King’s Academy

Madaba, Jordan Associate Head of School for Advancement August 2018 www.kingsacademy.edu.jo/ The Position King’s Academy in Jordan is the realization of King Abdullah’s vision to bring quality independent boarding school education to the Levant as a means of educating the next generation of regional and global leaders and building international collaboration, peace, and understanding. Enrolling 670 students in grades 7-12, King’s Academy offers an educational experience unique in the Middle East—one that emulates the college-preparatory model of American boarding schools while at the same time upholding and honoring a distinctive MISSION Middle Eastern identity. Since the School’s founding in 2007, students from Jordan, throughout the Middle East, and other In a setting that is rich in history nations from around the world have found academic challenge and tradition, King’s Academy and holistic development through King’s Academy’s ambitious is committed to providing academic and co-curricular program, which balances their a comprehensive college- intellectual, physical, creative, and social development. preparatory education through a challenging curriculum in the arts and sciences; an integrated From the outset, King’s Academy embraced a commitment co-curricular program of athletics, to educational accessibility, need-based financial aid, and activities and community service; diversity. Over 40 countries are represented at King’s, and and a nurturing residential approximately 74% of students reside on campus. More than environment. Our students 45% of the student body receives financial aid at King’s, and the will learn to be independent, School offers enrichment programs to reach underprivileged creative and responsible thinkers youth in Jordan (see Signature Programs). This commitment within an ethical community that has remained in the recent addition of the Middle School in encourages young men and 2016. women of diverse backgrounds and beliefs to excel, to cherish This outstanding international school seeks an Associate one another and to prepare for Head for Advancement to join the school community effective leadership. August 2018. FAST FACTS Founded: 2007 School History Location: Madaba, Jordan Type: Co-ed Boarding & Day The 2017-18 school year marked the ten-year anniversary of Mascot: Lion King’s Academy’s founding, yet in many ways, the tradition of Grades Served: 7-12 King’s is bound to a much older legacy—that of New England’s Enrolled: 670 students oldest and finest boarding schools. King’s Academy was Countries Represented: 40 established by His Majesty King Abdullah II in 2007, a graduate Faculty / Staff: 125+ / 250 of Deerfield Academy. HM King Abdullah II deeply valued his Avg. Class Size: 13 educational experience there and also recognized that his Student-Teacher Ratio: 6:1 highly formative years at Deerfield represented a scholastic Faculty w/ Adv. Degree: 54% experience, both rigorous and nurturing, for which there was Students on Fin. Aid: 45% no educational equivalent in Jordan or its neighbors.

The Search Group | CS&A 1 carneysandoe.com In 2000, His Majesty returned to the United States to visit his alma mater, where his interactions with faculty and students reminded him yet again of the unique benefits of a boarding school education. Inspired to bring this exceptional experience to young people in Jordan, HM King Abdullah II met with Deerfield’s headmaster at the time, Eric Widmer, to discuss the establishment of a school very similar to Deerfield in his home country. This led to the formation of a planning committee, and within four years, the establishment of a founding board and the groundbreaking ceremony for an impressive campus on King’s Highway in Madaba. In the spring of 2006, King’s Academy hosted a summit for G20 schools from every continent, including the heads of Eton and Wellington Colleges, with the vision of establishing relationships and facilitating global student interactions that might someday serve as the building blocks of peace.

The School Since openings its doors in 2007 under the leadership of Deerfield’s former head, Eric Widmer, King’s Academy has enjoyed rapid growth and quickly established itself as a top international school. By 2011, King’s Academy had obtained full accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Council of International Schools (CIS). King’s is also licensed by the Jordanian Ministry of Education and was a first Arab school to be offered membership to Round Square. It is the only non-profit school in Jordan.

King’s Academy has continued to flourish with Headmaster John Austin, who took the helm in 2010. The College Board selected King’s to be one of only 100 schools around the world to launch its AP Capstone Program in 2014-15. In 2016, King’s expanded its educational mission and offerings with the addition of a Middle School, which serves students in grades 7 and 8. The School has a pioneering commitment to need-based financial aid, providing $11.6 million in financial assistance to the benefit of 49% of the student body.

The Search Group |CS&A 2 carneysandoe.com ACADEMICS

Across both divisions and all grades, King’s seeks to develop students who are globally aware, inter-culturally competent, and fully bilingual. A classical curriculum grounded in liberal arts and sciences is enhanced by rich programming in Middle Eastern history, literature, language, traditions, and cultural values. While English is the primary language for learning at King’s, every student is required to take both English and Arabic language arts throughout all four years of high school.

