Upper School Chaplain

Position Classification:  Full-time, 10-month, faculty, salaried exempt

Hours: 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, with additional hours as needed to fulfill

teaching, liturgical, and pastoral responsibilities

Reports to:  Head of Upper School, with additional reporting responsibility to the Headmaster

Position Summary:

St. Christopher’s School, the largest all-boys school in Virginia and one of the largest and oldest boys’ schools in the Mid-Atlantic region, seeks a Chaplain for our Upper School for the 2024-2025 school year. St. Christopher’s desires candidates who can serve as a spiritual and moral guide for our Upper School and the broader St. Christopher’s community.

Serving approximately 1,000 boys in Grades JK-12 in Richmond, Virginia, St. Christopher’s is an Episcopal school committed to cultivating a community that is diverse, inclusive, and welcoming. We pride ourselves on bringing out the best in every boy. Our boys benefit from an education and curriculum that is holistic, including academics, the arts, athletics, and service learning. The St. Christopher’s experience is further differentiated by a strong emphasis on our Community Pillars-honor & integrity, the pursuit of excellence, and community & brotherhood-and our Episcopal foundation.

The Upper School Chaplain will work closely and collaboratively with our Lower School and Middle School Chaplains, classroom teachers, and Upper School counselor, and with faculty and staff across all divisions and departments.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Design Chapel services in keeping with the Episcopal tradition and specifically geared toward boys in Grades 9-12, on alternating days, two or three times per week, through liturgy and homilies as well as by organizing “guest” homilists for varied perspectives and voices-faculty, staff, alumni, and community members
• Actively respond to the pastoral needs of all Upper School constituents, including students, families, faculty, and staff
• Serve on the Upper School Health and Wellness team with the Associate Head of Upper School, Counselor, Dean of Students, Director of Academic Support, and others to help ensure the health and wellbeing of every Upper School boy
• Serve as the Upper School Religion Department Chair, overseeing the development of curriculum and faculty course assignments, ensuring alignment across divisions, and collaborating with other US Department Chairs in setting academic vision and policy in the Upper School
• Design and teach multiple sections of Biblical Studies (usually grade 10) as well as upper-level religion electives
• Partner with the Lower School and Middle School Chaplains to lead several All-School services each year, including the All-School Opening Chapel service, Lessons and Carols, Easter, and the Memorial Day service. In addition, take a leadership and planning role in important Upper School and community services such as Commencement and Baccalaureate
• Partner with the chaplain(s) at St. Catherine’s on joint pastoral matters as well as joint services such as the Opening Faculty and Staff service
• Lead and collaborate in the development of meaningful community service experiences, in coordination with the Lower and Middle School community service programs when appropriate, for Upper School students and faculty
• Organize and lead Upper School Missionary Society, overseeing student service learning projects, division-wide service projects, and various fundraising activities

Qualifications and Key Skills:

• A commitment to St. Christopher’s mission, Community Pillars, policies, and initiatives
• A commitment to best practices in education, as articulated in the School’s Teaching Excellence Document, and a dedication to best practices for boys, as espoused by the St. Christopher’s Center for the Study of Boys
• A commitment to diversity, community, and inclusion in school communities, as expressed in the St. Christopher’s Diversity and Inclusion Statement
• Is ordained Episcopal clergy, is presently in the ordination process, or has a strong foundation in Episcopal lay ministry
• Experience working in a school setting is preferred
• Experience working with Upper School-age students, particularly with boys, is preferred
• Ability to establish warm and authentic relationship with students, families, and colleagues
• Effective communication skills, both as a speaker and writer
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion in student and community matters
• A willingness to accept feedback for professional growth, a professional demeanor, and integrity
• Personality traits for nurturing the growth of boys and working cooperatively with adults; a passion and joy for working with young people; and an enthusiasm for learning
• A flexible, positive, can-do attitude and a sense of humor
• Hold at least a bachelor’s degree with strong academic record; a masters degree is not required but preferred

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to circulate among students in a classroom setting
• Must be able to move from classroom to classroom and from building to building as assigned or required by classroom assignment and activity of the day
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds
• Must be able to drive a 12-passenger van or minibus

How to Apply:

We only accept applicant resumes through our online portal, which you can access here. Once you select the “Apply Now” button, it will take you through the prompts to complete your application and upload your resume, cover letter, a written or video sample of a sermon/homily, and other required documents. (Files must be in a .DOC, .DOCX, .TXT or .PDF format and must be 10 MB or smaller)

Application Deadline: Applications and materials will be reviewed until the position is filled.

