Oakwood Friends School

Oakwood Friends School, located in Poughkeepsie, New York, is a boarding and day school serving roughly 150 students in grades 6 through 12. Since its founding, the school has been rooted in Quaker values—a commitment visible in how it structures learning, community, and the daily rhythm of campus life. That philosophical foundation shapes everything from classroom practice to hiring priorities.

Teaching at Oakwood Friends School means working within a pedagogical model that prizes depth over breadth. Classes use challenging, college-level texts and emphasize individual viewpoint development rather than factual recall. The school deliberately keeps enrollment small, which means faculty know their students as whole people, not names on a roster. Quaker practice—inquiry, reflection, and silence—is woven into the curriculum, not treated as an add-on.

Community life here is active. All students participate in athletics and the arts, creating a culture where faculty often coach, direct, or mentor beyond the classroom. The boarding component means some staff live on campus, deepening their connection to the school's residential mission.

Oakwood Friends School currently hires across multiple disciplines, with particular openings in core academics, sciences, languages (including Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and American Sign Language), and coaching roles. The school's commitment to linguistic and cultural diversity means language instruction carries real institutional weight.

For educators drawn to Quaker education or seeking a small school where pedagogical philosophy shapes daily practice, Oakwood Friends offers an intentional alternative to larger independent schools. The combination of residential life, inquiry-based learning, and genuine community focus creates a distinctive environment.