Small class sizes (13 students on average) and a 6:1 student-teacher ratio allow King’s faculty to foster a dynamic, inquiry-based classroom environment. Many, if not most, courses are taught at round tables in the Harkness tradition, and all King’s students learn through a model of engagement defined by the “4 D’s”—Discussion, Debate, Dialogue, and an openness to Different perspectives.

The Middle School program at King’s provides an innovative and foundational educational experience for students in grades 7 and 8. Based upon College Board’s new QUEST framework, the curriculum aims to develop young adolescents’ abilities to think critically and creatively; to read, write, and communicate effectively; and to question assumptions, whether their own or those of others. The overarching goal is to prepare students in the Middle School for the ambitious course of study that awaits them in grades 9-12.

Core academic studies in the High School fall into one of eight academic departments: Communication, Rhetoric & Literary Arts (CRLA), which includes the aforementioned required English and Arabic language arts studies; Ethics, Philosophy, and Religion (EPR); Physical and Life Sciences; History and Social Studies; Mathematics; World Languages; Fine and Performing Arts; and Computer Science.

The Search Group | CS&A 3 carneysandoe.com Beyond an impressive list of specialized classes across these departments (available online), the breadth of advanced course offerings at King’s is noteworthy. The School offers 28 Advanced Placement courses as well as the new AP Capstone Project. Juniors and seniors have the option to take between three and four AP courses each year. High-performing sophomores may opt to take one AP course, though their options are more limited. The AP Capstone Project, launched in 2014-15, empowers students explore real world issues in a two-course sequence—AP Seminar and AP Research—while building 21st century analytical, research, communication, and problem-solving skills. Students who score a 3 or higher in both courses, as well as earn passing scores in at least four additional AP courses, are awarded the AP Capstone Diploma. In 2016, eight King’s graduates were awarded the diploma.

High school students also have access to a vast array of courses through Global Online Academy (GOA), of which King’s is a founding member school. This globally collaborative effort seeks to bring the intellectual rigor and excellent teaching of the world’s leading independent schools to a virtual classroom environment.

Over the last decade, King’s graduates have gone on to attend the world’s finest colleges and universities, where they are equipped to thrive both in and outside of the classroom. In fact, many start their college careers as sophomores, due to the AP coursework they completed at King’s. The college path is not predefined for students, however; those planning to attend a Jordanian university or gain certain professional licenses in Jordan can obtain a certificate of Tawjihi equivalency in lieu of taking the national Tawjihi examination.

Most recently, the School has engaged with University of California at Berkeley, welcoming a team from their Haas School of Business to visit King’s campus this year with the purpose of establishing a program in entrepreneurship for upper level students.

The Search Group |CS&A 4 carneysandoe.com CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS

Athletics

Physical fitness and athletics are integrated into every student’s learning experience at King’s. The co-curricular athletics programming is extensive, supporting the School’s belief that engagement in sports equips young people with critically important skills of leadership, ethical conduct, accountability, and self-discipline. Upper school students at King’s have the opportunity to compete against 11 schools in the Amman Athletic Conference (AAC) in a number of interscholastic athletics including basketball, cross country, soccer, squash, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Other sports offered outside of league competition include fencing, rugby, ultimate Frisbee, boxing, fencing, weight training, and badminton.

The School also offers a number of collaborative, recreational activities that enable students to develop skills and obtain the proven mind-body benefits of physical activity in a non-competitive setting. These include cardiovascular workouts like CrossFit and Insanity workouts, Jiu Jitsu and taekwondo, kickboxing, rock climbing, horseback riding, and yoga.

Arts

King’s Academy supports an impressive fine and performing arts program whose goal is to unlock every student’s creative potential and individuality through artistic expression. Students may choose from a range of co-curricular arts courses including traditional and modern dance, ceramics, mosaics, painting, drawing, photography, animation, and design. They can join the youth orchestra or become involved in any of the impressive and diverse performances that the theatre program puts on each year. Recent productions have ranged from Shakespeare to Samuel Beckett to a Broadway-style musical.

Students also complete a public speaking course as a requirement to graduate, delivering public declarations in both English and Arabic at an annual all-school competition. Other

The Search Group | CS&A 5 carneysandoe.com oratory activities popular among King’s students are Model UN, Model Congress, Debate, and Toastmasters.

Service & Leadership

Students have access to many leadership opportunities at King’s; they can serve as residential proctors or participate as elected representatives on the Academic Honor Committee, Student Council, or Disciplinary Committee. Community service is strongly encouraged as a means of civic engagement and leadership development as well, and many students at King’s volunteer in their community by helping to teach English, working with refugees, assisting clean-up projects, and aiding non-profit social service organizations with environmental, educational, and social welfare issues.

