

We prize faculty who believe resiliently, optimistically and with good humor in the students’ and faculty’s collective ability to grow and learn; know their discipline and practice, and understand character development. A faculty oriented around these principles will earn the confidence of students and create a place of purpose and fun where faculty and students want to be. 

Learning Ecosystem 

Thriving communities recognize the interdependent nature of their parts. Therefore, The Frederick Gunn School is a school that champions the interdisciplinary and inter-experiential nature of life and learning - one that incorporates the outdoors, athletics, and arts, as well as academics, into everyday life. 

Moral Character Development 

We are a school that nurtures Mr. Gunn’s belief in character as the driving force in a life well-lived, and that character emerges through the intentional pursuit—in knowledge and practice—of what is good, right, true, sustainable, and beautiful. 

Engaged Citizens 

The Frederick Gunn School is a school that, despite growing cultural apathy, cynicism, consumerism and distraction, produces people who care deeply - who become wise, engaged, active citizens.