Employment

Because Hawken School is actively focused on redefining education and fulfilling our mission of “forward-focused preparation for the real world through the development of character and intellect,” we consider our faculty and staff our greatest asset. That’s why we work hard to find people who are fully aligned with our purpose, principles, and goals.

At this world-class institution known for its innovative educational program, we value employees who put the best interests of our students at the forefront and who strive to engage meaningfully with them - meeting them where they are in their educational journey and striving to truly know them as learners and individuals.

To support our faculty and staff as they work to fulfill Hawken’s mission, we offer an engaging professional and personal work environment that embraces a growth mindset, a culture of belonging, and a supportive community. In addition, professionals who join our community value our competitive benefits program and generous funding for individual development and personal growth.

Hawken School is an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to promoting all forms of diversity in the workplace and in our student body. We strongly urge all qualified individuals to apply.

Note: All employees and volunteers who have contact with students undergo screening, fingerprinting, and a background check as part of the hiring and onboarding process.

Current Job Openings

Lyndhurst Campus – Early Childhood, Lower, & Middle Schools

List of 1 items.

Gates Mills Campus – Upper School

List of 1 items.

University Circle Campus – Mastery School of Hawken

List of 1 items.

Administration & Staff

List of 2 items.

Temporary & Seasonal Positions

List of 9 items.

Our Campuses

Early Childhood, Lower, and Middle School
Toddler – Grade 8
Hawken’s Lyndhurst campus houses programs for toddlers through eighth graders that reflect the school’s dual commitment to academic and social curricula. Beginning in Early Childhood, students are taught in developmentally appropriate ways to make choices, manage time, think critically and creatively, develop ownership for their learning, and engage others with empathy. Hawken’s Lower School program focuses on building a strong foundation in basic academic skills with an increasing emphasis on personal responsibility. With a focus on hands-on learning and student choice, our Middle School program enables students to be active participants in their education. By exploring science, math, and the humanities using an interdisciplinary and experience-based approach, students dive deeply into subject areas and become immersed in the process of learning and discovery.

Birchwood
Preschool – Grade 8
In October 2016, Birchwood School merged with Hawken to become Birchwood School of Hawken. Serving students from preschool through grade 8, the school was founded in 1984 by a small group of Cleveland parents and educators who aimed to give their own children an unparalleled education. The school has since become an award-winning institution that remains true to its founding mission: to equip children to lead a life of becoming – growing, thriving, and flourishing – through the development of intellect and character. Birchwood functions outside of the traditional grade-level approach to programming, allowing students to engage in academic work that maximizes their cognitive abilities.

Upper School
Grades 9 – 12
Hawken’s Gates Mills campus, located in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland, is situated on over 300 acres featuring sprawling lawns, wooded trails, both modern and historic buildings, and an athletic complex. Through core courses, elective options, off-campus experiences, and a broad menu of co-curricular activities, the Upper School guides students to embrace the intrinsic value of forward-focused learning - not just the rote attainment of knowledge - by providing continual opportunities for student inquiry, analysis, agency, experimentation, and leadership. Twice-yearly Intensive classes - one course, all day for three weeks - enable in-depth, immersive study of a single subject, providing meaningful, authentic learning experiences that are not possible during the traditional schedules that characterize most schools.
 
Mastery School 
Grades 9 – 12
The Mastery School of Hawken, opened in University Circle in 2020, takes Hawken’s innovative approaches to education to scale and is built around three overarching concepts: courses and programs organized around real-world problem solving; a mentorship approach to instruction allowing for more project-based and personalized learning; and an assessment model that leads students to learn deeply and persist to mastery. The school’s location is just a short ride from downtown Cleveland and a short walk to arts organizations, universities, and hundreds of non-profit organizations, enabling students to learn from and partner with some of the most engaging and innovative cultural, educational, arts, and medical institutions in the world.
 

List of 1 items.

Wondering why you should work at Hawken? Here's why!

    • Jelani Watkins - Performing Arts

    • Sara Milbourn - Early Childhood

    • Mindy Roth - Mastery School

    • Lacy Chick - Upper School Science

Photo: Michael R. Weil '85

About Cleveland

The Greater Cleveland region is known for its world-class medical facilities; arts and cultural centers, including Severance Hall and Playhouse Square; museums; professional sports teams;
and a plethora of scenic parks and nature preserves. Lake Erie, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, offers additional recreational possibilities for those who enjoy water sports and activities.

For more information and about what Cleveland has to offer, visit Destination Cleveland.
An independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school, toddler through grade 12

Early Childhood, Lower, and Middle Schools, 5000 Clubside Rd, Lyndhurst, OH 44124
Birchwood School of Hawken, 4400 West 140th Street, Cleveland, OH 44135 
Upper School, PO Box 8002 (12465 County Line Rd), Gates Mills, OH 44040
Mastery School of Hawken, 11025 Magnolia Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106
Gries Center, 10823 Magnolia Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106

Directions  |  Log in  |  440-423-4446