Middle School Director Tacoma, WA

Charles Wright Academy (CWA), located on a beautiful, wooded 107-acre campus, serves 659 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The only coeducational independent PK-12 school in Tacoma, Washington, CWA provides challenging, college preparatory academics that prepare students to thrive in college and in life. Equally important is a wide array of experiential education, artistic, athletic, and service opportunities that promote students’ social-emotional development and provide avenues by which they discover and pursue their passions. Close, respectful, and trusting relationships between faculty and students result in an environment in which all community members embrace both the hard work and the joy inherent in the journey of intellectual and personal growth.

Charles Wright’s middle school is a central part of the school’s program. It currently enrolls 178 students, 35% of whom are students of color. and 8 of whom are international students in the 8th grade residing with local host families. Charles Wright’s Middle School draws students from a geographically broad area spanning four counties in the South Puget Sound area.

History

Charles Wright Academy’s roots date back to the middle of the 20th century. At the time, Tacoma’s only independent school was Annie Wright School, then an all-girls’ institution, and a small group of parents sought a similar high-quality educational experience for boys. Founders Sam and Nathalie Brown, along with others, purchased 127 acres of land in rural Pierce County that included a defunct peach orchard, a restaurant, and a cottage, among other things. Charles Wright Academy opened its doors in 1957 as an Episcopal day school with 40 boys and five teachers. The first class graduated in 1964, and in 1970 the school became fully coeducational. Although CWA values its historical ties to the Episcopal Church and retains a non-sectarian chaplain to support student awareness of spirituality, it no longer has any official religious affiliation and welcomes families of all faiths as well as those with no religious traditions. The school’s crest still features martlets, a mythical bird often featured in English heraldry. The martlets have no feet because they never land: they’re forever in search of learning and adventure.

Today Charles Wright Academy continues to be a thriving and diverse educational community with an ethos of growth and mutual respect among students, faculty, staff, and families. Founder Sam Brown’s good cheer and sense of humor have left their mark on CWA, and a sense of fun and excitement about life and learning pervades the school community. Trusting, close-knit relationships – whether between student and teacher, student and peer, or any other members of the school – are at the core of CWA’s approach to education. Families and teachers work together in preparing students for life beyond Charles Wright not only by tending to their academic growth but also by providing experiences that cultivate interpersonal and decision-making skills, resilience, confidence, self-knowledge, and self-advocacy. CWA does not subscribe to any singular, narrow definition of “success” but instead celebrates accomplishments in a wide variety of areas. Accordingly, students are encouraged to seek out that which ignites their passions, to forge their own unique pathways, and to work hard toward achieving personal excellence in their endeavors.

The school continues to build on its history while embarking on a generative phase of looking forward to its future. The school’s Strategic Vision 2030 was adopted by the Board of Trustees in spring 2018 and lays out an ambitious agenda for the school to invest in its programs, place, and people. The Board is currently re-examining the school’s mission statement and will announce its determinations in spring 2019. Concurrently, faculty are identifying the traits they seek to develop in each student, which will become a new Portrait of a Graduate. The next Middle School Director will arrive at a school both rooted in its history and actively thinking about the future of education.

Institutional Values INTEGRITY – Choosing right means we value the truth, fairness, responsibility, and authenticity in all our actions.

RESPECT – Valuing differences means we treat each individual and every relationship with fairness, equity, and justness.

COMPASSION – We always act with kindness, generosity, humility, and empathy. PERSEVERANCE - Persistence, self-reliance, and tenacity in the face of adversity make us wiser and stronger.

EXCELLENCE – In all our endeavors, we strive to achieve our best.

