Supporting Our Faculty and Staff
“We try to teach that education is training for service to others rather than success for one’s self; to give rather than to get; for sacrifice rather than gratification.” — J. Carter Walker, 1955
Mr. Walker’s vision for education and for how Woodberry graduates might put that education into action is one faculty embrace daily. They have used their own years of education to serve others, namely the Woodberry boys they promise to know, challenge, and love. Many of them have devoted their entire careers to serving Woodberry boys.
Woodberry’s educational model is built on relationships, both among the boys and between boys and their teachers. These relationships are not defined by measures such as class size or student-teacher ratio. The true measure of these relationships comes through individual time and attention, whether that’s a study session on Sunday evening, extra coaching at the end of practice, or cookouts with an advisor. The school must have the resources to support and retain extraordinary teachers and coaches.
Woodberry faculty commit to knowing boys beyond the classroom, working as athletic coaches and mentors each afternoon. They build relationships that are deep and lasting. You can see this lifelong commitment to each other every year at Reunion.
Though graduates are of course excited to see old classmates, they also flock to the side of favorite teachers. And the faculty love seeing what’s become of the young men who leave Woodberry to go into the world.
Hiring and retaining the best faculty comes at a cost. Woodberry must be able to offer competitive compensation in a market where the finest teachers, coaches, and advisors — “triple threat” faculty members — are sought by many excellent schools. Current faculty salaries fall below the median for comparable schools. Woodberry must offer competitive benefits to support faculty and their families, and it must offer a wide range of campus housing, allowing faculty families the option to live in spaces that match their journeys through life.
The school must also support the dedicated staff, who work tirelessly to ensure boys enjoy a safe and beautiful campus. Many staff members stay with the school for decades, providing a constant thread of care and support to boys across the years.
Without sustained investment in faculty and staff, Woodberry will be unable to keep world-class teachers, coaches, and advisors. The faculty have always been at the heart of Woodberry, delivering on the school’s mission and vision and preparing boys for the future as learners, leaders, and citizens.
