The Placement Exchange Job Board

St. Andrew’s School seeks a full-time head chaplain. An all-residential boarding school with 315 students in grades nine through twelve, St. Andrew’s was founded almost a century ago with an unprecedented approach to financial aid and has a long-standing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that is rooted in our Episcopal faith and inseparable from our aspiration to excellence. The St. Andrew’s School chapel is a parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware.

The chaplain leads spiritual life at the school, directs the school’s chapel program, and is responsible for defining, preserving, and promoting the school’s Episcopal identity to all constituencies. The chaplain oversees the school’s chapel program, presiding at services three times each week, and manages the student-led chapel guilds and vestry, as well as the chapel team.

Essential Functions: 

• Design, oversee and facilitate an inclusive chapel program for a congregation mainly of adolescents;
• Plan collaboratively the annual chapel calendar of services and events and preside at chapel services three times each week, including Wednesday evening chapel and Sunday worship;
• Provide pastoral care to students, faculty, and staff at the school;
• Lead the Chapel Team consisting of an associate chaplain, a director of choral music, an organist/assistant, and the chair of the religious studies department; directly supervise, evaluate, and mentor the associate chaplain;
• Meet regularly with the vestry and chapel guilds to train, offer guidance, and provide spiritual support for their roles in the chapel program;
• Set the Sunday School curriculum for faculty/staff children and appoint and train student Sunday School teachers; provide direction on how to nurture the spiritual lives of children;
• Ensure all involved in chapel activities receive the training required by the school and by the Episcopal Church;
• Oversee the physical space and decoration of the chapel throughout the liturgical year and maintain equipment and supplies needed for worship;
• Maintain an active presence in the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware;
• Maintain an active presence in the National Association of Episcopal Schools;
• Oversee the annual budget associated with the chapel;
• Teach up to three courses in religious studies or another department;
• Assist in the community service program;
• Supervise evening study hall and activities one night each week;
• Publicly model the school’s values and the standard for professional behavior. Live out the many facets of a faculty member’s life at boarding school: attend cafeteria and family meals, chapel, and be present throughout all major weekends as well as recesses and summer recess as required;
• Be flexible and available when needed to address matters that require immediate resolution and attention;
• Work collaboratively with departments across the school, especially the student affairs team;
• Develop and recommend process improvements and strategic goals to the head of school to maintain the school as a faith community based on our founding principles; ensure innovation, quality, and continuous improvement of the school, particularly with respect to the chapel program;
• Report to the head of school and consult closely with her in all job responsibilities; serve as a member of the leadership team of the school and as such support the school’s mission, keeping the school’s wellbeing at the heart of all decisions and actions taken as a school leader.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Adhere to the school’s dress code;
• Serve as member or chair of committees as requested;
• Other duties as requested or assigned by the head of school.

Skills and Abilities:

• Lively and contagious Christian faith.
• Collaborative spirit, high energy, lively intelligence, and enthusiasm for residential school life;
• Pastoral, collaborative, dynamic, and thoughtful leadership style;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, diplomacy, sensitivity in dealing with difficult situations, compassion for students who make mistakes; 
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to manage confidential information in compliance with the law and best practice;
• Ability to work independently and think strategically, with responsiveness and initiative; strong organizational skills, including prioritizing multiple responsibilities, managing competing deadlines, multi-tasking.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Priest ordained in the Episcopal Church with at least five years of experience in a school or parish or comparable experience;
• Experience in schools and/or leading worship for young people;
• Experience with and openness to diverse religious populations;
• Belief and a strong passion for the mission of St. Andrew’s School, especially a commitment to inclusion, and belonging;
• Careful listener, warm personality, with a good sense of humor;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including public speaking
• Counseling and advising skills;
• Teaching experience;
• Strict sense of confidentiality; ability to meet deadlines; regular attendance and punctuality.
• Possession of a valid Driver's License (not suspended, revoked or canceled, or disqualified from driving). 

Conditions of Hire:

• A thorough background check, inclusive of fingerprinting and Child Protection Registry check, is required as a condition of employment.
• Applicant must complete satisfactory reference checks, confirmation of compliance with federal and state employment laws, and any other required condition of employment.
• Candidates must comply with all St. Andrew's vaccination requirements, including being fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Requests for medical or religious accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

To Apply:

St. Andrew’s School is an equal-opportunity employer.  We welcome diverse candidates of all backgrounds, faiths, and persuasions, and seek to foster an inclusive, welcoming community environment.

This job description is intended to describe the basic, critical elements of the job and should not be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. 

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a letter of introduction, current resume, and list of references to the Head of School, Joy McGrath at hr@standrews-de.org.

Please visit our website to learn more about our School, and our philosophy of the Profession of Boarding School Teaching at St. Andrew’s.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process.  To request an auxiliary aid or service please call (302) 285-4211. TDD users should call the Delaware Relay Service Number 1-800-232-5460 for assistance.  St. Andrew’s School is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.

About St. Andrew's School

Founded in 1929 with an unprecedented commitment to financial aid, St. Andrew's School is an Episcopal, co-educational boarding school for grades 9 – 12 situated on 2,200 acres in Middletown, Delaware. Please visit www.standrews-de.org for more information.

Connections working at St. Andrew's School