Faculty Commitments to Students

THE CHARLES WRIGHT COMMITMENT TO YOU, THE STUDENT, IS TO:

1. Stimulate your intellectual curiosity and develop your critical thinking, preparing you for success in college and for learning throughout life; 2. Open your eyes to the world so that you grow to be a responsible, generous, and compassionate global citizen; 3. Nurture in you the values of hard work, accountability, resilience, perseverance, and self-management; 4. Encourage you to discover your talents so that art, music, and creative expression become a part of who you are; 5. Motivate you to be your competitive best while developing teamwork, leadership, and healthy habits for a lifetime of fitness; 6. Teach you the value of integrity so that it guides you in your relationships with others and yourself; 7. Develop in you a discerning and generous respect for others’ work and the gracious acceptance of others’ assessments of your own; 8. Provide you opportunities to discover the beauty and wonder of nature; 9. Inspire you to build strong interpersonal relationships that adapt and grow stronger as you experience life’s difficulties; 10. Laugh with you often and encourage you to use humor to make learning and life joyous; and 11. Deepen your awareness of spirituality as you pursue your life’s meaning, purpose, and direction.

Academic Program

The middle school, with 178 students in 6th through 8th grade, is designed to create well-rounded, passionate, versatile, and serious scholars capable of effective communication, sustained work, independent thought, and original expression. A challenging curriculum includes daily English, history, science, math, foreign language, and arts. Students who are prepared to do so may enroll in math in the upper school. The next Middle School Director will be asked to build on these strengths while stimulating conversation about curricular and pedagogical innovation.

Though the academic program is an important element of the middle school, the school is equally proud of the close relationships between teachers and students. Faculty, parents, and students alike put great emphasis on the value of these connections as a central aspect of the middle school experience.

Experiential and Place-Based Learning

Charles Wright has a rich tradition of experiential and place-based education, which continues in the middle school. The academic year begins with a middle school camping trip, where students build relationships and the community establishes norms. Grade level trips take students off-campus for a week of study in the spring. Currently, the 6th grade travels to British Columbia to study field ecology, the 7th grade travels to Ashland, Oregon to study drama and Shakespeare, and the 8th grade does a Beach Hike on the Pacific Coast through the school’s outdoor education program.

The school’s Strategic Vision 2030 emphasizes the value of these programs and calls for the school to develop distinctive place-based/experiential educational opportunities for CWA students within every division. The next Middle School Director will play a critical role in this process.

Athletics

The majority of middle school students participate in athletics across four seasons, and the school is proud both of an inclusive, participatory athletics culture and the success students have on the court and field. The middle school girls’ cross-country team was league champions this fall, and this year’s middle school team was undefeated. Athletics is integrated into the students’ day, enabling student- athletes to take advantage of bus transportation and other after-school activities; students who do not wish to participate in a team sport in a given season have the option to take activities like weight training, yoga, or robotics during that time. As part of the school’s emphasis on close relationships between teachers and students, 78% of middle school athletics coaches are also full-time teachers at the school.

The Arts

Charles Wright believes the arts open minds, give children and adolescents a critical path for creative self-expression, build confidence, and improve overall academic performance. In the middle school, every student is enrolled in both visual and performing arts courses that include options for band, orchestra, or drama/choir. Visual arts courses take place in the middle school building; performing arts courses take place in the Language and Performing Arts Center. In fall 2019, the school will open its new makerspace - the Innovation Lab - in the heart of the middle school building. This space will be open to all grades, JK-12, and offer a new “Innovations” course on design thinking to all 7th graders. The next Middle School Director will play a critical role in imagining how these “innovator’s mindsets” can be integrated into the middle school program.

Diversity

Charles Wright is an inclusive community that cultivates respect for all and understanding of different perspectives. The school attracts a diverse student body that is representative of the local community and draws students from a radius of roughly 30 miles. People of color comprise 44% of the student body, and financial aid is used strategically to enroll students from traditionally underrepresented groups. Middle school students tackle social issues, celebrate multiculturalism, and educate their peers about diversity and inclusion through clubs and special events. In addition, faculty members participate in regular professional development on topics such as spirituality, gender and sexual identity, race, and ethnicity.

The Opportunity

Charles Wright Academy features a strong team at a period of transition for the school. Matt Culberson, the Head of School, joined Charles Wright Academy in summer 2016. Greg Bamford, the Associate Head of School, joined in summer 2018, and a new Upper School Director will be joining the organization alongside the Middle School Director in summer 2019.

