Notre Dame High School

Belmont, CA Associate Head for Curriculum and Instruction Start Date: July 2019 www.ndhsb.org Mission We are a caring and compassionate community committed to promoting justice and peace while developing responsible young women of active faith, strong intellect, and Christian leadership. We develop the gifts and talents of each student and foster Gospel values in an environment of academic excellence and mutual respect.

Overview

Notre Dame High School, Belmont (NDB) is an independent Catholic college preparatory school dedicated to the educational mission of St. Julie Billiart and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Notre Dame High School was established by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1851 and moved to the historic William Ralston Estate in 1923. The school is located on nearly 11 acres in Belmont, , a professional suburban community located midway between and San Jose.

The school is seeking an Associate Head for Curriculum and Instruction to provide leadership and vision in the ongoing planning, implementation, development, review, and evaluation of the school’s curriculum and instructional services. The Associate Head will ensure that NDB’s education objectives and frameworks yield the highest standards of student achievement and instructional excellence. This is an opportunity for a lifelong educator to partner with the Head of School, faculty, administration, and other key groups to ensure NDB continues as a school of great academic success.

School History

On August 4, 1851, Notre Dame Academy was established by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in San Jose. The present high school building in Belmont, designed for a large resident population, was completed in the fall of 1928. The first graduation from Notre Dame Belmont was held in 1930 with 31 graduates. During the next three decades, NDB’s day and resident student population continued to grow. In 1968, the Stanford School of Educational Research conducted a general study of the high school facility. As a result, the science area was renovated to provide increased laboratory space.

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 2 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com The Hallmarks of a Notre Dame Education 1. We Proclaim by our Lives Even More Than by our Words That God is Good

2. We Honor the Dignity and Sacredness of Each Person

3. We Educate for and Act on Behalf of Justice and Peace in the World

4. We Commit Ourselves to Community Service

5. We Embrace the Gift of Diversity

6. We Create Community Among Those with Whom we Work and with Those we Serve

7. We Develop Holistic Learning Communities Which Educate for Life

The introduction of flexible scheduling followed and enabled greater utilization of the high school building. An additional classroom enlarged the art department, and former resident rooms were converted into seminar rooms and resource centers. In 1972, the boarding school was discontinued.

The School

NDB continues to provide an educational foundation which emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, critical thinking, creative expression, physical well-being, social awareness, and self-confidence. Reflecting the vision of St. Julie Billiart and her pioneer Sisters, Notre Dame High School continues to be a special place for students to learn, grow, and prepare for life.

The school draws its student body principally from San Mateo County. Families of the school reflect middle to upper middle-class economic background. Of the 470 students, 6.8 % are international students. The student/teaching faculty ratio is 11.7:1, and the student/teaching faculty and professional staff ratio is 9.7:1. The average class size is 18.2. Ninety-six percent of students from the class of 2018 enrolled into a four-year college while 4% went to community college.

Notre Dame High School, Mercy High School-Burlingame, and Junipero Serra High School participate in a Tri-School program that provides coeducational experiences in the areas of academics, campus ministry, performing arts, and student activities.

NDB is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

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Classes at Notre Dame High School challenge each young woman in a supportive environment that celebrates intellectual risk-taking, demands reflective learning, and pushes each student to become problem solvers for the 21st century.

Students pursue coursework in English, mathematics, physical education, religious studies, science, social sciences, visual and performing arts, and world language electives (Spanish or French). For the 2018-19 academic year, 19 Advanced Placement (AP) courses are being offered. Students are capped at three Honors/AP courses per year. In May of 2018, 129 students took 229 examinations in 17 subject areas. Of this total, 70% earned scores of 3 or higher.

Notre Dame’s Counseling Department strives to create a climate of care that nurtures the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development of each student. Counselors serve as advocates for students and assist them in becoming responsible, independent lifelong learners who are accountable for their academic future. Peer tutoring is also available.

The school has adapted a 1:1 laptop program and follows a cross-platform policy so that parents have a wide range of purchase options. Notre Dame offers a wide variety of courses that teach the fundamentals of multimedia and computer applications within the context of a specific discipline. The courses develop creativity in computing and build skills of expert thinking and complex communication.

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The Spiritual Life Department at Notre Dame seeks to accompany each young woman on her personal faith journey. The Department seeks to serve the head, heart, and hands of students through combining classroom curriculum with ministry work. The Spiritual Life Department works closely with the Health and Wellness Program to ensure that the social, emotional, and spiritual growth of each student is supported during her four years at NDB.