SIGNATURE PROGRAMS

Round Square

In 2010, King’s Academy became the first Arab school to be awarded membership in this global network of innovative schools. The non-profit organization offers its member schools across 50 countries a framework for excellence and continued improvement as well as structured opportunities to collaborate and share experiences with likeminded peers around the world.

Arabic Year (AY)

This exceptional program was launched in 2010. Arabic Year is a one-year program, designed to provide visiting high school students in grades 10 through 12 with an enriching program of Arabic language study, Middle Eastern cultural immersion, and experiential learning. AY graduates have gone on to pursue higher education at such respected institutions as Dartmouth, Duke University, Middlebury, Sciences Po, Stanford, Cal Berkeley, and Yale. Full information about admissions, curriculum, and outcomes of Arabic Year are available on the School’s website.

The Search Group |CS&A 6 carneysandoe.com College Prep Summer Institute

The College Prep Summer Institute, launched in 2016, provides King’s students with what the Headmaster, John Austin, calls a “structured jump-start” on the university admissions process. This college prep program was developed by the University Counseling Office with the goal of providing 11th graders with a head start on their college application process, thereby reducing stress in their senior year and allowing them to more fully engage in and enjoy their final year at King’s. In its inaugural summer, 74% of rising seniors at King’s elected to participate in one of the two summer sessions.

Summer Enrichment Program (SEP)

The Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) reinforces King’s Academy’s commitment to improving educational opportunities throughout the region. For two weeks each summer, talented students from underprivileged areas across Jordan convene on King’s campus for this extraordinary community outreach program. Students develop English language and information technology skills, wile also engaging in a variety of recreational activities to foster self-discovery. Since its inception ten years ago, SEP has enrolled 480 middle school students, 61 of whom have gone on to enroll at King’s. SEP also offers wonderful leadership opportunities for current King’s students, 79 of whom have served as counselors in the program.

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

Residential life is viewed as ideal for optimizing students’ intellectual and social development. As such, fostering a warm, close-knit boarding experience is a foundational part of the School’s mission. Approximately 74% of the student body at King’s Academy live on campus, and the ratio of boarding student to resident faculty is 5:1. The hope is that this intimate community structure will foster the development of strong and lasting bonds between students and faculty. Some students elect to live on campus during the week and return home on weekends if their families are nearby; others live on campus throughout the entirety of the school year.

The Search Group | CS&A 7 carneysandoe.com Every student at King’s has an individual room—intentionally designed to be small and minimalist—to allow for adequate rest and the space for private reflection. It also encourages congregation in the dorm common areas, where students, faculty residents, and associate residents can gather to socialize or study. Students also share common bathrooms, kitchenettes, and laundry facilities. Girls’ dorms are monitored 24 hours per day by single female faculty, while male dorms may house faculty families in one of the 73 faculty apartments on campus. Common spaces in all dormitories are equipped with wireless internet connectivity, and every dorm room has an internet port.

PHYSICAL CAMPUS

King’s Academy’s rather extraordinary campus is located on 114 acres in Madaba, a 30-minute drive from Amman. The campus, designed by renowned Egyptian architect Khaled Azzam, blends Levantine and Islamic cultural heritage with modern innovation. Wide walkways, cool limestone, and abundant trees, shrubs, and grass (a rarity in Jordan) grace the spacious campus landscape, which was thoughtfully designed with levels that cascade down the hillside according to function, from academic to social to residential to athletics. The facilities are purpose-built with ample social gathering spaces in addition to those designed for study and campus activities.

Included amongst the School’s 34 separate building are eight dormitories with a total of 490 student rooms and 73 faculty apartments. Additional faculty housing and guest houses are located steps away. The Head of School’s residence sits in the center of campus near the library and bell tower. The campus also features 65 classrooms and laboratories as well as a multi-faith spiritual center and courtyard. The state-of-the-art Abdul Majeed Shoman Auditorium seats 700 and serves as the performing arts center for music concerts, dance recitals, and theatrical productions, as well as all-school community gatherings. The other hub of campus life and culture is the Hess Family Dining Hall; here, students and faculty enjoy meals together in the generous dining facility. The HRH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library boasts 40,000 volumes in English and Arabic combined—a mix of literary, historical, technical,

