, Director of Middle School Position Start Date: July 1, 2021 MIAMICOUNTRYDAY.ORG DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL POSITION DESCRIPTION

CORE

Mission+Miami Country Day School is aValues college preparatory learning community committed to educating the whole child. Through the core values of honor, respect, wisdom, and compassion, we prepare students to be lifelong learners. We inspire our children to develop their intellectual, physical aesthetic social, emotional, and spiritual potentials by valuing every student every day. WWW.MIAMICOUNTRYDAY.ORG Fast Facts

PK3 - 12 1269 FOUNDED

TUITION ASSISTANCE 1938 STUDENT TO $6M+ TEACHER TYPE 9:1 STUDENTS ON COED FINANCIAL AID DAY CAMPUS SIZE

18% STUDENTS 20 OF COLOR ACRES

45% FACULTY W/ADV. DEGREES 60% Portrait GraduateOF A Be intellectually curious and independent thinkers

Demonstrate confidence in their abilities and resilience in the face of challenges and disappointments

Evidence a commitment to lifelong learning and reading in their personal and professional lives

Demonstrate good character and make good choices

Practice honor, respect, wisdom, compassion, and mindfulness

Possess a strong work ethic in all aspects of their lives College Matriculation LIST

Three or More Enrolled, 2016-2020 American University Babson College Berklee College of Music Boston College Boston University Brandeis University Broward College Cornell University Dartmouth College Duke University Emerson College Florida Atlantic University Florida International University Florida State University George Washington University Indiana University, Bloomington Lynn University Miami Dade College Michigan State University New York University Northeastern University Nova Southeastern University Purdue University Syracuse University The New School The University of Tampa 3 OR MORE MEMBERS OF THE The University of Texas at Austin CLASS OF 2016 THROUGH 2020 Tufts University MATRICULATED AT THE Tulane University of Louisiana FOLLOWING UNIVERSITIES University of California, Los Angeles University of Central Florida University of Colorado Boulder University of Florida University of Maryland, College Park University of Miami University of Michigan University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania University of South Florida, Tampa University of Southern California University of Wisconsin, Madison Wake Forest University EVERY STUDENT. EVERY DAY.

Overview

For over eight decades, Miami Country Day School (MCDS) has lived out its motto, delivering an exceptional college- preparatory curriculum that educates the whole person. Currently serving around 1,270 students in PreK3 to 12, MCDS has undergone remarkable changes since its founding in 1938. Nonetheless, the faculty and student body at this FCIS-accredited coeducational day school are united in their appreciation and continued respect for the school’s mission, philosophy, and traditions. Across all grades and divisions, MCDS’s students present themselves as creative, poised, confident, multi-talented, and enthusiastic-truly thriving in an environment that nurtures their intellectual, physical, emotional, social, aesthetic, and spiritual potentials. From its nationally ranked chess club to its national champion girls’ team, from its environmental studies center to its Comprehensive Outdoor Education Program, Miami Country Day School’s offerings are as exceptional as they are varied. School History In 1938, Mr. Luther “L.B” Sommers and Mr. C.W. “Doc” Abele opened The Miami Country Day and Resident Schools for Boys in what was then still a young and developing city.

Originally and elementary boarding school, MCDS grew quickly in both size and reputation. The transition to its coeducational day program came in the 1950’s ,60’s and 70’s, as the school began admitting female students and boarding rooms were turned into classrooms to accommodate rising enrollment. The Upper School was added in the late 1970’s and MCDS graduates its first senior class in 1981.

Miami Country Day School still occupies its original campus north of downtown Miami, but the facilities inhabited by the founding class of seven boys were quite different from what MCDS students enjoy today. While much has changed at MCDS since 1938, the school has retained the holistic approach to learning embraced by its founders, balancing rigorous academics with athletics and cultural enrichment to produce well-rounded and civic-minded young adults.

THE SCHOOL Over the course of 80 years, Miami Country Day School has built a reputation of excellence in South Florida. The dedicated team of 178 faculty at MCDS is composed of committed stakeholders: teachers appreciate small classes sizes, cherish autonomy in the classroom, and feel fully supported by the administration. Across all divisions, a classical liberal arts curriculum is enhanced by a number of specialty programs that promote hands-on learning and whole-child engagement. With the rise of new media in recent decades, MCDS has embraced technology as an invaluable tool to improve educational practices, while holding fast to its commitment to

ACADEMICS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL Miami Country Day School offers a college-preparatory curriculum that seeks to educate the whole person.

