Chandler School

Chandler School is an independent K-8 day school in Pasadena, California, enrolling between 300 and 500 students across elementary and middle school. The school has no religious affiliation. Its program pairs academic challenge with work on character, independent thinking, and collaboration.

The K-8 structure shapes daily life for faculty. Teachers watch students grow over as many as nine years, rather than handing them off after two or three. Eighth graders leave as the oldest students on campus, not the youngest in a larger upper school. For teaching jobs at Chandler School, that arc matters: classroom teachers, specialists, and advisors all build long relationships with the same families.

Chandler sits on solid financial ground. The school reported about $17.6 million in revenue for 2023 and net assets above $63 million. Those figures point to stability for faculty planning a multi-year stay. Independent day schools in California typically offer competitive salaries, health and retirement benefits, tuition remission for faculty children, and funded professional development, though Pasadena housing costs remain a real factor when weighing any offer.

Chandler School usually hires elementary classroom teachers, middle school subject faculty in English, math, science, and history, Spanish instructors, and specialists in arts, physical education, and learning support. Staff openings appear in admissions, advancement, operations, technology, and athletics. Most faculty searches run from winter through spring for the following academic year.

Candidates should apply through the school's website and expect interviews that include a demonstration lesson. For teachers who want a small, academically serious K-8 community in Southern California, Chandler is worth a close look.