Each year of Notre Dame’s four-year program has a different emphasis that is supported by retreats and community service opportunities. The focus points are reflective of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s framework as well as best practices related to age-appropriate emotional and spiritual development. Notre Dame welcomes all faith backgrounds and supports each student as she engages with the content through the lens of her personal faith tradition. All students participate in grade-level retreats designed to support the topics addressed in the classroom.

Students also have a graduation requirement of 80 community service hours, which reflect the themes of each year. Students tie their community service into their culminating senior year Passion Project. They are given many resources both in and out of the classroom to explore populations and causes they are passionate about and find service agencies they enjoy volunteering with. They are also asked to complete “NDB Hours,” which are community service hours that support the school.

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Featuring the only all-girl student-run TV station on the peninsula, a choir that’s been heard around the world, an art gallery, and tri-school performances that bring down the house, Notre Dame is the place for expression and creativity. The arts contribute to the holistic growth and development of well-rounded learners, offering students much-needed brain-based activities dedicated to self- inquiry and self-expression.

Courses are open to all grade levels and include drawing, painting, art history, chorus, photography, dance, graphic design, orchestra, sculpture, video production, and more. Performances, competitions, and extra-curricular opportunities round out the arts experience. Notre Dame’s arts facilities and curriculum have been developed to support students’ exploration of new technologies and classical media, while offering opportunities for collaborating, performing, broadcasting, and displays of creative work throughout the year.

NDB athletics features 14 sports programs that include 24 teams over the fall, winter, and spring seasons. Girls are encouraged to branch out and try a new sport or perfect the one that they have loved for years. The school competes in the West Bay Athletic League, a fantastic new league for student-athletes. Team include cross country, golf, tennis, volleyball, water polo, basketball, soccer, beach volleyball, lacrosse, softball, swimming and diving, track and field, cheer, and pom. Students have gone on to play college sports at top schools across the country including Harvard, Pepperdine, UCLA, Columbia, and Purdue.

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American University Bates College Boston University Bowdoin College Cal Tech Carnegie Mellon University Claremont Mckenna Colby College Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Duke University Elon University Florida Institute of Technology Fordham University George Mason University Georgetown University School Life Harvard University Johns Hopkins University Notre Dame High School offers a strong extra-curricular Julliard School program so students can develop leadership skills, Kings College- London (UK) discover new passions, and make a difference in their Loyola Marymount University communities. Opportunities include student council, Macalester College California Scholarship Federation, National Honor Society, Middlebury College Ambassadors, two school publications (The Catalyst, and MIT yearbook), and clubs and organizations such as TigerBots New York University (robotics team), Chinese Knot Club, and Tiger Tech Team. Northwestern University Penn State The NDB service learning program challenges students to Princeton University put their faith into action; goals include fostering a love Rhode Island School of Design of service, living Gospel values, and reaching out to the Rice University marginalized. Students practice social justice, compassion Sarah Lawrence College and dignity for all through experiential learning. Students try Stanford a variety of service, exploring issues they are passionate Tufts University about. Service fairs, online listings, homeroom promotion, University of California (All Campuses) email updates, word of mouth, and flyers educate students University of Chicago about non-profits and volunteer opportunities. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Notre Dame Through immersion trips, students explore poverty and other cultures while being challenged to live four University of Virginia immersion tenets of spirituality, solidarity, social justice, University of Wisconsin-Madison and community. Students show courage by living simply Vanderbilt University to deepen their faith and serve. Immersion trips are open Washington University in St. Louis to all students. Yale University

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 7 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com Belmont and San Francisco, California

Belmont is a city in San Mateo County in California. It is in the Area, on the San Francisco Peninsula halfway between San Francisco and San Jose, making it an easy commute in either direction. With a population of around 27,000, Belmont is often considered one of the best places to live in California. It offers residents a small-town urban feel with a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, hiking trails, and well-maintained parks. The beach is a short drive away. Many families choose to live in the area, as schools – both private and public – are exceptional. The college campus of Notre Dame de Namur is located in Belmont.

Nearby San Francisco is the cultural, commercial, and financial center of Northern California. A hilly city on the tip of a peninsula surrounded by the majestic Pacific Ocean and picturesque San Francisco Bay. Long known for its scenic beauty, its multicultural communities, and a vibrant business culture, San Francisco is a unique and breathtaking metropolis. Over the past two decades, it has become a world center for technological and life science innovation. Culturally rich, the city offers music, art, theater, museum and literary events year around. In addition, the city is close to nature with spectacular beaches, 3,500 acres of green space as well as easy access to miles of hiking and bicycle trails in some of the most beautiful parts of the West Coast.

