Each day our faculty work hard to expand the minds of their students. They hold high expectations for their students, gently pushing them beyond what they thought they were capable of, treating students as partners in their journey of self-discovery.

It’s the people in the community that make Kingswood Oxford what it is. We are a private day school with a down-to-earth approach. From the well-seasoned to those newer to the vocation, our teachers share a common goal of creating a collaborative and inspiring environment for our students to reach their full potential. Kingswood Oxford students have a tremendous work ethic, and that, coupled with teachers who are passionate about their subjects, produces an incredible dynamic in the classroom. 

As a community with a growth mindset, KO continually asks faculty to refine their teaching and adopt best practices in the classroom. Teachers self-select Collaborative Learning Groups (CLG) to join. These groups meet three or four times during the fall and winter to collaboratively lesson plan and analyze student work to create an equitable classroom culture where student ownership is the norm. The five focus areas include a book club related to summer reading, project-based learning (PLB) and authentic application, how to give feedback to develop independent learners, student-led class discussions to aid in student agency and choice, and collaborative learning.

Teachers constantly engage with this question in their work: “How do we learn deeply together?”

This is a vibrant school to work, learn, and grow.

Kingswood Oxford grants awards recognizing those teachers and coaches who have made a significant contribution to our school community. These are monetary awards in various amounts.

THE JOSEPH AND JO-ANNE ALISSI COACHING AWARD

This award honors the returning coach who best exemplifies Joseph and Jo-anne Alissi’s outstanding contributions to Kingswood Oxford, especially their sportsmanship, professionalism, enthusiasm, dedication, and the positive impact they had on every athlete and student they encountered.

THE CALEY GRANT

The Caley Faculty Grant was established to provide opportunities for teachers at Kingswood Oxford to rest, renew, restore, and grow during the summer months so they can continue to bring creativity, passion, and dedication to their students during the school year.  The grant will provide financial resources for teachers to pursue off-campus activities of their choosing.

THE CLASS OF 1962 FACULTY AWARD 

This award is a two-year award presented biannually to a faculty member who has demonstrated commitment to scholarship and for contributions made to the life of the school and its students. The Class of 1962 created the fund and award to honor their 60th Reunion as well as for the many faculty members who shaped their experience. 

THE COLLINS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

The Collins family—Kim ’75, Wylie ’79, Tris ’81 and Jed ’88 along with their parents, Nancy and Allen—established this award for excellence in teaching named originally for Charles W. Collins, Mr. Collins’ father. Charles Collins spent fifty years as a teacher, coach, and administrator in the Everett, MA, public school system.

THE LAZEAR CHAIR

The Lazear Chair, named in honor of Robert A. Lazear, Headmaster from 1968−86, and his wife, Dorothy C. Lazear, is awarded by the Head of School (in consultation with the Heads of the Upper and Middle Schools) to a senior faculty member of the institution in recognition of outstanding teaching and significant involvement in school life. This award is given every two years.

THE DENNIS J. SULLIVAN MENSCH AWARD

This Sullivan Mensch Award established in 2023 by his wife, Rachel Ivker, and his children Emily ‘12 and Ben ‘16, honors a faculty member who represents the meaning of the Yiddish word: one who possesses the qualities we hope for in a colleague and a teacher: integrity,gf reliability, and a sense of responsibility and goodness. This award will be given annually for 16 years, the amount of time Dennis served at KO, from May 2024 through 2039. 

THE ROBERT B. SWAIN III MEMORIAL AWARD

This awards honors that continuing teacher in their first five years of teaching at Kingswood Oxford, and their first ten years of teaching overall, who best exemplifies Bobby Swain’s outstanding attributes as a student and teacher: a serious, self–disciplined approach to learning and a sense of humor—a combination that enabled him to inspire in others a spirit of cooperation which made scholarly disciplines a pursuit both joyous and rewarding.