Building off of the foundations built in our Lower School program, the Middle School extends learning to deepen the students understanding of skills and concepts through a focus on the application and transfer of knowledge, so that our students know how to use information and question its relevance to their learning and life. A veteran faculty teach and mentor students to become skilled, critical thinkers so that they learn the importance of consistently asking why, how, and what if, in order for young adults to make connections between their THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM learning experience and the real world. In turn, our middle school students begin to develop their independence, identity, IS CHALLENGING, FOCUSING and sense of purpose. By combining traditional middle school ON CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND coursework with a well-developed elective program rooted THE APPLICATION OF CONTENT. in areas such as the arts, technology, leadership, and outdoor education, students have the opportunity to grow, explore, and personalize their middle years. Additionally, students are encouraged to join an athletic team, learn to play a musical instrument, build a robot, take part in a theatrical Production, develop a service project, or take part in one of our many clubs. IBELONG ADVISING PROGRAM iBelong in the Miami Country Day Middle School was founded in 2013. By focusing on dialogue, iBelong works to create an atmosphere of understanding and inclusivity that will translate Signature into an overall better educational experience for all of our students.

It is the mission of iBelong to inspire members of the community to look out for one another. Through effective Programs communication, students will understand each other better and nurture the value of empathy, in the hopes of creating an inclusive community. iBelong is built around two basic ideas: coffeehouse, and support.

• Coffeehouse is a symbol of open discourse and free thinking where once a month students participate in vigorous discussions on all types of topics. • With support from faculty and administration, students recognize more and more that the adults on campus care about their unique experiences. Classrooms and offices around campus should always be safe places where students can come to adults.

SERVICE LEARNING Service learning is key to community service at MCDS and is an important contributor to one of our core values: compassion.

Every student is involved in two service projects with their class during the school year, such as working with the lower school students, cleaning an area of the campus, and writing letters to our troops and more.

GATEWAY JR Through hands-on and experiential education, GATEway Jr. prepares our students (our “GATEmates”) to be lifelong learners and true global citizens. The program has taken students on experiences in numerous countries across the Caribbean. Our GATEway Jr. students (grades 6-8) participate in cultural seminars during their time abroad. This opportunity serves as a platform for our students who matriculate to the Upper School to continue to work on a global studies endorsement.

LEARNING RESOURCES PROGRAM Our Learning Resource Program embraces that there are all kinds of minds and that we all learn differently. This program is for students with documented learning differences, believing in the potential of all students by recognizing and celebrating their learning intelligences. The program provides a personalized learning/teaching environment that is student-centered with innovative teaching approaches.

COEP – COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAM COEP begins in 5th grade and continues through Middle School. It is an exciting, experiential program that serves as an outstanding part of enrichment and electives. They can also opt for overnight camping opportunities and day trips to nearby wildlife and nature reserves. The canal that borders the school also becomes a classroom through canoeing and studying the health of that ecosystem. Arts+Athletics

ARTS The arts program is all about empowering students and challenging them to push themselves as artists and performers.

Our arts students make things happen on the stage, behind the scenes and in our Center for the Arts gallery. From dance and theater performances to concerts and more, our students are participants in creating and exploring their artistic potential.

ATHLETICS Our athletics help to foster team-building skills, problem solving skills, self-discipline and self-confidence. The program also promotes a healthy lifestyle with physical activity.

Through the development of these skills it is believed that our student athletes will become confident, contributing members of the community. While they are developing their character, they are also learning the techniques to become skilled in any of the many sports we offer.

AUXILIARY AND EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS Our auxiliary programs are comprised of after school clubs, aquatics, summer programs and our Student Success Network. We offer options for children with various interests which run over the course the year and camps that take place throughout the summer.​

ENTREPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVE Our students of all ages are empowered to take their ideas, products and businesses to the next level. We’ve built a dedicated program at Miami Country Day School for Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship. ​

AQUATICS Our swimmers are more than just a team, they are a family. Through training and guidance, swimmers gain lifelong skills in a fun and safe environment. Campus A multi-level Media Center, complete with library, computer facilities, and the latest communication technologies including an impressive broadcast studio, has become the heartbeat of the campus. The Center for the Arts includes a 650-seat auditorium, exhibit spaces, a dance studio, and a ceramics patio, among many features. The 36,000-square-foot facility, which also includes a 300-space parking garage, is the result of a $16.5million campaign. The collegiate-level athletic facilities include a modern Aquatic Center with a 25-yard outdoor pool, the J. Calvin Rose Athletic Center, and the Koch Athletic Complex, featuring one of Florida’s finest artificial surfaces for football, soccer, and .

MiamiThe fourth largest urban area in the nation, Greater Miami is home to over 5.5 million people. The majority of Miami’s residents have immigrated-or are born to parents who emigrated-from Hispanic countries in the Caribbean and Central and South America. The result is a unique, eclectic and vibrant community amidst a tropical landscape unlike any other in the country. From its food and music to its art and architecture, Miami is truly a cultural melting pot.

