About Us

Employment

Our talented and committed group of faculty and staff is at the heart of Annie Wright's strong community.

Employees can expect a warm and collegial atmosphere, where students from age three to 18 are at the center of all we do. A supportive administration, beautiful setting, excellent resources and a spirit of fun make Annie Wright a wonderful place to work.

Employment Announcements

Staff Positions

List of 2 items.

Director of Residential Life
Annie Wright Schools seek a Director of Residential Life to begin on July 1, 2027. This is a full-time position that sits on the Senior Leadership Team and reports to the Head of Schools.

Mission Statement
Annie Wright’s strong community cultivates individual learners to become well-educated, creative, and responsible citizens for a global society.

About AWS
Tradition meets innovation at Annie Wright Schools, where we honor our rich history and traditions, embrace the present, and continue always to move forward. Founded in 1884, Annie Wright Schools serve students from age three through high school. The Lower and Middle Schools offer co-ed programs in Preschool through Grade 8, while separate Upper Schools for boys and girls offer day and boarding options in Grades 9 through 12, welcoming students from Tacoma and around the world. We are proud to be an International Baccalaureate World School, delivering IB programs in every division.

Position Description
The Director of Residential Life provides vision, leadership, and operational oversight for all aspects of the AWS boarding program, ensuring alignment with the school’s mission and values. The Director hires, trains, supervises, supports, and evaluates the eight-person Dorm Parent team. As an active member of that team, the Director shares weekend duty responsibilities and provides coverage and support as needed. The Director maintains the dorm’s values-based residential culture, shapes disciplinary philosophy, mentors the Dorm Honor Council, oversees the Prefect Program, and promotes responsible community membership.

The Director ensures the safety, well-being, and personal development of all boarding students through residential curricular programming in character education, community membership, and the development of personal values such as integrity and responsibility. The Director counsels students and staff, supports dorm parents in addressing student needs, and maintains strong communication with boarding families. The Director establishes and maintains safety protocols and emergency preparedness procedures, ensuring that the dormitory is a secure and supportive living environment.

The Director manages the residential program budget, coordinates dormitory maintenance and physical plant needs, and develops systems that support effective daily operations. Working collaboratively with school departments and divisions, the Director ensures that the boarding program is adequately supported and integrated with the broader educational mission and operational priorities of the school. Through active leadership and collaboration, the Director sustains a safe, well-managed, and purposeful residential community that supports students’ academic, social, and personal growth.

Core Job Responsibilities:
The Director of Residential Life:
- Provides leadership, advocacy, and vision for the Residential Life program.
- Carries themselves with the professionalism expected of a senior leader.
- Directly hires, manages, retains, and evaluates the dorm staff.
- Ensures the effective delivery of the following programs:
  Student Leadership (Prefect Program)
  Student Life
  Dorm Groups
  Social-Emotional Counseling/Support
- Delivers a student retention rate that is consistent with five-year averages
- Communicates effectively with the dorm community, collectively and individually, and ensures that all communications coming from the dorms are equally effective.
- Ensures the Residential Life budget is kept updated and accurate throughout the school year.
- Coordinates effectively with the maintenance team to ensure the dorm facilities are kept up to appropriate standards.
- Maintains the annual NWAIS accreditation/licensing requirements to stay in compliance with Washington State and DCYF.
Qualifications
The Director of Residential Life will demonstrate key elements of the listed expertise and experiences. This is an aspirational list. Annie Wright Schools encourage candidates to apply who may not currently possess but are working on building these qualities. The Director of Residential Life:
- holds a BA or master's in education;
- has a minimum of five years' experience working in residential programs, preferably at NAIS-affiliated schools;
- has administrative experience within residential programming;
- has demonstrated an ability to effectively supervise faculty;
- is highly organized and capable of developing and executing efficient workflow systems;
- is a strong communicator (written and spoken) and empathetic listener;
- practices cultural humility in personal interactions;
- is eligible to work in the United States. Note: Under our current employment policies, we are unable to sponsor work visas and do not offer positions to candidates who are not yet eligible to work in the United States.
Physical Requirements
The Director of Residential Life:
- Must be capable of long hours and late nights, much of which is spent on the move, supporting and engaging students;
- Must be able to (occasionally) lift up to 50 pounds and move consistently up and down many flights of stairs;
- Must be able to move with agility and engage in active, playful activities with students;
- Must be able to sit and stand for extended periods of time;
- Must be able to drive large passenger vans and buses;
- Must be able to communicate and exchange information with others.
Salary & benefits
This position offers a salary range between $80,000 and $100,000, depending on qualifications and experience. The Director of Residential Life also receives a rent-free campus house (including utilities and landscaping), meals for self and family when school is in session, internet access, personal computer, and use of school facilities. Benefits available to the hired candidate include the following, subject to the terms of the applicable benefit plan:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Employee Assistance Program
- Life insurance
- Accidental death & dismemberment insurance
- Long-term disability insurance
- Paid sick leave: Each regular full-time employee earns 80 hours of sick leave per accrual year
- 35 days of vacation per accrual year
- Fifty percent (50%) Tuition remission in accordance with school policy. All fees and incidental expenses are the sole responsibility of the employee-parent
- All children of benefited employees of AWS, who are currently enrolled at AWS, are eligible for extended day services at no charge when school is in session. Charges apply for faculty in-service days or similar days
- A 403(b) retirement plan with a 6% company match with a 3 % employee contribution
Application Process
Annie Wright Schools remain firmly committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. Annie Wright shall hire, promote, transfer, terminate, and make all other employment-related decisions without regard to an employee’s race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, political ideology, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. Annie Wright Schools are actively seeking to create a more culturally diverse school community, and accordingly, applicants of color and underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