School Website: www.stchristophers.com

School Information:

Established in 1911, St. Christopher’s School is a JK-12 all-boys day school in Richmond, VA. St. Christopher’s School is committed to cultivating a school community that is diverse, inclusive, and welcoming and prides itself on bringing out the best in every boy. Our Episcopal foundation is at the center of what we do, and we care most about developing young men who possess honor and integrity. Our boys benefit from an education and curriculum that is focused on excellence in all forms, including academics, the arts, athletics, and service learning.

The School’s single-campus location consists of 43 contiguous acres and 23 buildings with over 300,000 square feet. With over a century of rich history in the education of boys, St. Christopher’s has a reputation as a national and international leader in the education of boys. Our work with the International Boys’ Schools Coalition and our very own Center for the Study of Boys, supports our new strategic plan, Momentum 2025, setting a bold path forward for the entire St. Christopher’s community.

St. Christopher’s School is committed to fostering, in broad and meaningful ways, an inclusive school community in which all members feel respected, welcomed, and valued. As such, St. Christopher’s School is an equal opportunity employer. St. Christopher’s School provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and job applicants without regard to an individual’s race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions including lactation, age, disability, genetic information or any other factor prohibited by applicable law.

Mission Statement:

St. Christopher’s School knows, loves, and celebrates boys, promotes their pursuit of excellence, and prepares them for lives of honor and integrity, service, and leadership.

Benefits Package:

Among peer independent schools nationally, St. Christopher’s offers one of the most generous, comprehensive and competitive employee benefits packages available.

Summary of Employee Benefits for Full-Time Employees

Full-time employees work a minimum of 1,000 hours per year.

Retirement Plan

The School contributes 7.5% of the employee’s contract salary each year to a 403(b) Defined Contribution Retirement Plan for employees at least 21 years of age who have completed one year of full-time employment with St. Christopher’s School or similar experience at another institution. In addition, the School will provide a matching contribution equal to 1.5% of contract salary if the employee makes an elective deferral equal to or greater than 1.5% of contract salary to their 403(b) Defined Contribution Retirement Plan, for a potential School contribution of 9.0%. Eligible ordained Episcopal clergy will be eligible to participate in the Church Pension Fund Clergy Pension Plan (a defined contribution plan) and will receive an assessment as defined by the Church Pension Fund. Clergy are also eligible to make an elective deferral to a retirement account through TIAA on a pre-tax or after-tax basis. Eligible ordained Episcopal clergy will be eligible to participate in the Church Pension Fund Clergy Pension Plan (a defined contribution plan) and will receive an assessment as defined by the Church Pension Fund. Clergy are also eligible to make an elective deferral to a retirement account through TIAA on a pre-tax or after-tax basis.

Medical Insurance

The School will pay 100% of the Consumer Directed Health Plan (also known as the High Deductible Health Plan), including vision coverage, for the employee. Employees may choose to add dependents or upgrade to a more traditional PPO Plan by applying the School’s contribution to the monthly premium cost.

Dental Insurance

Employees may choose from the plans currently offered and are responsible for 100% of the premium.

Long-Term Disability & Professional Liability Insurance

Long term disability and professional liability insurance are provided at no cost to the employee.

Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance

Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance are provided at no cost to the employee equal to 1x the employee’s contract salary. Additional supplemental coverage for the employee and their dependents is available to employees at their own expense.

Pre-tax Savings Accounts

Employees have the opportunity to participate in pre-tax savings accounts through either a dependent care flexible spending account, a medical flexible spending account or a health savings account, subject to respective IRS contribution limits.

Tuition Remission

JK-12

Employees who work a minimum of 1,500 hours per contract year (July 1 to June 30) and have completed three years of prior full-time employment, either with St. Christopher’s School or another institution in a similar role, will be eligible to receive JK-12 tuition grants for eligible children enrolled in St. Christopher’s School or St. Catherine’s Schools. The three years of prior full-time employment must immediately precede the awarding of this tuition grant. For purposes of this benefit, full-time employment is defined as: a minimum of 1,500 hours per year for faculty employees and a minimum of 1,800 hours per year for all other employees. Employees with a full-time start date before July 1, 2020, who have met the eligibility criteria as stated above and have worked a minimum of 1,500 hours per year for the school prior to this date, will receive a tuition grant of 90%. Employees with a full-time start date on or after July 1, 2020, will receive a tuition grant of 75% upon completion of the eligibility criteria as stated above. Grants do not include non-tuition expenses such as fees, books, supplies, etc.

