The dynamics and expectations of the faculty at Belmont Hill stands out compared to our peers. We are blessed to have an ideal mix of younger and more veteran teachers, with so many choosing to make this school their life’s work for 30, 40, or even 50 years. This clarity of purpose allows culture to be handed down through the excellent built-in mentoring of overlapping generations of educators. 

At Belmont Hill, we have been affirmed by the deep research executed by the International Boys Schools Coalition (IBSC) that indicates boys are uniquely relational learners. They care more that the teacher at the front of the room knows them and believes in them than they are ignited by the depth of the teacher’s content knowledge. Our boys need intellectual challenge, but they need to be seen, trusted, and believed in first.

Independent Schools were generally founded on the ideals of the teacher-coach, or the “triple threat” in boarding schools that includes residential life. This concept was less unique twenty-five years ago than it is today. However, the existential threats to this model in the past few decades have been substantial, and Belmont Hill’s Board of Trustees has addressed them head on. 

Belmont Hill is dedicated to excellence in all of its programs – academically, athletically, and artistically. When we consider athletics, this means 16 varsity teams and dozens of sub-varsity programs. Of our 16 varsity sports, 15 are led by full-time educators at the School. We have seen the specialization and professionalization of youth sports emerge around us, so how has Belmont Hill remained so successful athletically within this context? 

Our hiring process intentionally targets educators who believe in our model and the extra responsibility that comes with it. While we do support them with external assistants and we have made significant investments in technology (film, drones, etc.), our coaches are some of the most qualified and decorated in the region. Many of them were talented collegiate athletes themselves at the finest colleges and universities, while a good portion are also Belmont Hill alumni, giving them extra insight into the value of being present in both the academic and athletic avenues of student life. 

While varsity sports are the highlight of any athletic program, our standards of excellence for coaching extends all the way down through our Form I teams. In many instances, our Middle School teams are led by teacher-coaches who have experience as highly successful varsity head coaches. Having leaders of that quality across grade levels, while still maintaining a deep connection with the boys through their work in the classroom, demonstrates how every student and team benefits from our approach. 

We see a similar philosophy play out in the performing and visual arts. Our faculty model for the boys that identity and purpose are larger than one sport or activity. In fact, we require our boys to be involved in the athletic program all three seasons in some capacity, which is highly unusual in our peer set. We believe that everyone has something important to learn about character by participating and being a part of a team – which can also be on the stage. In most cases, our actors choose to combine their love of theater with their love of athletic competition.

We are fortunate to have a deep applicant pool each year and our teachers’ ability to help guide and transform boys often allows us to admit students with tremendous potential for growth. Our boys are known by the adults on campus. Many of them will come to reinvent themselves over the course of their Belmont Hill journeys. To do that, they need teachers at the front of the room that are cheering them on and working on their behalf behind the scenes. Multiple times a year, our advising teams discuss every boy in the School – elevating many to full faculty discussions. 

Ultimately, we hire adults who want to be a part of a mission-driven team. The teacher-coach role is special and demanding. Work ethic is essential, but so are humor and good cheer. Belmont Hill is not a fit for everyone – but for those who embrace the opportunities unique to the School’s culture, it can be transformative.