Faculty members feel valued and respected as professionals at Canterbury School, leading several teachers and administrators to recently proclaim that working here is their “dream job.”

Here, in their own words, are the reasons why.

Jacqui McDowell, Middle School Language Arts:

"Matilda" is one of my favorite movies. I agree with Miss Honey when she says, "If I couldn't teach, I'd have nothing at all."

That might sound hyperbolic, but teaching is like breathing to me. I love being creative! I enjoy figuring out ways to meet each child where they are, and I genuinely love teaching students as they navigate adolescence.

During the past few years at another school, however, I started to feel like I could not catch my breath. I felt overtaxed, stifled, and underappreciated. Class sizes grew exponentially, testing became the sole focus, and I began to lose who I am. I contemplated leaving the teaching profession because I felt I was losing my purpose and joy.

Then I came to Canterbury. It was like stepping into a different world! My class sizes are smaller, I feel appreciated, and I feel valued. It is an amazing feeling to teach middle schoolers who are excited about learning and who tell me how thankful they are when they leave the classroom.

In addition to awesome students, I enjoy the spiritual grounding of attending chapel. Being at chapel every week allows me to feel God's presence and encourages me that I am where I am supposed to be.

I can't believe how incredibly blessed I am to get to do what I love at such an amazing place! I am so thankful for the Canterbury community!

Angela McCray-Hancock, Academic Dean:

I get up every day looking forward to coming to campus!

I work with truly gifted educators who care about their students and each other who are always looking for ways to grow. My dream job as academic dean gives me the opportunity to work side-by-side with these amazing people. I love getting to support them and feel in service to our faculty, staff, students, and parents.

I’m so pleased that I also get to keep one foot in the classroom as a teacher for robotics and STEM, as those are my passions. I welcome the opportunity to help build the STEM program and highlight the fantastic work that teachers and students are doing, along with providing more STEM-focused initiatives.

I felt welcomed by the community as a whole when I began here in the summer of 2019 and love that I am in a position to make a positive impact on the lives of everyone in our community. What more could anyone ask for?