the PotomAc mcleAn, virginiA director of the K-12 AcAdemic ProgrAm StArt dAte: July 1, 2019 PotomAcSchool.org Mission Fast Facts At The Potomac School, we believe Founded: 1904 that intellectual development, love of Head of School: John Kowalik learning, and strength of character Grades Served: K-12 are complementary, and equally Students: 1,054 essential, educational goals. With a Divisions: 4 firm commitment to our core values Campus: 90+ acres and a rigorous academic program, we Mascot: Panthers prepare students to lead lives of purpose, Full & Part-time Faculty: 161 achievement, and generosity of spirit. Faculty with Advanced Degrees: 114

the PoSition

The Potomac School in McLean, Virginia, seeks an experienced administrator to serve as Director of the K-12 Academic Program effective July 2019. Potomac enjoys an extraordinary reputation as one of the top independent K-12 day in the nation; the School enrolls 1,054 students on a spectacular 90-acre campus just minutes from Washington, D.C. Since its founding near Washington’s Dupont Circle in 1904, Potomac School’s educational philosophy has defined the learning process as an exploratory endeavor driven by students’ natural curiosity and interests. From through 12th grade, Potomac faculty seek to develop engaged learners who possess both the intellectual abilities and the character traits needed to thrive in a rapidly changing and demanding society.

Each year, Potomac students produce impressive test scores and placement results, yet the School does not view these metrics as the singular goal of its educational program. With applications at the highest level to date, the appointment of John Kowalik as Head of School, the development of several signature programs, and a century of academic excellence behind it, Potomac is entering one of the most exciting periods in its history.

The Director of the K-12 Academic Program will provide oversight and leadership of Potomac’s educational program, assist with faculty hiring, and help implement strategic priorities and school initiatives. As a member of Potomac’s senior leadership team, s/he will work closely with the Head of School, Assistant Head of School, and four Division Heads.

The Director of the K-12 Academic Program will be a bright, energetic leader with strong classroom experience, who functions as an independent-minded but team-oriented player. S/he will be able to ensure alignment of the divisions’ curricula by working collaboratively with faculty and fellow The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 1 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com Fast Facts

Students Enrolled: 272 Zip Codes Represented: 26 Students of Color: 36% Student to Faculty Ratio: 7 to 1 Faculty and Staff of Color: 51% Faculty Holding Advanced Degrees: 74% Athletic Teams: 8 competitive varsity and junior varsity teams Endowment: $2.5 million Total Financial Aid Awarded for 17-18: $1.4 million Students Receiving Financial Aid for 17-18: 21%

administrators. Additionally, s/he will provide leadership for the K-12 Academic Council, Fellows program, faculty growth and development, learning support specialists, and the divisional Academic Deans and Department Chairs. The Director of the K-12 Academic Program will be an effective and organized manager, a compelling public speaker with a strong intellect, as well as a fair-minded, transparent, and engaged leader who values interpersonal relationships and genuinely enjoys working with faculty, students, and their parents.

School History

From a modest opening enrollment of 48 students in 1904, The Potomac School has grown remarkably in size, as well as tradition and reputation. Founded by three women with an interest in education, Potomac was incorporated in 1907 and functioned as a K-8 school for many years. The war years led to an influx of families to the Washington, D.C. area, and Potomac adapted to meet the needs of a growing student body. By the mid-40s, an expanded campus had become a critical need, prompting the purchase of 55 acres in McLean, Virginia, in 1948.

Despite the loss of a few urban families when the new campus opened outside of DC in 1951, Potomac’s move to what had formerly been farmland in McLean proved fruitful and prophetic. The school has continued to expand and improve the facilities on a self- contained campus that now covers more than 90 acres (just minutes away from the nation’s capital). Potomac opened its Upper School in 1987, and within a decade, the school was fully enrolled with 875 students across all grades. In 2004—its centennial year—Potomac lifted its enrollment cap of 875, and subsequently renovated and expanded the Upper School, adding a second building that opened in 2006. A new Lower School opened three years later, and the Intermediate School was substantially renovated in 2012. A renovation is likely among the next capital projects.

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 2 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com The School

In recent years, Potomac has made a concerted effort to manage the unprecedented institutional growth it has enjoyed. By fostering deep mentoring connections between students, families, and faculty, Potomac maintains its unique character and intimate atmosphere, hallmarks of a school community that today engages 1,054 students and 161 faculty.

All four divisions—the Lower School (K-3), Middle School (4-6), Intermediate School (7- 8), and Upper School (9-12)—are located on the same campus, just three miles outside of Washington, D.C. Potomac’s contained campus is not only a rarity for a school of its size in a metropolitan area, but also serves to promote and sustain a key cultural belief across all grades: Students learn best when they learn together. Potomac faculty work across departments and divisions to ensure that students are encouraged to explore a broad array of subjects from traditional courses to specialized electives, unearth authentic passions, and build upon these interests over the course of their academic careers.