The Search Group |CS&A 8 carneysandoe.com and reference texts—as well as cozy, sunlit spaces for reading, studying, and quiet reflection. Students at King’s Academy enjoy access to excellent athletics and fitness facilities as well. The indoor athletic complex covers 5,500 square meters and houses exercise facilities as well as a semi-Olympic swimming pool, a multi-purpose gymnasium, and squash courts. Separate outdoor athletics facilities include a regulation soccer pitch, multiple other playing fields, and a track, as well as tennis, basketball, and handball courts. This year, through a generous gift, the School will install a large solar array, which will enable the campus to operate energy-neutral within a year. Madaba, Jordan The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is an Arab country in the Middle East bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Jordan has two coastlines, one on the Dead Sea, which it shares with Israel, and one on the Gulf of Aqaba, which it shares with Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The population of Jordan is estimated to be 9.5 million. Amman, the capital and largest city in Jordan, has an estimated population of 4 million.

Madaba, an ancient town where King’s Academy’s hillside campus is situated, draws many visitors hoping to see the 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land that is housed in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. Cultural and historical sites at Madaba Archaeological Park are also popular attractions, including the mosaic-rich Church of the Virgin Mary and artifacts from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic eras. To the northwest of the park, the Biblical hill of Mount Nebo overlooks the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Many King’s faculty will head into Madaba or Amman for dinner and entertainment.

The climate of Jordan is characterized by little rain, cool nights, and moderate winters. The air is dry and the sky usually clear. Amman and Madaba typically receive rain and/or snow at various times between November and March. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons in Jordan, characterized by blue skies and comfortable temperatures, while summers are often drier and hotter.

The Search Group | CS&A 9 carneysandoe.com The League of Nations declared Jordan’s independence in 1946 per a mandate administered by the United Kingdom. Prior to 1946, the nation, known as “Transjordan”, was part of the British Mandate Palestine established in 1921. Prince Abdullah I held semi-autonomous control during the British Mandate, and so became the first King of Jordan upon its declaration of independence. HM King Abdullah II, Jordan’s current king and the School’s founder, is the great-grandson of King Abdullah I. Jordan is now a constitutional monarchy governed by the King, his council of ministers, and the National Assembly. The latter is composed of the Chamber of Deputies, whose 110 members are elected by universal suffrage and the Senate, which is appointed by the King. Jordan has close relations with the United States and is a member of the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. The diversity of peoples in Jordan includes Muslims from many Arab nations as well as Christians, and citizens of countries in Europe, North America, and Asia. After the Arab Spring, many multinational organizations moved their operations to Jordan, which has maintained a degree of neutrality and normalcy. As a result, there is a high degree of tolerance in the country. Citizens and ex-pats alike feel safe and the culture is characterized by hospitality, charity, and joy.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF KING’S ACADEMY Respect Tolerance is a beginning, but it is not sufficient. What we hope to instill in our students is an empathetic understanding of one another and a sense of respect that traverses all student relationships, be it between each other, towards their teachers and families or with regard to the community as a whole.

Love of Learning We do not want our students to perceive their education as simply utilitarian – one that is a mere instrument for their future success. Instead, we hope to foster in them a genuine love of learning for its own sake and a desire to acquire knowledge in and for itself.

Responsibility Along with the privileges of being part of King’s Academy come responsibilities. Students will learn that they are stewards of what they receive and that it is their responsibility to pass on this stewardship to others, such as younger students and the community as a whole.

By extension, students at King’s Academy will have a lifelong responsibility to use their education to help and enhance possibilities for others. A belief in and commitment to social service as well as a striving for social justice for others less fortunate will form an essential part of the ethos of the school.

An Integrated Life We do not aim to teach students what to think but rather how to think. Students’ belief systems are a personal matter between their families and themselves. Whatever our students’ beliefs, King’s Academy stresses that balance is critical to human well-being. What we at King’s strive to teach our students is how to integrate all aspects of their lives – academic, social, spiritual and physical – in the context of a boarding school environment in which we learn not only about the world but about ourselves.

Global Citizenship King’s Academy is first and foremost a Jordanian school. But it is also a regional school, and ultimately a school of the world. The student body will be diverse geographically, economically, ethnically and religiously and we aim to raise in our students an awareness of different peoples.

We will impart to them universal values, applicable in all cultures and at the same time encourage their unique sense of belonging to the Middle East.

The Search Group |CS&A 10 carneysandoe.com Opportunities & Challenges In the wake of its 10th anniversary celebration, King’s Academy seeks to create a solid pathway to increased financial sustainability, fueled by a more targeted and systematic approach to fundraising, a more collaborative method for institutional communications, and the implementation of strategic initiatives in conjunction with admissions. Further, King’s seeks to develop enhanced working relationships between its Board of Trustees—including Board committees—and key administrators, deepening the involvement of individual Board members in the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of prospects. The Associate Head of School for Advancement (AHOSA) will report directly to Head of School John Austin, currently in his seventh year at King’s, and will manage an office of seven individuals.

