Pingree Fellowship Program

A Program to Increase Faculty Diversity in Independent Schools

Mission Statement: The Pingree Fellowship Program works with talented, developing professionals, who have demonstrated a commitment to education, to introduce the craft of teaching. Inspired by the school’s mission to “create a more just and equitable world,” the Pingree Fellowship seeks to identify and work with promising individuals who have been traditionally underrepresented in independent schools. In addition to mentorship, the program provides the fellows with opportunities to teach, coach, and advise, preparing them for a career in independent schools.

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I wanted a program like this to ease me into teaching and prevent burnout. I am glad to say that this goal was achieved. I am confident in my ability to succeed as a full-time teacher next year. I loved the opportunities to try teaching new courses. Using backwards planning on the trimester, unit, and day level to create a neuroscience elective that I then implemented was an incredibly unique opportunity.

—Aahnix Bathurst, past science fellow

Preparing The Next Generation of Educators

As an independent school, Pingree School is committed to using its freedom and responsibility to forward belonging and equity not only on its campus but in independent schools at large through its mentorship of aspiring educators. Since 2016, the school’s two-year fellowship program has sought to inspire, educate, and prepare aspiring teachers from underrepresented backgrounds in independent schools for careers in education.

Partnered with seasoned educators, two fellows selected bi-annually are given scaffolded opportunities to participate fully in the life of the school: teaching, coaching, advising, and shadowing administrative offices over two years. As they grow in skill and confidence, fellows assume more responsibility and independence both in the classroom and their co-curricular activities. In their second year, fellows begin to teach their own electives in a reduced load that increases reflection, feedback, and the likelihood of success.

Now five years into running this program, fellows have enriched the Pingree community beyond expectation: they have used their backgrounds and passions to develop engaging electives; facilitated student groups and affinity spaces, coached teams, chaperoned student trips, participated on committees, and cultivated deep relationships across our community.

Where are they now?

Rebekah Lofgren, one of our first two fellows, now teaches history and coaches lacrosse at The Taft School in Watertown, CT. She is also pursuing a degree through Klingenstein Center, Teachers College, Columbia University.
Jim DiCenzo, our second Cycle One fellow, teaches Spanish at Pingree and is the head coach of our boys varsity soccer team.
Maya Leete, one of Cycle Two fellows, now teaches math at Westminster School in Simsbury, CT.
Ashley Erin Dotson, the second Cycle Two fellow, is pursuing a master’s degree in architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design on a full scholarship. Additionally, she teaches studio art at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts and served as an instructor at Rhode Island School of Design’s Advanced Program for High School Students.
Aahnix Bathurst, one of the fellows in Cycle Three, is currently working as a STEM faculty at Lexington Christian Academy in Massachusetts.
Cam Kaplan is currently working as an English Teacher in the Upper School at Castilleja, all girls day school in Palo Alto, California.

Current Fellows: Pingree is currently hosting two second-year fellows.

7. Wesley Snyder, current fellow in Cycle 4, is in the Math Department.

8. Kerlyn Caba, current fellow in Cycle 4, is in the World Languages Department.

Program Details

The Fellowship runs for a one-year term with the option to extend to two years. The fellow will work alongside a mentor within the same content area and increasingly assume more teaching responsibilities as the year progresses.

The fellow will attend a weekly seminar conducted by the Director of the Pingree Fellowship Program that will focus on methods of teaching, lesson planning, classroom management, and the psychology of teaching and learning. Additionally, the fellow will have the opportunity to attend department meetings, monthly new faculty and staff meetings with the assistant head for academic affairs, and other professional development opportunities.

Aside from teaching responsibilities, the fellow will coach or supervise an extracurricular activity two out of the three seasons and chaperone school events as needed. The fellow will also join their mentor’s advisory group.

Year One Overview

At-a-Glance

Trimester 1: The fellow will shadow classes across their content area and across the school, as well as begin to co-teach segments of the mentor’s class.
Trimester 2: The fellow will take on one of their mentor’s classes, with the mentor serving in an observational role.
Trimester 3: The fellow will teach two classes, one of which may be an elective H-block course created by the fellow.

Trimester One (August to November)

Attend fellowship orientation and new faculty/staff orientation
Attend opening faculty/staff meetings
Join grade team meetings and orientation trip as required with mentor
Observe all of mentor’s classes and advisory
Begin bi-weekly meetings with mentor to debrief curriculum, class dynamics, etc.
Begin bi-weekly check-ins with director of fellowship
Attend bi-weekly seminar sessions on teaching and learning with director of fellowship
Join mentor for Parent Visit Night
Begin teaching 20-minute segments one to two times per week halfway through the term
Work with mentor to plan segment and submit lesson plans for mentor’s review
Mentor to observe class and share feedback
Teach one full block of the class weekly as mentor continues reviewing lesson plans and providing feedback
Attend Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences with mentor

Trimester Two (December to March)

Takes on one of the mentor’s classes, becomes teacher of record
Teach three times per week with the classroom teacher in the room
Class observations by mentor, Fellowship Director, and Associate Head of School
Continue to observe classes across the school regularly
Fellow and mentor to complete midpoint evaluation
Evaluation conference with Fellowship Director to inform an extension of offer to year two
Attend Parent-Student-Advisor Conferences

Trimester Three (March to June)

Year Two Overview

Trimester One (August to November)

Attend opening faculty/staff meetings
Join grade team meetings and orientation trip as required with mentor
Begin year two course load totaling two teaching sections
Department Chair, mentor, and Fellowship Director observations begin
Begin bi-weekly group seminar meetings
Begin bi-weekly one-on-one meetings
Shadow new classroom
Begin working with a staff department as an intern
Reactivate job search accounts and begin job search

Trimester Two (December to March)

Trimester Three (March to June)

Benefits

The Pingree Fellowship Program offers unparalleled training at a school that values academics, athletics, and the arts.

Benefits Include:

Stipend (approx. $30K)
Healthcare
Housing (see below)
Travel: Learning Across Borders and chaperoning opportunities both local and international ranging from South Dakota to Barcelona, Spain
Assistance with job search
On-campus gym access
Hot breakfast and lunch

Professional development opportunities:

Trainings and conferences
Coursework related to content area or pedagogy
Teachers as Scholars at Harvard University
Annual People of Color Conference

Housing

Housing Details

Laundry on-site
Each fellow has their own floor - a bedroom, an office, a living room, and a private bathroom
Partially furnished

In the Area

Bradley Palmer State Park
Appleton Farms
Crane Beach
Cider Hill Farm
Hamilton/Wenham Commuter Rail
Plum Island Beach
Nearby towns include Ipswich, Salem, Newburyport, Essex, and many more.

How to Apply

The Pingree Fellowship Program seeks candidates from underrepresented populations in independent schools with a record of strong content preparation and demonstrated interest in working with youth. The Fellowship welcomes those who have recently graduated from undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as career changers. Formal teacher training is not required.

If you have questions about the Pingree Fellowship Program, please email fellowship@pingree.org.

The fellowship positions for this application cycle have been filled. Thank you for your interest. Please check back again later for news about the next cycle.

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