Penn Fellows Program: Middle and Upper School Teaching Fellowship in History
Bronx, NY /
Middle and Upper Schools – History Department /
Fellow
/ On-site
Riverdale Country School is a Pre-K through grade 12 independent school in New York City committed to empowering lifelong learners by developing minds, building character, and creating community in order to change our world for the good. Riverdale seeks to reflect the diversity of the New York metropolitan area in its students, faculty, and staff. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) is the foundational core of community-building that supports the school’s mission and empowers all community members to be their whole selves and thrive-- especially those who historically have been and continue to be marginalized because of their cultural, ethnic, racial, linguistic, national, gender, sexual, spiritual, or socioeconomic identities and their physical, mental, or emotional well-being. Riverdale enrolls about 1,200 students who collectively reside in 117 different zip codes. Approximately 44% of our student body identify as students of color.
We seek to employ people who engage in all aspects of work with a student-centered approach, an open mind, passion, and a willingness to support the greater community. At Riverdale we recognize that the work of DEIB is iterative and requires a consistent commitment. Ideal candidates display that commitment in their work and/or in their approach to teaching and learning.
Position Overview
In partnership with the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, Riverdale will be seeking to hire a History teaching fellow for a two-year position. Fellows teach a reduced course load in the Middle or Upper School while taking graduate classes and pursuing a Masters degree at Penn GSE.
More information is available on the Penn website, linked here. In order to apply, candidates must provide a letter of interest and resume. An academic transcript, though not required as part of the initial application, will be requested following the interview, should there be mutual interest.
All candidates for employment at Riverdale should demonstrate an interest in engaging students in an environment that is both supportive and rigorous. Candidates should expect to participate in community activities, including advising student groups, service opportunities, or other co-curricular programs.
Salary and Compensation for Teaching Fellows
- In order to maintain consistency, while also accounting for variable costs of living, Penn asks all ISTR partner schools to stay within a salary window. Because the proposed changes to salary and compensation will not be updated until February 2023, the following numbers are from 2022-2023.
- The salary for fellows ranges from $25,625 to $42,025. Penn asks that we aim for our total compensation for a fellow (salary, benefits, and tuition) to be relatively equivalent to what we would offer a first-year teacher at the school. We have historically exceeded that target in order to provide a housing stipend to our fellows, given the high cost of living in New York City.
- All fellows (in both year 1 and year 2) are paid equally. For the 2022-2023 academic year, the compensation package is as follows:
- Salary: $42,025
- Housing stipend: $1,300 monthly = $15,600
- Riverdale's contribution to the Penn GSE tuition: $19,264
- Riverdale's total commitment per fellow: $76,889
- Fellow's individual contribution to the Penn GSE tuition: $4,816
To apply for this position, please click on the red “Apply for this Job” button. Please submit a resume and cover letter. If there are pronouns we should use in potential future communications, we invite you to share that information with us. For information about this position and all open positions, please visit the Careers page of Riverdale’s website.
Benefits of Full Time Work at Riverdale Country School
Working at Riverdale Country School is a purposeful and meaningful career choice that comes with many benefits including:
Transportation: Shuttle service is available to/from the 242nd St / Broadway subway station. Limited stops are also available near transit hubs in Manhattan including the Metro North Harlem Station and subway lines – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, A, B, C, and D. If there is need in the community, we can also run a shuttle from the Henry Hudson Parkway / 246th St bus stop which connects to the #7, #10, and Express Buses to/from Manhattan.
Professional Development: A generous professional-development budget provides for conferences, skills training, and onsite training in areas such as mindfulness, coaching, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Grants and Stipends: All employees are eligible for Frankel Fellow grants, known as “passion grants,” which pay for enrichment activities. More than 120 grants have been made to faculty and staff since the program started in 2014. Stipends are available for coaching, affinity group facilitation, advising clubs with significant out-of-school time, and chaperoning trips (including global trips!).
Sabbatical: Full time teaching faculty are eligible for a sabbatical after 10 years of employment.
Health Benefits: Riverdale offers and subsidizes health, dental, and vision insurance. In addition, the school offers a flexible spending account through which employees can use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses.
Retirement: Employees are eligible to join our Defined Contribution retirement plan through TIAA. The school contributes 7% of an employee's annual salary to their retirement account.
Vacation: Riverdale Country School has a generous time-off policy for staff in addition to vacations afforded by the school calendar.