Known for the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Fisherman’s Wharf, Victorian houses, Alcatraz, and first-rate food scene, San Francisco is iconic and a popular tourist destination. But it also ranks highly on world livability rankings. With a population of around 865,000, the city’s colorful neighborhoods provide distinct and unique areas to enjoy culture and arts events, food, and shopping. Many localities feature a mix of businesses and venues that serve both residents and visitors and contribute to the city’s lively atmosphere. San Francisco also has a very active environmental community and has been at the forefront of many global discussions about our natural environment. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 8 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com The Position

The Office of Associate Head of School for Curriculum and Instruction has as its primary purpose to be the educational leader of the school, directly responsible to the Head of School and, by extension, to the Board of Directors for the teaching-learning process in light of Catholic Identity and the Mission, Philosophy, and Hallmarks of a Notre Dame de Namur Learning Community. This responsibility requires a close working relationship with the Head of School, the faculty, staff, students, and parents.

Essential duties and responsibilities include: • Models, articulates, represents, and promotes the Mission of Notre Dame High School and its leadership while meeting pedagogical goals and objectives. • Works with the Head of School and faculty in developing and articulating a uniform, detailed curriculum, including vertical and horizontal linkages of curriculum and a commitment to 21st- century pedagogy. • Serves as a member of the Administrative Team and assumes a leadership role in the implementation of curricular elements of the Strategic Plan. • Directs and coordinates the WASC/WCEA E3 Program and Accreditation Process. • Collaborates with Head of School, CFO, and other members of Administrative Team in the development of the annual school budget. • Oversees the curriculum to ensure student success and the excellence of all academic programs at the school. • Suggests recommendations to the Head of School regarding problems or oversights, and spearheads new and innovative programs. • Partners proactively with faculty, administration, and parents to define avenues of growth for students. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 9 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com • Assists teachers in matching appropriate assessment instruments to curriculum objectives. • Prepares the annual report on the state of the curriculum, reviewing all proposed changes to the curriculum. • Assures uniformity in assessment, parent reporting, and academic standards. • Observes teachers in their classrooms and offer insights for the enhancement of effective instruction. • In collaboration with the educational technology faculty specialist, builds and coordinates the educational technology program. • Chairs departmental curriculum committee meetings. • Serves as a resource for faculty, building morale and identifying appropriate workshops, speakers, programs, and professional development. • Helps department chairs resolve conflicts. • Coordinates regularly scheduled reviews of teaching materials with department chairs. • Conducts a minimum of two workshops per year for faculty to keep faculty informed of current trends/research in curriculum and instruction. • Reviews homework and project expectations of students. • Seeks input from Director of Enrollment Management regarding new class offerings and electives. • Oversees the standardized testing program as well as the honors and AP program and assessments. • Remains knowledgeable about national standards and state mandates regarding curriculum. • Establishes and promotes high standards and expectations for academic performance among all students and faculty/staff. • Networks with curriculum directors at other Catholic and independent high schools. • Pursues professional development opportunities by attending conferences and professional meetings in order to remain current with industry trends. • Participates in committee, department, and staff meetings as well as school-sponsored events that would benefit from his/her area of expertise. • Coordinates all AIRB hearings, parent correspondence, and student follow up, and communicates AIRB decisions with Administrative Team. • Remains involved in the school community at large. • Assumes responsibility for other projects as assigned by the Head of School. • Responsible for managing the Library and Library staff. • Heavy involvement with hiring, orientation, and mentoring. • Management of teachers (FTE). • Scheduling courses/classes etc.

Desired Qualities and Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree in education preferred. • 10 years’ teaching experience, preferably within a Catholic or independent school. • Successful track record of collaboration, curriculum assessment, and design across grades, teacher evaluation, and working with a wide range of learners. • Strong understanding and practice of educational technology. • Technologically savvy. • Outstanding interpersonal and written and oral communication skills. • Excellent organizational and time management skills. • Detail-oriented. • Strong work ethic and high level of integrity. • High-energy and enthusiastic about working in an academic atmosphere. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 10 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com To Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials:

• A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position; • A current résumé; • A one-page statement of educational philosophy and practice; • A list of five professional references with name, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) to:

Karen Neitzel Consultant [email protected]

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