Along with these leadership transitions, the school’s newly adopted Strategic Vision 2030 is an example of the generative thinking taking place at this juncture in the school’s history. The right candidate will understand and affirm the strengths in Charles Wright’s tradition while stimulating continued program improvement and innovation. This is an opportunity to lead an organization that is thinking aspirationally about the future of school.

The Middle School Director is a member of the school’s Senior Leadership and Academic Leadership Teams, and reports directly to the Head of School. They will supervise an Assistant Middle School Director, Receptionist, Learning Support Specialist, Counselor, and middle school faculty.

Candidate Qualities

We are seeking:

● An experienced educational leader, though not necessarily a sitting Middle School Director; ● An educator knowledgeable about, and committed to, the social, emotional, and academic needs of early adolescents; ● A community builder who can foster inclusion and strengthen connections in ways that meet the developmental needs of middle school students; ● A creative leader who both stimulates and supports learning, experimentation, and innovation among faculty; ● An innovator aware of the ways for middle school classrooms to embody a student-centered approach; ● A capable manager of a busy division with many moving parts; ● An active, accessible, and friendly presence in the hallways and extracurricular life of the school; ● A steady, fair hand in upholding student discipline and behavior and employee performance standards; ● An educator who values athletics, the arts, and experiential education; ● A rooted presence who can foster an environment of respectful, balanced dialogue in an era of cultural and political polarization; ● A leader with a demonstrated commitment to, and ability to advance, diversity and inclusion; ● A model of balanced, healthy, and high-performance leadership; ● An empathetic person who listens to students (even when they disagree with them) and is committed to their growth in mind, body, and spirit.

Living in the Tacoma Area

Located nearly halfway between Seattle and the state capital of Olympia, Tacoma is the third largest city in Washington and the heart of Pierce County. The city provides the cultural, educational, and economic amenities of a highly urban area with the quality of life, cost of living, and sense of community typically associated with a smaller city. Tacoma was recently featured in Sunset Magazine as one of “20 Game- Changing Places To Live.” As the article put it, “the former shipping and manufacturing powerhouse has seen an influx of creative Left Coasters making new use of once-defunct warehouses—and enjoying the port’s down-to-earth allure.” Despite this, housing costs in Tacoma are 61% less than in Seattle. The next Middle School Director will be able to select from a wide variety of desirable neighborhoods.

A revitalization of downtown over the past 20 years—which included the opening of the Museum of Glass, with works by Tacoma native Dale Chihuly, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Tacoma campus of the University of Washington, to name only a few institutions – along with the development of the city’s waterfront with new restaurants, shops, and living spaces have only added to Tacoma’s appeal. In addition to the professional sports available in nearby Seattle, the Tacoma community actively supports the AAA Tacoma Rainiers as well as the USL’s Sounders FC affiliate (Sounders FC2 soccer club). The presence of Pacific Lutheran University, the University of Puget Sound, and the University of Washington-Tacoma adds a robust and youthful energy to the historic city.

Tacoma is also a center for an active lifestyle. The 700-acre Point Defiance Park, one of the nation’s largest urban parks, provides access to stunning hiking and walking trails, picnic areas, and a beach right within the city limits and is also home to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. The city has gained national attention with the 2015 U.S. Open tournament at Chambers Bay, less than a mile and half from Charles Wright Academy. Beyond Tacoma, the natural beauty of the South Sound offers countless opportunities for outdoor recreation. Kayaking, backpacking, running, cycling, and camping are all accessible outdoor activities in this region.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary is competitive with other independent schools in the Pacific Northwest. Compensation includes a comprehensive benefits package to employees and their families designed to provide choice, flexibility, and value. In addition to health (medical, dental, vision), life and disability insurance, and a flexible spending account, we offer participation in the Academy’s 403(b) retirement plan, including a generous employer contribution once you meet eligibility, paid time off, tuition remission for immediate dependents, subsidized lunches, and professional development.

To Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, personal statement, and list of references as separate documents to: John Faubert, [email protected], or Rice Bryan, [email protected]. Please do not contact the school directly.