Senior Capstone and College Access Teacher

Senior Capstone and College Access Teacher

A full-time (12-month), competitively paid position at a first-rate college preparatory school for boys.

Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia seeks a Senior Capstone and College Access Teacher to, in partnership with school and senior leadership, prepare students for success in high school, college, and beyond. The teacher carries the senior year end to end. They lead the Senior Seminar – the year-long course that culminates in the Senior Defense – and walk alongside a caseload of approximately 40 to 50 seniors through every step of the college application, selection, and matriculation process. Reporting to the Director of Counseling and serving on the high school campus, the teacher is accountable for every senior graduating college-bound and Defense-passed.

The teacher will perform the following duties:

Teaching the Senior Seminar (~50% September through May):

• Teach three to four sections of the Senior Seminar, a year-long course that integrates personal narrative, research writing, and rhetorical preparation for the Senior Defense.
• Execute the delivery of the established Senior Seminar curriculum with fidelity, facilitating students’ exploration, application, and delivery of each course component.
• Deliver instruction on core readiness skills: thesis development, source evaluation, MLA/APA citation, evidence-based argumentation, revision, public speaking, and defending claims under questioning.
• Facilitate the full Senior Defense experience: thesis research and reflection, the alumni interview component, the visual presentation, the oral defense, and coordination with department leaders on Senior Clearance and the Latin Pledge.
• Assess student work against the Boys’ Latin Senior Defense rubric and maintain detailed records of each senior’s progress.
• Coordinate Senior Defense panels, recruiting staff, alumni, board members, and community partners as panelists.

Full-Cycle College Advising (~50% September through May):

• Serve as the primary point of contact for a caseload of approximately 40 to 50 seniors (split with the Director of Counseling) across the college-going process.
• Build balanced college lists (likely, target, reach) with strong representation of HBCUs, Jesuit/Catholic institutions, Pennsylvania state systems, and selective institutions aligned to each student’s interests and financial realities.
• Manage the Common Application / Coalition / institutional application lifecycle: account setup, school profile and transcript submission, letters of recommendation coordination, and deadline tracking.
• Coach students through personal statements, supplemental essays, and resumes — in tight integration with Senior Seminar writing instruction.
• Guide students and families through FAFSA and CSS Profile completion, verification, and appeals; support scholarship research and applications.
• Prepare students for admissions interviews and yield events; coordinate rep visits, college fairs, and campus tours.
• Track every advisee’s applications, decisions, financial aid awards, and final matriculation in the school’s college counseling platform.
• Run summer melt prevention for graduates: personal outreach, enrollment confirmation, housing and move-in support, first-bill navigation, and hand-off to campus partners.

Summer Responsibilities:

• Deliver the Summer Bridge / College Readiness program modules and advising sessions- essay workshops, college list building, Common App onboarding, testing support, and college visits.
• Execute the summer melt prevention campaign for the graduated class.
• Prepare Senior Seminar materials and advising tools for the year ahead in collaboration with the Director of Counseling.

 Team and School Citizenship:

• Report to the Director of Counseling and participate in regular counseling team meetings and planning.
• Partner with senior-year teachers, the High School Principal, and the Senior Director of Academics on senior culture, behavior, and graduation requirements.
• Contribute to school-wide events, including Signing Day, Senior Defense Week, admitted-student outreach, and family nights.
• Communicate proactively with families, including evening and weekend availability around key deadlines.
• Commit to the school’s extended day structure, serving students outside of the regular school day, supporting the Leadership Academy, Saturday School, and summer academy programs.
• Champion the school’s traditions and rituals and serve as a culture keeper of the Boys’ Latin mission.

The teacher is accountable for the following outcomes, weighted equally:

• College Access – Every senior admitted to a college or credentialed post-secondary pathway.
• Completion Milestones – 100% on-time completion of Common App accounts, college applications, FAFSA, CSS Profile where applicable, and scholarship applications.
• Academic Rigor – Every senior passes Senior Defense against the Boys’ Latin rubric; writing portfolios demonstrate measurable growth.

