Pilgrim School

Pilgrim School, founded in 1958, is a college preparatory day school in Koreatown serving preschool through 12th grade. With enrollment between 300 and 500 students, the school operates on mastery-based learning—meaning students advance when they demonstrate competency, not by time served. This approach shapes everything: curriculum design, how teachers give feedback, and the pace at which classrooms move. Non-denominational and multilingual, the school teaches Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and English as an alternative language alongside core academics, reflecting the diversity of Los Angeles.

Teaching here requires precision. Mastery-based instruction demands clear learning goals, frequent formative assessment, and real differentiation—not token variety work. Teachers design transparent progressions so students know what success looks like. It is intellectually demanding but also concrete: you measure growth and adjust quickly.

The school actively hires faculty for core academic subjects, language instruction, and support roles across all grade levels, preschool through 12th. The multilingual environment is a genuine asset for educators comfortable integrating world languages or working with English learners. Your background in bilingual instruction or cross-cultural teaching becomes immediately relevant.

As an urban day school, you maintain separation between work and personal life—a rhythm distinct from boarding school faculty who live on campus. You teach, go home to Los Angeles, and integrate into the broader community. Compensation is competitive within Southern California independent schools and typically includes benefits such as health coverage and professional development support.

Candidates who thrive in mastery-based environments, value linguistic diversity, and seek college preparatory teaching in an inclusive urban setting will find meaningful work here.