Working Within a Thriving Community.

Offering coeducational instruction for approximately 1060 students in grades 1-12, Porter-Gaud is an Episcopal, independent, college-preparatory day school in Charleston, South Carolina. It is a school with a 157-year history as a significant presence in the region’s educational community. Throughout its years, Porter-Gaud has treasured its ties to the Episcopal Church and prides itself on welcoming a diverse student body. With a focus on both academics and character education, the School is guided by its mission statement:

To inspire lives of purpose, learning, and service through

cultivating each student’s God-given potential.

Porter-Gaud’s 55 acre campus is located along the banks of the Ashley River, five minutes away from downtown Charleston and steps away from the Wappoo Cut. Surrounded by towering live oak trees, buildings are well organized around a central green and connected by courtyards and walkways. A spacious gourmet dining hall, well-equipped fitness center, and ample classroom space make Porter-Gaud an exceptional place to teach and work.

The School will build a new Chapel within the next year, creating an expanded campus that positions us well for the future.

Life in the Lowcountry

Charleston has repeatedly been ranked as the best city in the world by several travel magazines. World renowned for its history, architecture, cultural offerings, coastal environment, incredible shopping, and world-class restaurants, the Lowcountry offers an amazing quality of life. Charleston also offers numerous entertainment options. The MOJA Arts Festival and the famous Spoleto Festival, which the Washington Post called “one of the best arts festivals in this country,” headline an impressive array of opportunities to see live music and theatre. The newly renovated Gaillard Auditorium is one of the finest performance halls in the country.

The Charleston area of almost 836,000 people maintains a friendly, small-town feel. Mild winters and long summers make exploring the miles of unspoiled beaches and marshes pleasant throughout the year.

The Charleston region welcomes thousands of new residents each year, bringing new ideas, experiences, diversity, and passion to this thriving community.

OUR FACULTY

The Porter-Gaud faculty is the pride of the School. Teachers number 106 and are spread amongst three divisions: 30 in the Lower School (grades 1-4), 30 in the Middle School (grades 5-8), and 46 teachers in our Upper School (grades 9-12). Our faculty experience breakdown reflects a recent trend of new hires replacing retirees: 50% of our faculty has 1-15 years teaching experience while the remaining 50% have 16 to 48 years experience. The School strives for a 12:1 ratio with its bright and motivated student body. Porter-Gaud encourages longevity in faculty employment by providing superb facilities and excellent benefits.

The School has a tuition remission benefit for faculty children, providing a significant discount on tuition at Porter-Gaud and at our preschool and kindergarten, located at The O’Quinn Schools of Porter-Gaud. Faculty salaries are competitive both nationally compared to independent schools and locally compared to the public school district. The School has a mentoring program for all new faculty hires that includes a one-on-one assignment of an existing faculty member to help ensure a welcoming and smooth transition to Porter-Gaud. It is no wonder that over 75% of our teachers hold post-graduate degrees since Porter-Gaud will support a faculty member financially in seeking a graduate degree in his or her field.

STUDENT LIFE

One of the means by which Porter-Gaud develops excellence in our students is an outstanding interscholastic athletic program. The Cyclones field over 60 teams per year in 28 different sports at the bantam, junior varsity, and varsity levels, including football, volleyball, cross-country, swimming, sailing, competitive cheerleading, tennis, equestrian, golf, sailing, bowling, sporting clays, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, and track & field. Our bantam teams emphasize participation and skill development at an age-appropriate level, while our varsity teams have won numerous state championships. Approximately 80% of our students in the Middle and Upper school participate in Cyclone athletics. Porter-Gaud competes in the South Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association, and is consistently ranked as one of the best programs in the state. The Cyclones have consistently earned the James C. Williams Presidents’ Cup, awarded to the best overall athletic program in SCISA.

Students participate in a broad arts curriculum which begins in first grade and culminates in rich elective offerings in the Upper School. Each year there are several major drama productions; recent performances have included Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Newsies, Footloose, Grease, and School of Rock. The School’s many choirs provide music for concerts, celebrations, and events throughout the year. The Handbell Choir and Jazz Ensemble are other popular extracurricular instrumental music offerings. Porter-Gaud students have received recognition for their visual art in local, state, and national competitions.

Our very active community service program involves more than half of our students across all three divisions. Community service, under the guidance of the Director of Community Service, is a significant factor in our students’ character development. Each year, our students serve more than 40 local, state, and international nonprofits.

Employment

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Current Job Openings

NON-DISCRIMINATORY STATEMENT

Porter-Gaud School is committed to increasing the racial, ethnic, and religious diversity of our faculty and staff. The School welcomes applicants who would bring additional dimensions to the School's teaching mission. In accordance with law, Porter-Gaud School is an equal opportunity employer and hires without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability.

Porter-Gaud School is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students. We hold our employees to the highest possible standards. All employees are subject to extensive background check screenings and must sign our code of conduct. We strive to monitor employees while interacting with students. We take any inappropriate interactions between students and employees seriously and are committed to mandatory reporting standards as required by law. We will fully cooperate with authorities in any allegation or case of abuse.

Porter-Gaud School is also a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer.

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