Half day long interview for a boarding school job

[Anonymous]

3rd round is a half day meeting with everyone from head of school to athletics to HR.

I am trying so hard to prepare because I really want the job. The phone and video interviews went very well.

I have low confidence because I don’t have my masters and I am a lowly elementary teacher.

Any tips?

[Anonymous]

Hold your head high! If they didn’t want to consider you they wouldn’t have asked you to keep going.

[Anonymous]

Are they asking you to do a demo lesson? That was standard when I was HR at a private (non-boarding) school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they asking you to do a demo lesson? That was standard when I was HR at a private (non-boarding) school.

No, just a tour and observation.

[Anonymous]

I worked at a boarding school.

If you are willing to do boarding duties, and I am assuing you are, this compensate for your lack of a masters at this point. They like young, enthusiastic teachers who are willing to do boarding and enthusiastically get involved with campus life. A lot of older teachers at boarding schools started as young newbies and discovered they loved boarding life, and stayed on (I didn't).

A main purpose of this interview is to see how you communicate and relate to others. It's a personality demo. And it is important if you are going to be living on campus with students. Teaching with boarding duties means a long day, into the night, and you need to be the kind of person who can remain calm and pleasant, and who will work well with the team. I would assume they are already happy with your teaching credentials and references, so this is now a character and will-she-gel-with-the-team final hurdle. They like you, or you wouldn't be invited to this stage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked at a boarding school.

If you are willing to do boarding duties, and I am assuing you are, this compensate for your lack of a masters at this point. They like young, enthusiastic teachers who are willing to do boarding and enthusiastically get involved with campus life. A lot of older teachers at boarding schools started as young newbies and discovered they loved boarding life, and stayed on (I didn't).

A main purpose of this interview is to see how you communicate and relate to others. It's a personality demo. And it is important if you are going to be living on campus with students. Teaching with boarding duties means a long day, into the night, and you need to be the kind of person who can remain calm and pleasant, and who will work well with the team. I would assume they are already happy with your teaching credentials and references, so this is now a character and will-she-gel-with-the-team final hurdle. They like you, or you wouldn't be invited to this stage.

Thanks. I am not young (40s) and I have 2 children. I want to be involved but I’m not sure they have a house for us on campus.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the above poster. They are interested and think you’d be acceptable for the role based on your qualifications, now it’s just assessing fit and getting to know you. Be yourself and don’t stress too much.

[Anonymous]

How much do these jobs pay? I understand housing is often a perk but I'm wondering if there's enough extra to justify the switch from public school teaching or teaching at a regular private school to boarding school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much do these jobs pay? I understand housing is often a perk but I'm wondering if there's enough extra to justify the switch from public school teaching or teaching at a regular private school to boarding school.

$50,000. It is very low paying, especially for such a long interview...

[Anonymous]

That’s most likely $50k plus room and board? And if no housing, then a housing stipend? They should spell this out in your offer letter.

[Anonymous]

Pay plus housing benefit is plus tuition/enrollment of kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pay plus housing benefit is plus tuition/enrollment of kids?

I have children who would go there, but I don’t want to ask in the interview

[Anonymous]

Agree it is about fit at this point. Good luck, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much do these jobs pay? I understand housing is often a perk but I'm wondering if there's enough extra to justify the switch from public school teaching or teaching at a regular private school to boarding school.

$50,000. It is very low paying, especially for such a long interview...

That's roughly where a teacher with a Bachelor's degree in the DMV public school system starts. The job duties are different but it doesn't sound so bad because a lot of boarding schools have strict expectations for student behavior. I'm a public school teacher and might look into opportunities at boarding schools myself after reading this.