To apply, email a cover letter, resume, email and telephone contact information for 3-5 professional references, and this completed and signed application, all in PDF format, to Mrs. Erin Gann, Executive Assistant to the Head of Schools, at erin_gann@aw.org. In accordance with Annie Wright Schools’ strategic focus on issues related to social justice, candidates should anticipate being asked to address how their past work, as well as future contributions, might serve to advance Annie Wright’s commitment to a more diverse and inclusive community. Applications for this position will be accepted until filled.
School Bus Driver
The Sport and Activity Bus Driver plays an important role in supporting the school’s athletic, extracurricular, and activity programs by ensuring students travel safely and reliably to and from sporting events, practices, and other school-related activities. As a representative of the school, the driver provides a welcoming, patient, and professional presence, helping students feel safe, supported, and cared for throughout their journey.

The Sport and Activity Bus Drivers are responsible for prioritizing student safety, maintaining a calm and positive environment, and demonstrating strong communication, punctuality, and reliability. The driver is comfortable managing the energy and excitement of students traveling together while remaining focused on the road and adhering to all traffic laws and school transportation policies.

This position requires flexibility and availability to accommodate varying schedules, including early mornings, evenings, and occasional weekends, depending on sporting events and school activities. The driver is expected to coordinate effectively with coaches, teachers, and school staff to ensure students arrive at their destinations on time and are safely transported to and from all scheduled activities.

Position Overview: Duties & Responsibilities
The School Bus Driver:
- Drives safely along designated routes
- Obeys traffic laws, safety procedures, and transit regulations
- Picks up and drops off students at designated times and locations
- Transports students to and from athletic activities in the afternoons
- Assists all students with getting on and off the bus as required
- Prevents or stops unruly behavior from students and ensures safety of all students
- Fills the gas tank of the bus, when needed
- Always maintains a clean and mechanically sound bus
- Attends staff meetings and participates in professional development, as required
Qualifications
The School Bus Driver will demonstrate key elements of the listed expertise and experiences. This is an aspirational list, and Annie Wright Schools encourages candidates to apply who may not currently possess, but are working on building, all of these qualities. The School Bus Driver:
- Holds a high school diploma or GED
- Has 1+ years' experience driving a school bus
- Is able to communicate clearly and effectively with students, families, and school staff
- Has some experience working with children (preferably two+ years)
- In addition, the Bus Driver must have:
- A valid Washington State driver’s license, including CDL with passenger endorsements
- The ability to carry out assigned route on time
- No at-fault traffic accidents in the last five years
- Clean driving record (no traffic citations in the last five years)
- A current Medical Examiner’s Certificate; and
- Is eligible to work in the United States. Note: Under our current employment policies, we are unable to sponsor work visas and do not offer positions to candidates who are not yet eligible to work in the United States.
Physical Requirements
- Prolonged periods of sitting and driving.
- Must be able to enter and exit the bus without assistance
Salary & Benefits
This position offers an hourly rate of $34.45 per hour. Benefits available to the hired candidate for the Bus Driver position include the following, subject to the terms of the applicable benefit plan:
- Washington paid sick leave: One hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked
- Eighteen (18) paid Holidays in 2026 (prorated to four paid hours per Holiday).
- All state and federally mandated benefits
Application Process
Annie Wright Schools remain firmly committed to a policy of equal employment opportunities. Annie Wright shall hire, promote, transfer, terminate, and make all other employment-related decisions without regard to an employee’s race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, political ideology, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. Annie Wright Schools are actively seeking to create a more culturally diverse school community, and accordingly, applicants of color and underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

To apply, email a cover letter, resume, email and telephone contact information for 3-5 professional references, and this completed and signed application, all in PDF format, to Mrs. Erin Gann, Executive Assistant to the Head of Schools, at erin_gann@aw.org. In accordance with Annie Wright Schools’ strategic focus on issues related to social justice, candidates should anticipate being asked to address how their past work, as well as future contributions, might serve to advance Annie Wright’s commitment to a more diverse and inclusive community. Applications for this position will be accepted until the position is filled.

