Teaching at GA
QUICK FACTS
| Lower School (coed) Grades PreK through 5 | 375 students | |
| Middle School (coed) Grades 6 through 8 | 266 students | |
| Upper School (coed) Grades 9 through 12 | 566 students | |
| Total Number of Students, PreK through 12 | 1,207 | |
| Average Academic Class Size for MS and US | ≈14 | |
| Class Size Range for Lower School | 12-18 | |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 7:1 (overall) |
| Total Number of Faculty | 168 | |
| Gender of Faculty Members | 62% Female/38% Male | |
| Faculty of Color | 20% | |
| Total Faculty with Advanced Degrees | 70% |
HISTORY
Founded in 1759, Germantown Academy has more than 250 years of history, tradition, and outstanding academics. GA is a non-sectarian, coeducational college preparatory school educating students from PreKindergarten to Grade 12.
MISSION STATEMENT
Germantown Academy inspires students to be…
Independent in Thought, Confident in Expression, Compassionate in Spirit, Collaborative in Action, and Honorable in Deed
CIVILITY PLEDGE
We are Kind
We are Respectful
We are Courteous
We are Inclusive
We Honor Difference
Engagement
FOUNDATION
MISSION
DIVERSITY COMMITMENT
At Germantown Academy, we are committed to creating a learning environment that is as diverse as the broader, global world of which we are a part. We value this diversity because it makes us a stronger community, enriches our thinking, and helps us to develop our collaborative spirit. With these guiding beliefs to shape our admissions and hiring processes, we embrace all forms of human identity, including race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and physical ability.
POINTS OF INTEREST
INNOVATION AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS
This schoolwide initiative provides students with the context and skills needed to become educated problem-solvers and creative thinkers. A new physical space was created in Fall 2015 – the Beard Center for Innovation. The BCI houses flexible iLabs and a large makerspace that K through 12 students and faculty can use for generating ideas and watching them take shape using the 3D design software, laser cutters, computers, and a variety of materials. The Early Childhood Tinker Lab was created in Summer 2018 and provides a makerspace specially designed for PreK-5th graders. The Tinker Lab engages our youngest learners in the creative process of making by providing materials that encourage innovation, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
DIVERSITY
The percentage of Students of Color choosing GA has increased from 20% in 2008 to 31% in 2022.
HOUSE SYSTEM
Providing oversight and leadership opportunities in the Upper School, the House System consists of seven houses, each with a House Head who oversees eight advisors and approximately 18 students from each of the four grades. Faculty work together to support all students, not just those in their advisory, and each student graduates from that House during Commencement.
ATHLETICS
Approximately 86% of the students in Middle and Upper School participate in at least one sport during the academic year. GA is committed to the teacher-coach model and employs more than 200 coaches for all levels of competition for its 78 teams annually. Twenty-eight sports are offered for girls and boys, and several times a year there are opportunities for Lower School students to participate in clinics and clubs. Approximately 30% of each graduating class goes on to participate in athletics at a range of levels in college.
ARTS
The Arts Department provides strong academic and extracurricular programs in both the performing and visual arts. Students are introduced to the arts as early as Pre-Kindergarten, and an appreciation for creativity and expression is developed through 12th grade. In visual and performing arts, students are not only given instruction, but the freedom to find their voice.
FACULTY WORKLOAD
In the Lower School, there is a mixture of classroom and subject-area teachers (e.g. modern language, science, physical education, etc.). A teacher’s day generally begins at 7:45am and ends at 3:15pm. Lower School teachers are encouraged to participate in the larger school’s extracurricular and athletic offerings, and many also work in the after-school program.
Faculty in the Middle and Upper Schools generally teach four classes (ranging from one to four preparations) and participate in at least two significant extracurricular or athletic offerings in order to get to know and interact with students in contexts beyond the classroom. A teacher’s day generally begins between 7:30 and 8:00am. The academic day concludes between 2:45 and 3pm, at which point athletic and arts activities begin.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
Germantown Academy determines salaries according to years of experience in the teaching profession and depth of involvement in extracurricular offerings.
Some of the benefits at Germantown Academy include the following:
- Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance (all include varying degrees of teacher contribution to the overall cost)
- 403B Plan
- Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts
- We will reimburse the full amount of one course per year to any faculty member who is a matriculated student seeking a graduate degree in a field of study relevant to his/her current position
- 100% Tuition Remission (tuition remission is applicable for one or two accepted students at GA’s typical entry points: K, 5, 6, 7, 9. In all other grades, tuition remission is applicable for one or two accepted students only if space is available)
- Life Insurance, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
In addition to reimbursing faculty members for one course per year toward applicable graduate degrees, Germantown Academy offers the following professional development opportunities to its faculty:
- Research and Development Grants
- Participation in Local, Regional, and National Conferences
- Professional Enrichment Leave
- Distinguished Achievement and Mission Awards
- Endowed Teaching Chairs
- Professional In-Service Days
- Opportunities for Promotion and Career Development