The Taft School

The Taft School is a boarding and day high school in Watertown, Connecticut, enrolling between 500 and 700 students. Founded on the principle of educating the whole person—not just the intellect—the school remains shaped by that original vision today. It is an institution where academic rigor coexists with explicit attention to moral and ethical development, a philosophy that shapes hiring and daily work alike.

Teaching at The Taft School means working in an environment where character formation is stated institutional priority, not an afterthought. The faculty created a formal Portrait of a Graduate in 2003 that describes what students should become, and that document guides curriculum, advising, and residential life. For teachers who want their daily work anchored to something larger than test scores, that clarity matters.

The Taft School's boarding-day model—accepting both residential and commuting students—creates a mixed community with different rhythms and needs. Residential faculty roles typically include teaching, coaching, and residential supervision. Day faculty teach and may advise or direct extracurricular activities. Both contribute to a school culture the faculty itself has explicitly defined and continues to refine.

The school hires across disciplines for academic teaching positions, coaching roles, and administrative and student support staff. Openings appear most frequently in the spring for the following academic year, though hiring occurs throughout the calendar year as positions emerge.

For educators drawn to independent high school work in southern New England, The Taft School offers a defined mission and a faculty invested in living it out daily.