Faculty Positions

List of 1 items.

Substitute Teachers (Lower & Middle Schools)
Annie Wright is seeking Substitute Teachers in the Lower School (Preschool-Grade 5) and Middle School (Grades 6-8) for the 2025-2026 academic year. This is a part-time, hourly position.

Mission Statement
Annie Wright’s strong community cultivates individual learners to become well-educated, creative, and responsible citizens for a global society.

About AWS
Tradition meets innovation at Annie Wright Schools, where we honor our rich history and traditions, embrace the present, and continue always to move forward. Founded in 1884, Annie Wright Schools serve students from age three through high school. The Lower and Middle Schools offer co-ed programs in Preschool through Grade 8, while separate Upper Schools for boys and girls offer day and boarding options in Grades 9 through 12, welcoming students from Tacoma and around the world. We are proud to be an International Baccalaureate World School, delivering IB programs in every division.

Position description
The Substitute Teacher at Annie Wright fills in for absent teachers as needed and allows a smooth transition for students to continue with their school day and week. They are experienced in working with children, and ideally have classroom teaching experience to help guide them. They are flexible and comfortable with the unknowns that come with subbing in a class in which you are not the teacher, and are able to follow lesson plans left for them, as well as coming up with additional activities should the need arise. Substitute teachers at Annie Wright are skillful at engaging children, approach them with a positive attitude and find joy in spending the day in the classroom. They are not afraid to ask for help, and are comfortable giving feedback if the day or process did not go as planned.

Position Overview: duties & responsibilities
Substitute Teachers:
- provide instruction and fulfill duties during the short-term absence of faculty; aid students in their daily tasks, help ensure their understanding of subject matter and use materials provided by absent teachers to attain lesson goals;
- manage classroom behavior in a positive way and reach out to other faculty members for support as needed and manage classroom procedures, including taking attendance and maintaining orderly classrooms and student work, in compliance with the school’s procedures, guidelines, and policies;
- and maintain a professional attitude in all manner of conduct with students, faculty, and parents, including a commitment to confidentiality.
Qualifications
The Substitute Teacher will demonstrate key elements of the expertise and experiences listed above. This is an aspirational list and Annie Wright Schools encourages candidates to apply who may not currently possess, but are working on building, all of these qualities. The Substitute Teacher:
- holds a BA in education or a related field (teaching certification is a plus);
- has experience working with and/or teaching youth;
- is detail-oriented and demonstrate the ability to follow written and oral instructions;
- demonstrates effective and appropriate communication with students, faculty, and staff, and parents;
- demonstrates the ability to cultivate relationships with students in a short period of time;
- exhibits confidence and capability in providing instruction;
- is willing and able to work while standing for most of the day, with few breaks to sit (especially for Lower School Substitute Teachers);
- is available on short notice and on a regular basis, and respond promptly to requests for substituting;
- is available from 7:30 am-3:30 pm,
- And, is eligible to work in the United States. (Note: Under our current employment policies, we are unable to sponsor work visas and do not offer positions to candidates who are not yet eligible to work in the United States.)
Compensation
Compensation includes an hourly wage of $24.64/hour. Lunch is provided.

Application process
Annie Wright Schools remain firmly committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. Annie Wright shall hire, promote, transfer, terminate, and make all other employment related decisions without regard to an employee’s race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, political ideology, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. Annie Wright Schools are actively seeking to create a more culturally diverse school community and accordingly, applicants of color and underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

To apply, email a cover letter, resume, and email and telephone contact information for 3-5 professional references, and this completed and signed application, all in PDF format, to Mrs. Erin Gann, Executive Assistant to the Head of Schools, at erin_gann@aw.org. In accordance with Annie Wright Schools’ strategic focus on issues related to social justice, candidates should anticipate being asked to address how their past work, as well as future contributions, might serve to advance Annie Wright’s commitment to a more diverse and inclusive community. Applications for this position will be accepted until filled.