Potomac students thrive in an educational environment that combines high academic achievement with an emphasis on the skills and qualities needed to lead exemplary lives. Graduates leave Potomac as compassionate independent thinkers with a keen sense of social consciousness, personal integrity, and academic vigor—upholding their alma mater’s longstanding reputation as a top-tier .

Enthusiasm for the school has never been stronger, with students coming from more than 100 zip codes in Virginia, Maryland, and the District. Parents express that they have chosen Potomac for its personalized, whole-child approach to education. They “love the way it feels as a school,” and

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 3 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com appreciate the school’s “amazing teachers who get kids to do ‘hard learning’ and to become lifelong learners.” They also recognize that at Potomac, the relationships between faculty and families are special in that there seems to be an extra level of commitment, both by families to the school and by the school to the students and families that it serves.

Admission to Potomac is extremely competitive and divided across five entry-points: Kindergarten, 1st grade, 4th grade, 7th grade, and 9th grade. The student-teacher ratio schoolwide is approximately eight to one.

The Potomac School is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) and holds membership in Independent Education (IE) and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

Academics

Lower School Students in the Lower School begin to cultivate their innate curiosity in kindergarten through grade three, developing a love of learning and gaining early preparation to meet and exceed high academic standards in the years to come. Teachers weave language arts, social studies, and math into interactive, integrated lessons. Weekly art, science, music, physical education, library, and technology classes, as well as collaborative learning activities and community service projects, supplement the Lower School curriculum.

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 4 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com Middle School The Middle School encompasses grades four through six, where students are encouraged to maintain their curiosity and creativity while stretching their self-confidence and self-advocacy. A primary goal of this division is to develop critical thinkers with strong reading and writing skills. Dedicated teachers work to engage every student in the learning process, fostering academic and personal growth through an inquiry-based curriculum.

Intermediate School Recognizing the unique challenges and opportunities of early adolescence, Potomac features a separate division focused exclusively on the educational needs of seventh and eighth graders. A central goal of the Intermediate School curriculum is to equip its students with the critical thinking and study skills they will need to succeed in the Upper School. Led by dedicated teachers who serve as advisors and mentors as well as instructors, students gain a foundation in the core subjects as well as many electives. They also learn how to leverage new technologies to organize, explore, and communicate information in innovative ways. All students in the Intermediate School participate in some form of athletic activity four days a week, and many elect to engage in other extracurriculars, such as the digital newspaper, debate, robotics, and student government.

Upper School The Upper School at Potomac is recognized for its rigorous academics, and rightfully so. The division’s educational goals encompass more than high test scores; students are encouraged to pursue their individual passions and hone new perspectives on the world. Potomac teachers prepare students for “lives of purpose, achievement, and generosity of spirit” through a curriculum that empowers them to make authentic connections between their immediate learning environment and the wider world. Yet, having graduated only 29 senior classes, the Upper School is young, providing the opportunity for originality and innovation in taking the division into new territory, both educationally and experientially.

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 5 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com Arts and Athletics

For more than 100 years, Potomac students have explored music, visual, and performing arts as a means of building their self-confidence and deepening their artistic expression and appreciation. Live performances are seen as integral to Potomac’s educational philosophy and treated as a core part of the academic program. Faculty lead by example in this regard, serving as mentors and collaborators as students learn to explore and create art and to push themselves beyond self-imposed limitations.

The arts are also the foundation of many of Potomac’s cultural traditions, from Madrigal Singers and chamber music to the performance of classic and original plays, as well as community celebrations like May Day. Student actors, directors, musicians, and designers work together to expand their abilities, acquire new skills, and produce work of quality and originality.

Potomac’s interscholastic sports teams consistently rank high among local independent schools, while stressing the principles of sportsmanship and teamwork. The Upper School program comprises 38 teams in 23 sports. Potomac’s boys compete in the six- member Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC), while the girls teams compete in the 16-member League (ISL). Many Potomac graduates go on to play at the college level. Since 2015, more than 77 alumni/ae have gone on to compete in college, including 27 at the Division I level.

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 6 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com Service Learning

Beginning in 2014-15 Potomac transitioned the focus of its nationally recognized community service program toward a greater emphasis on service learning. Students now have more voice and choice as they engage in meaningful experiences that connect to the curriculum and address real needs in the community. Many Potomac graduates go on to pursue service-oriented careers, including teaching, government service, medicine, and nonprofit leadership.

