The Thacher School

The Thacher School is a boarding and day school for high school students in Ojai, California, a small city in Ventura County about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The school enrolls between 200 and 300 students and carries no religious affiliation. With net assets exceeding $274 million as of 2023, Thacher is a financially stable institution with real resources behind its programs.

What makes teaching at Thacher distinct is a philosophy that treats the entire school as a learning environment. Students care for horses, complete regular chores, play team sports, and go on wilderness expeditions. These are not electives — they are central to how the school works. Faculty are part of all of it, not just the classroom portions.

That means a typical week can look very different from a conventional teaching job. A Thacher faculty member might lead a literature seminar in the morning and supervise barn chores in the afternoon. Teachers who thrive here tend to be people who want that kind of range. It is a meaningful lifestyle trade-off, and candidates should weigh it honestly before applying.

Academic departments span the humanities, sciences, and the arts. Language faculty teach Mandarin, French, and Spanish. The school's financial position supports competitive salaries, and on-campus or nearby housing is a relevant factor given Ojai's cost of living.

Because The Thacher School is small, faculty openings appear less often than at larger schools. When a role opens, it tends to attract serious candidates from across independent school education. Watching the jobs board closely is worth the effort.