The campus of Miami Country Day School is located just north of downtown on the edge of Miami Shores. A primarily residential, independently governed community, Miami Shores is home to Barry University and features its own country club, course, historic library, community center, and beautiful THE SCHOOL’S 22-ACRE, waterfront views of Biscayne Bay. BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED CAMPUS PROVIDES EXCEPTIONAL FACILITIES FOR LEARNING AND RECREATION. The Position MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES Miami Country Day School serves the Miami area with a rich heritage complemented by its dynamic future. For the 2019-2020 year, the school welcomed its first female Head of School, which – in conjunc- tion with recent investments in the school’s physical campus – has re-energized the innovative mindset of the administrative leadership team. The next Director of Middle School will have the opportunity to further ignite transformation focused on infusing the Division’s programs with innovative teaching techniques while working in collaboration with the school’s leadership and peer Directors in Lower and Upper School.

Our Middle School boasts a vibrant environment where students make connections between schoolwork and the real world as they develop their independence and identity. The beloved outgoing Director of 15 years has long advocated for an environment that promotes the notion that middle schoolers should be middle schoolers – not big lower schoolers or little upper schoolers. While the Middle School has such a strong and stable identity, this is an opportunity for a new leader to expand on the divisions’ strength.

The next Director of Middle School must: • Champion a “One School” approach rooted in collaboration across divisions and driven by a new strategic plan centered around innovation • Align, advance, and live by Miami Country Day School’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by implementing concrete strategies to promote learning that represents and celebrates the identity of every student • Direct and guide the evolution of the division and its academic schedule by identifying and optimizing opportunities for student-centered learning and exploration to meet the needs of a new strategic plan • Work collaborativily with the other divisions to develop an academic schedule that optimizes student-center learning both in and out of the classroom • Understand and embrace the use of Understanding by Design as a framework to help organize and create new curriculum and programs to ensure each yields age appropriate and intentionally designed outcomes • Expand elective offerings that encourage students to explore potential passions and interests, tapping into their natural sense of curiosity and wonder

Competencies and Characteristics: The Director of Middle School will be an experienced school leader prepared to manage the day-to-day programs within a sophisticated independent school in a major urban center. S/he will be eager to serve as an inspirational advisor for the Division’s faculty, students, and parent community. S/he will be excited to embrace the distinctive climate and culture of Miami, a vibrant metropolis with deep historical roots and profound influences from Europe and South America. More specifically, the next Director must be: • A proven educator who leads by example: This person is honest, articulate, forward thinking, and an active presence in the daily routine of the Middle School student. • A visionary thinker who brings innovative ideas to life: Through passion and inspiration, this person embraces and encourages continued professional growth in the faculty. They are a motivational example of continuous improvement, risk-taking, and reflective thinking. • A community builder with high degrees of emotional intelligence: This person is appropriately transparent throughout communications, empathetic, kind and patient, and able to connect with students, parents, faculty and administrators with confidence, compassion, and clarity. • A highly collaborative colleague who seeks alignment: This person engages with leaders across the divisions of the school to create a unified approach to learning. The Position MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR

Qualities and Qualifications • A master’s degree required, preferably with experience in Middle School teaching and administration. • A belief in the school’s mission, leadership, professional development, and commitment to creating an equitable and inclusive environment for Every Student, Every Day. • A broad yet deep knowledge of both traditional and innovative curricular and pedagogical trends, current best practices in teaching and learning, and the use of technology to evolve the foundation of new curriculum. • An understanding of and passion for early and mid adolescent development. • A highly energetic approach to navigating a demanding, fast-paced environment. • An intuitive leadership style with a sense of humor, an empathetic heart, and a courageous spirit to engage faculty, students and parents in ways that enhance their capacity to feel known, honored, and heard. • A highly reflective attitude, dynamic and flexible with the capacity to objectively self-evaluate through personal analysis and build clear strategies for growth and development. • An intuitive leadership style with the capacity to persuade and influence rather than direct people to adapt and change. • An infectious excitement and enthusiasm that cultivates a community who loves learning. • An eagerness to champion risk takers and provide feedback that allows equally for success and failure while encouraging reflection for growth.

Search Process and Application Requirements Acting on behalf of Miami Country Day School, Carney Sandoe and Associates is actively recruiting well-qualified educational leaders for this appealing career opportunity.

Applicants should submit the following:

• Formal letter of application for the position; • Current resume; • Statement of educational philosophy and practice; • List of at least five references with name, title, phone number and e-mail address of each.

Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically as separate documents, the materials to John Faubert ( [email protected]) and Namita Bhattacharya ([email protected]) .

After an initial review of applicants, the Search Committee will conduct interviews with selected candidates. Finalists will be invited to Miami Country Day School for a more comprehensive series of interviews shortly thereafter.