Shape the future.

The student body is a remarkably talented and diverse group! Reflecting our strong desire to create an intentional student body that accurately reflects our larger community, MICDS students come to us from many neighborhoods around the greater St. Louis area. They represent more than 70 zip codes, more than 42% of our students identify themselves as students of color, and over 40 countries are represented by MICDS parents and students at our biennial International Expo.

People from outside the St. Louis area are often surprised to discover just how much our metropolitan community has to offer. As the oldest city west of the Mississippi, St. Louis is both steeped in history and unabashedly forward-thinking in its attitudes and behaviors. Here, you will find outstanding museums and restaurants, abundant parks and recreation areas, a world-class zoo and botanical garden, musical venues to suit every taste, a rich religious history with active congregations, outstanding neighborhoods and architecture, a vibrant downtown setting, easy transportation, a comfortably low cost of living and some of the finest sports teams in the entire country! St. Louis also has a rich literary history and is home to some of the finest hospitals, research centers, and independent and higher education schools in the country, including Washington University in St. Louis, all of which support a thriving and highly educated professional class. As a result, as NAIS data will attest, St. Louis is one of the most competitive independent school markets in the entire country.

MICDS offers employees a competitive and comprehensive benefits plan, including a generous 403(b) retirement plan where the School contributes 8% of one’s salary with an employee’s 3% contribution; medical, dental, and vision insurance; life insurance and flexible spending accounts; long term care and disability insurance; vacation days; tuition benefit; access to a fitness center and free lunch.

At MICDS, we recognize that teachable moments lie around every corner. In all divisions, faculty use opportunities to interact with students in a variety of settings. In the Upper and Middle Schools, faculty serve as advisors, supervise student clubs, oversee activities, and coach athletics. Lower School faculty have opportunities to engage with students outside of the classroom through activities such as coaching and teaching after-school enrichment classes. It is during these informal opportunities that faculty provide guidance and mentoring for children, and create a sense of safety and security.

Advisory is a faculty role at MICDS. In the Upper and Middle Schools, each faculty member has 10 to 12 advisees for whom he or she is responsible. The advisor is the student’s advocate and the person who communicates most often with the student’s parents about academic and personal/social progress at school. It is through this important advisory role that many of the most meaningful adult-student relationships are forged.

In the Middle and Upper School, most teachers have four sections of approximately 15 students which meet four times every 6-day cycle. In the Lower School, class size ranges from 12 to 18, and homeroom teachers spend from 24 to 33 teaching hours per week with children. Co-curricular faculty teach a range of 20 to 24 teaching hours. With small classes and small course loads, our faculty members have the time to focus on building an engaging curriculum, the freedom to explore a variety of topics and dedicate time where it will matter most – investing in our students. Our Middle and Upper School faculty teach just four courses per day, which enables them to spend one-on-one time with students, participate in co-curricular activities on campus, such as coaching, advising student clubs or participating in a community service trip abroad.

Yes. Every new teacher at MICDS is assigned a mentor from the new teacher’s division, usually within the same discipline. The mentor acts as a sounding board, a source of important information, a trusted colleague, and a friend. Both teachers new to teaching entirely and experienced teachers new to MICDS have mentors.

Yes. Every August, the School invites new faculty to spend a day and a half at School where they are introduced to the mission and practices of the School. They meet their mentors, division heads, and other key administrators. Additionally, throughout the year, the division head will meet with new teachers individually and as a group.

Along with small class sizes and outstanding facilities, our teachers enjoy unparalleled access to professional development and present regularly at workshops and conferences around the country. As a leader in independent school education, MICDS also brings nationally-known experts and speakers to campus throughout the year and hosts a Summer Teacher Institute that attracts teachers from around the country. Other professional development opportunities include a variety of fellowships, sabbaticals, chairs, and awards that support individual teacher excellence. The School invests more than $200,000 annually in professional development opportunities for its faculty members.

Teacher evaluations are critically important at MICDS and all members of our faculty participate in our Annual Faculty Evaluation program. The process is designed to engage individual faculty in meaningful growth and progress through all stages of their teaching career. All faculty new to MICDS are formally evaluated in their first two years, using pre- and post-observation conferences and written feedback built around a formal multi-day classroom visit. More experienced faculty also receive regular classroom visits each year and engage in regular conversations with the division head and department chair to share challenges, successes, and ongoing improvement.