St. Paul Academy and Summit School seeks candidates for the position of Assistant Debate Coach.

About St. Paul Academy and Summit School:

St. Paul Academy and Summit School (SPA) is a coeducational, non-sectarian, college-preparatory day school serving more than 920 students in Prekindergarten through grade 12. Our three campuses are located approximately a mile apart in St. Paul, Minnesota. Our Goodrich Campus serves students in grades K-5, and our Randolph Campus serves students in grades 6-12. Our Prekindergarten is located on the campus of St. Catherine’s University and serves children beginning at age 4. The school draws students from St. Paul, Minneapolis, and throughout the eastern and western suburbs.

Our mission—shaping the minds and the hearts of the people who will change the world—is a promise to our students and our families, and it pushes us to be thoughtful about everything we do. It inspires us to be our best and reminds us that we have the responsibility to respect the unique potential in every child. Our mission gives us purpose and represents our greatest aspirations and values. But most of all, it reflects our deep belief in the talents and capabilities of our students.

For additional information about the school’s curriculum, community, and culture, please visit our website at www.spa.edu.

Position Begins: September 8, 2026

Status: Part-Time, Stipend

Department: Upper School Debate Program

Salary Range: Stipend $4,250

Responsibilities

The Assistant Debate Coach:

• works with the Director of Debate to help students improve their debate skills. This includes researching each topic to provide analysis and to help guide students to craft their own unique contentions with well-researched cards.
• Assess student work to improve writing, analysis, critical thinking, research and public speaking. Must have the ability to provide constructive feedback immediately following a speech/round.
• Assist with weekly in-person practices for 1.5 hours per week. Provide 1-2 hours per week of case/contention feedback.
• Manage team operations and supervise and support students at each assigned tournament.
• Regularly interact with students between rounds and make sure new debaters are able to navigate the tournament successfully.
• Provide feedback and encouragement throughout the tournament to all students.
• Observe rounds where appropriate.
• Assist with program communications with students, parents, and school leadership.

Coaches must be able to attend multiple weekend tournaments throughout the year (September through June). This generally requires availability Friday-Sunday for national circuit and state tournaments and all day on Saturday for local tournaments. The regular season runs through January, with travel and national tournament potential in the spring/early summer. Coaches must be available to travel with the team to tournaments locally. Coaches must be available to travel to at least one of the national travel tournaments when teams qualify for TOC or NSDA Nationals. Coaches are not required to attend every tournament and will divide duties between the coaching staff at the beginning of the year to balance workload and travel.

A successful candidate will possess the following:

Prior experience judging, coaching, or participating in debate, preferably Public Forum.