The School will provide tuition grants for up to four eligible children and will support one year in JK. Eligible children are defined as the biological, adoptive or legal ward of the eligible employee.

Extended Day

Employees receive full tuition remission for Extended Day services for the period of time up until the end of their regular workday.

Summer Programs

Employees are eligible to receive discounts on Summer Programs offered by St. Christopher’s School. Discounts are also available for summer Extended Day offerings.

Meals

Employees receive lunch at no expense while School is in session. In order to perform normal mealtime duties, all full-time employees, as well as their immediate families, may receive breakfast five days a week and dinner two days a week at no expense when breakfast or dinner is served.

Additionally, lunch fees are waived for full-time employees’ sons enrolled at St. Christopher’s School.

Leave Policies

Wellness Leave

Full-time employees receive ten (10) paid wellness leave days per fiscal year and may accumulate and carry forward any unused wellness leave days to a maximum of sixty (60) days. Included in the 10 wellness days are two (2) personal days that may be converted and used. Part-time employees will receive and may accumulate and carry forward a prorated amount of wellness leave days based upon the amount of time worked. Employees should provide as much notice as possible when requesting wellness leave and must have a supervisor’s approval.

Vacation

Vacation days are available to 12-month employees based on their job classification and continuous length of service. Please contact the Business Office for additional information.

Bereavement/Funeral Leave

Employees may take up to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave for an immediate family member. Employees may also take one day off per year with pay to attend the funeral of a relative outside the immediate family.

Additional Leave

Additional Leave of no more than five business days beyond those listed above may be granted subject to the discretion of the employee’s Division Head or the Headmaster.

Professional Development

The School is committed to supporting the professional growth of employees and will cover costs associated with job-related courses, workshops, conferences, professional associations and graduate degrees. Coverage of costs is budget dependent year to year and subject to the approval of both the employee’s Division Head and the Headmaster.

Onsite Childcare

Little Saints, an on-site daycare facility, is available to employees on a voluntary basis and at the employee’s expense.

Athletic and Fitness Center

Kemper Athletic and Fitness Center is open to employees subject to Athletic Department Rules and Guidelines.

Campus Housing

St. Christopher’s may provide an employee with on-campus or School-owned housing as a condition of employment to better accommodate student access to faculty and administrators outside of the normal School day.

Relocation / Moving Expense Policy

St. Christopher’s School will provide reimbursement to new full-time employees who are relocating to the Richmond area as a result of their new position with the School. Consistent with IRS guidelines, the School’s reimbursement support applies only to required moves for new employees whose primary residence is located in excess of 50 miles from the St. Christopher’s School campus. The maximum gross amount paid to an employee or on behalf of the employee to a moving company shall not exceed $7,500.00.

Our City-Richmond, VA:

Recently featured in The Washington Post, Forbes, Southern Living Magazine and USA Today’s 10 Best Travel Awards, Richmond is known for its vibrant lifestyle and historic charm, mixed with diverse food, music, arts and cultural scenes and leading it to become one of the top mid-sized, affordable cities in the country.

Richmond’s residents enjoy big-city amenities combined with family-friendly quality of life. History buffs can enjoy a visit to St. John’s Church, where Patrick Henry gave his famous “Give me Liberty or Give me Death” speech. Museums include the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Institute for Contemporary Art, The American Civil War Museum, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, the Children’s Museum of Richmond, the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia and the Virginia Holocaust Museum. Music and dance enthusiasts can enjoy the classics at the Richmond Symphony, Richmond Ballet and Virginia Opera, or more contemporary shows at The National, Altria Theater and outdoor music concerts and festivals on Brown’s Island. Outdoor adventurers can explore over 600 acres of parks, over 40 miles of trails and Class IV rapids in the heart of an urban center through the James River Park System.

Richmond’s array of colleges and universities, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Union University, Virginia State University and the University of Richmond, are cultural hubs and host theater events, music performances and impressive sports teams. The city is also home to the Richmond Flying Squirrels Minor League Baseball team and the Richmond Kickers soccer club.

Not only does Richmond’s appealing climate and location make it an enjoyable and exciting city in which to work and live, but it is ideally situated for a short road trip to the mountains of Charlottesville, to beaches in the Hampton Roads area, or to our nation’s capital, Washington, DC.

For more information, or to apply now, you must go to the website below. Please DO NOT email your resume to us as we only accept applications through our website.

https://stcva.isolvedhire.com/jobs/1116706-280636.html

Contact Information