The opening comes at a time, following the anniversary, when there is a degree of donor fatigue among the School’s early supporters that will require sensitivity and nuanced stewardship. Further, the School initiated a 30 percent tuition increase for the 2017-18 academic year and the financial impact of the rise is still being felt within the parent community. That said, potential for new areas of support abound, both outside of Jordan and within the Gulf region (particularly Iraq and Saudi Arabia), among corporations and foundations within the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, and within the current and past parent constituency.

Key to the success of the new AHOSA will be his/her ability to galvanize Board members in the development process, leveraging their vast connections to reach individuals who could become engaged by the mission of the School and its unique standing in this part of the world. Further, the successful candidate must devise new and engaging ways to employ the Head of School in the fundraising process. The process of educating the entire King’s constituency— from Board members to faculty, current parents to prospective parents—about the School’s financial model and its reliance on philanthropic support will be a central and ongoing effort.

The new AHOSA must invest time initially in developing personal relationships, both on and off-campus. S/he will have the chance to become as fully integrated in boarding school life as time and responsibilities permit; indeed, such involvement is encouraged. Observing the roles of Advancement staff members and evaluating departmental resources and effectiveness will also be part of the successful candidate’s brief in the first year.

The Search Group | CS&A 11 carneysandoe.com ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and manage the Advancement Office as it seeks to raise at least $9 million over the next three years (2018-19 thru 2020-21), and an additional $18 million through 2024-25 (some of which is targeted for the School’s commitment to financial aid). • Strategize and give shape to more targeted and subtler fundraising approach centered on major gifts from non-affiliates, high net-worth current and former parents, businesses, founding donors, foundations in the Gulf Cooperation Council, and those individuals and organizations in the United States and elsewhere that have an interest in King’s and the Middle East. • Play an integral and collaborative role in institutional communications, focusing on a coordinated approach with admissions and the development of universally shared core messages. • Optimize the Head of School’s role as a cultivator and solicitor of major gifts. • Help coordinate external initiatives, including liaising with the Board of Trustees and Board Committees. • Work with the Head of School to make sure that major initiatives are reflected in Board meeting and retreat agendas. • Serve, with the Head of School, as one of the primary liaisons to the Board of Trustees for all advancement-related aspects of the school. • Serve as staff liaison to the Board Committee on Trustees. • Serve as a member of the senior administrative team.

The Search Group |CS&A 12 carneysandoe.com Desired Qualities & Qualifications The School is most interested in candidates who demonstrate most of the following qualities and qualifications:

• 10+ years of fundraising leadership in a non-profit or for-profit organization(s); boarding school experience a plus. • Experience on senior administrative teams and working with non-profit Boards. • Demonstrated experience in securing major gifts. • Demonstrated ability to speak convincingly to groups. • Cross-cultural intelligence and the ability to win the trust of others from a range of backgrounds; familiarity with Arabic would be an asset. • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

In addition, the School hopes to find candidates who embody some or all of the following personal qualities:

• Thrives in a dynamic but still formative environment. • Anticipates, absorbs, and adapts to new ideas and initiatives. • Ability to manage complex projects. • Thinks strategically about finances, operations, and larger school concerns. • Balances and prioritizes the needs of the school/organization. • Ability to manage and mentor staff and to work collaboratively across departments. • Strong communication skills; excellent written and verbal skills. • A confident team player. • Committed to equity and inclusion practices. • Evident integrity. • Strong technological skills.

KING’S ACADEMY: IN THE PRESS

HOME Magazine published a feature article about the exceptional design of King’s Academy’s campus in its June 2015 issue.

Read the full article and get a closer look at the stunning campus here.

The Search Group | CS&A 13 carneysandoe.com How to Apply Interested parties wishing to explore this opportunity can contact the search consultants below for a confidential conversation. In applying, candidates should submit electronically (as separate PDF documents in one email) the following materials:

• Cover letter expressing interest in the Associate Head for Advancement position at King’s Academy; • Current résumé; • Statement of educational philosophy and practice; • List of 5 references (who will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) with name, phone number, and e-mail address of each to:

Ben Bolté | John Clark Senior Search Consultants [email protected] | [email protected] (617) 933-3430 | (802) 380-4406 Carney, Sandoe & Associates 200 High Street, Boston MA 02110 www.carneysandoe.com

The Search Group |CS&A 14 carneysandoe.com