Outdoor Education Teacher – John Dorr Nature Laboratory
Start date: August 10, 2026

The John Dorr Nature Laboratory is one of the four campuses of the Horace Mann School, and is the school’s 320-acre outdoor education center. The Dorr Lab is located in Washington, Connecticut, a small community in the western part of the state. The rural setting of our campus provides an ideal setting for adventure and environmental education. Programs are conducted for students in nursery years through twelfth grade, lasting from one to six days. All programs are designed to enhance the curriculum at each grade level and emphasize the cooperative aspects of learning and living.

The position requires a person who enjoys working with students of all ages, who has a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, and who has experience and training in the following areas:

• Teaching environmental and adventure education
• Facilitating group problem solving
• Rock climbing and rope courses
• Canoeing and water safety
• Backpacking and camping
• Mountain biking
• Ability to work well as a member of a crew of teachers
• Wilderness First Responder certification

This is a full-time faculty position. The person must be available from August 10, 2026, through June 30, 2027. Candidates need to be able to secure a CT Driver’s license with an “A” endorsement. This is a full time faculty position and housing is provided. The expected salary range for this position is $75,000 to $ 125,000, with the final determination based on experience, education level and other job- related factors.

Horace Mann School is a coeducational, college preparatory independent day school for students from Nursery through grade 12. The School seeks to stretch the imagination, intellect and insight of its students while developing the moral characteristics that impart identity and purpose. We recognize as our core values: the Life of the Mind, Mature Behavior, Mutual Respect, a Secure and Healthful Environment, and a Balance between Individual Achievement and a Caring Community. These core values guide our decision-making and govern the implementation of our curriculum and programs across all divisions of Horace Mann School. In addition to its campuses in Manhattan and the Bronx, NY, the School also owns and maintains the John Dorr Nature Laboratory, a comprehensive outdoor education facility on 320 largely wooded acres in Washington, CT. One of the nation’s 10 largest independent day schools, as of September, 2025, the School enrolls 1,823 students from 149 zip codes, primarily representing Manhattan, The Bronx, New Jersey, Westchester and Connecticut. For 2025-26, 87% of students N-12 reported optional race and/or ethnicity information. Of that group, 60% identify as students of color, 38% identify as White non-Hispanic/Latine, and 2% identify as international. Just over 49% of our students identify as girls, 50% of our students identify as boys and a third group expresses a different gender identity. Approximately 17% of our current students receive Financial Aid to attend Horace Mann. Thirty-seven percent of School administrators, teachers, and staff members identified as race other than white and/or as Hispanic/Latine. Over the past five years, the School has recorded a 97% annual retention rate for students and a 92% retention rate for all employees. The school’s most recent $125 million bricks and mortar campaign has provided the Middle and Upper Divisions with newly constructed and renovated state of the art science and physical education facilities.

Interested candidates should send resume and cover letter to: [email protected]