The teacher will demonstrate the following competencies:

Required:

• Unwavering commitment to the school’s mission of preparing boys for success in college and beyond.
• Desire to continuously learn and increase effectiveness as a professional to drive results among students.
• Willingness to be flexible and go above and beyond to meet the needs of all students.
• Ability to cultivate strong relationships with all members of the school community, including students, parents, faculty and staff members, administrators, and external partners.
• Demonstrated strength in at least two of: writing instruction (secondary or post-secondary), college admissions counseling or access work, and high school classroom teaching.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills; candidates will be asked to submit a work sample.
• Strong project management skills – able to track 40 to 50 students across dozens of deadlines without dropping a ball.
• Relational warmth, strong family communication, and a commitment to educational equity and urban public education.
• Comfort with college counseling platforms (Naviance, Scoir, or similar), Google Workspace, and Common App school-side tools.
• Availability for a 12-month schedule, including key evenings and weekends (e.g., Senior Defense Week, Signing Day, parent nights, and college visits).
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

Strongly Preferred:

• Master’s degree in Education, Counseling, English, Writing, or a related field.
• Pennsylvania Instructional Certification in English, School Counseling, or a related field.
• Prior experience as a college admissions officer, high school English teacher, or school counselor / college access professional.
• Familiarity with the college landscape, Pennsylvania state systems, and financial aid for first-generation college students.
• Experience teaching or facilitating a capstone, thesis, or senior seminar.

The Boys’ Latin Way

 Founded in 2007, Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia is a college preparatory school across two campuses educating boys in grades 6-12.   The mission of Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia is to prepare boys for success in college and beyond.  Every member of the Boys' Latin community stands as a vital part of the village that nurtures our young men's individual and collective success toward this mission. We believe that "scientia potentia est" - knowledge is power - and that education is the pathway to freedom, justice, and joy. Through rigorous college-preparatory coursework and experiences rooted in a classical liberal arts education, scholars develop the academic and leadership skills needed to excel. At graduation, our Warriors emerge as architects of their futures, grounded in the core values of Scholarship, Integrity, and Brotherhood, upheld by the pillars that support these values.

Our Mission

We prepare boys for success in college and beyond, using as our foundation a classical Latin education, the positive influence of brotherhood, and rich relationships.  We are a community that values and cultivates critical thinking, personal responsibility, emotional intelligence, and character development.

 Our mission is revolutionary—college is not just an option but our primary mission and vision for all our students, regardless of their backgrounds.

Adult Principles

At Boys’ Latin, the responsibilities of every employee are guided by a set of core Adult Principles that define our culture:

1. Mission and Achievement for All (MAA): We are unwavering in our commitment to ensuring that every student is on a path to and through college.
2. Boys’ Latin United (BLU): Across our two campuses, we maintain a unified vision, set of practices, and professional norms that promote collective success.
3. Equity and Justice (EJ): We are individually and collectively responsible for actively working to identify and address inequities, fostering an inclusive environment that values diverse voices and advocates for all.
4. Prepare to Perform (P2P): Excellence is intentional—we prioritize preparation, planning, and continuous learning to achieve high performance.
5. Reflection and Improvement (R&I): Through data-driven reflection, regular feedback, and a growth mindset, we are committed to continuous improvement..
6. Professionalism On and Off Stage (POS): We uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and respect in all interactions.
7. Enthusiasm and Excitement (E²): Our passion for education is evident in our energy, gratitude, and celebration of successes—big and small.
8. Customer Service from the Heart (CSH): We build authentic relationships grounded in empathy, understanding, and genuine care for our students, families, and colleagues.

Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the school to not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, color, age, gender, height, weight, disability, religion, marital status, or sexual orientation in any of its employment practices, educational programs, services or activities.