Friends Seminary

Friends Seminary educates students from kindergarten through twelfth grade in Manhattan, rooted in the values of the Religious Society of Friends. The school enrolls between 700 and 1,000 students across elementary, middle, and high school divisions on the East Side of New York City. Its Quaker heritage shapes a distinctive educational philosophy centered on silence, study, and service.

What sets this day school apart is how contemplative practice shapes daily teaching. Faculty work in a community where listening matters as much as speaking. Students develop as scholars, artists, and athletes within a framework that values both individual voices and collective unity. The Quaker approach creates space for deeper intellectual engagement than conventional classroom structures often allow.

Friends Seminary hires across English, mathematics, sciences, and foreign languages—Arabic, Chinese Mandarin, French, Latin, and Spanish are all taught. The arts and administrative roles open periodically as well. Prior experience with Quaker education is not required; the school recruits candidates drawn to contemplative learning or willing to grow into it.

Compensation aligns with New York independent school standards. Benefits include health insurance, retirement contributions, and professional development support. As a day school in an expensive city, the position offers intellectual community without the live-in commitment of boarding work.

For teachers seeking a school where contemplation and academic rigor coexist in a Manhattan setting, Friends Seminary offers an alternative worth exploring. The Quaker listening practices reshape how faculty engage with students and one another, making the work distinctive within the New York independent school landscape.