The Potomac Community

The Potomac community is made up of individuals from diverse backgrounds united in the belief that everyone is intellectually and morally strengthened when many different voices and viewpoints come together. At this school, cultural competence is recognized as a key life skill, and the principles that enable individuals to work together across differences are consistently taught and modeled. Throughout the year, on-campus programs and events celebrate diversity and empower students to see beyond differences to embrace their common humanity.

With a healthy balance of experienced educators with strong institutional memory and teachers near the start of their careers, the 161-member Potomac faculty shares a collaborative synergy that shapes the school’s core culture. They constantly model learning and innovation, strive to develop and refine best practices in teaching, and set individual goals to improve their own learning. There is widespread faculty appreciation for the strong professional development and extensive support provided by the school’s leadership.

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 7 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com At the center of the Potomac experience are the relationships students cultivate and share with teachers, friends, administrators, and staff. The students are talented, creative, and accomplished; they take obvious joy in their educational journey.

Shared traditions are critical to the Potomac experience. The school draws on a legacy over a century in the making, impressing upon its students a sense of history, tradition, and their place in the collection of shared memories that spans generations. Many school traditions have endured for decades, providing Potomac alumni with a strong connection to the school and reinforcing a shared identity with, and connection to, current students. These traditions extend beyond the familiar events and rites of passage that punctuate one’s progression from kindergarten through senior year, as all four divisions frequently assemble together as one community on their shared campus. These gatherings foster a culture where older students become role models for younger ones, and where children, adolescents, and adults form lasting bonds.

Physical Campus, Setting, and Location

Potomac has successfully completed six capital projects in the last 10 years. Beyond the new facilities for its Upper, Lower, and Intermediate Schools, these projects also include construction of additional tennis courts, a new turf field, and the beautiful Flag Circle Building, which serves as the school’s welcoming “front door” and houses the admissions and development offices. Potomac is currently in the construction phase of a new Center for Athletics and Community; this new 75,000 sq. ft. facility will support the K-12 physical education and athletics program and provide a beautiful gathering space for K-12 community events. The campus also features three libraries, three gymnasiums, three more athletic fields, a gorgeous Performing Arts Center, tennis and squash courts, a wrestling room, science and computer labs, art and photography studios, music rooms, and an active robotics lab. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 8 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com The woods, streams, ponds, and wetlands on the school’s sprawling property provide a rich environment for learning. Upper School students and faculty make use of the campus’s four outdoor classrooms and expansive hiking trails. The setting makes Potomac uniquely poised to teach an environmental consciousness that links the joyful experience of nature with the imperative of stewardship.

The school’s proximity to Washington provides a different—but equally indispensable—kind of extended classroom. The educational and cultural resources of the nation’s capital profoundly shape and enhance Potomac’s academic programs across all divisions. The school enjoys convenient access to the George Washington Memorial Parkway, the Capital Beltway, and Chain Bridge—the nearest viaduct across the Potomac River into D.C. Potomac also provides an extensive school bus and local shuttle system that reduces neighborhood traffic and supports the school’s environmental initiatives.

Qualifications and Qualities

The Director of the K-12 Academic Program will play a central role in managing changes to the K-12 curriculum, bringing greater cohesion to its academic programs, and complementing the existing signature programs that the school has developed. The school seeks candidates who enjoy collaborating with faculty to explore new curriculum and program while remaining committed to its core culture and values. The individual selected for this role will be a leader who possesses a deep understanding of school communities; has experience leading curriculum review and growth; will maintain consistent, efficient, and timely management of school initiatives; and supports a healthy balance among academics, the arts, athletics, co-curricular activities, and other opportunities.

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 9 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com Personal Qualities: • Advocates and models The Potomac School’s core values: courage, integrity, respect, humility, and perseverance • Focused on building relationships and community • Visible, warm, and engaged leader • Committed to fostering diversity • Thoughtful, reflective, and intentional • Forward-thinking • Displays self-confidence and self-mastery • Good listener who values collaboration but is willing to step up and make difficult decisions

Professional Skills and Experience: • Demonstrates “versatile leadership”—the ability to communicate and lead effectively in diverse situations with various constituents, from large assemblies to one-on-one meetings • Proven academic leader with solid classroom experience, committed to excellent teaching and ongoing faculty professional development • Values the strengths of a traditional liberal arts program yet is open to creating new programs, adapting existing curriculum, and exploring innovative methods of instruction to address emerging needs and opportunities • Demonstrates strong organizational and management skills • Experienced supervisor who hires for mission and effectively manages and motivates personnel

Compensation Salary and benefits, including tuition remission, are highly competitive and commensurate with experience.

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:

Rice Bryan Consultant [email protected]

John Faubert Senior Consultant [email protected]

Diana Zito Assisting John and Rice [email protected]

The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 11 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com