SADDLE RIVER DAY SCHOOL SADDLE RIVER, NEW JERSEY HEAD OF SCHOOL START DATE: JULY 2020 WWW.SADDLERIVERDAY.ORG Mission We inspire each student to achieve personal and academic excellence and to become a caring and ethical contributor to society. • Everyone Counts: At Saddle River Day School, all children and adults matter; their talents and contributions are prized. • Love of Learning: Saddle River Day School engenders a lifelong love of learning in our students Fast Facts with a caring and committed Student enrollment: 302 faculty, staff, and administration. Students who identify as individuals of color: 38% • Intellectual Risk Taking: Intellectual Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 risk taking is encouraged and Total faculty: 47 celebrated through an inspiring, Faculty holding an advanced degree: 74% intimate environment that ensures Annual operating budget 2018-2019: $9.7M the physical and emotional Campus acreage: 25.5 security of each student. OVERVIEW Deeply committed to inspiring its students to become critical thinkers, responsible citizens, and collaborative individuals, Saddle River Day School (SRDS) takes pride in doing more than preparing young people for higher education – indeed, preparing them to live their lives fully and with purpose, no matter where their paths might lead. Since its founding in 1957, Saddle River Day School has served a PreK-12 coeducational student body drawn from families across Northern New Jersey and New York (on the west side of the Hudson). Situated on a beautiful 26-acre, suburban campus in Northern New Jersey, less than 30 minutes by car from New York City, Saddle River Day School provides a warm, personal, and rich educational experience for roughly 300 K-12 students. Its strong, dedicated faculty averages 18 years of experience at the school, and its new hires reflect the same values and commitment as their longer-serving colleagues. With small class size and excellent student-teacher ratios, faculty and staff challenge each student, to realize his or her potential with confidence. This careful, intentional attention means that intellectual risk-taking can occur at all levels and across disciplines. Saddle River Day School seeks a new Head of School who is dynamic enough to connect with the School’s youngest learners just starting their educational journey, as well as with Upper School seniors who are trying to determine their next steps. The strong candidate will have demonstrated experience driving curriculum that is innovative and forward thinking, as well as considering where and how character development can seamlessly integrate into that curriculum. SRDS is looking for someone who can listen to community needs, lead and motivate the faculty, and continue to inspire and grow this small, but vibrant community, that makes SRDS unique in its market. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 2 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com Saddle River Day truly feels like “home” for students and their families because its community has a remarkable energy that visitors and SRDS veterans alike acknowledge and come to value. SRDS is a place where Chef Mark, in the dining commons, will recreate a special dish on a student’s birthday from a grandmother’s recipe and where teachers use their lunch breaks to work one-on-one with students. It is a place where students and teachers bundle care packages for new alumni starting their first year of college. It is a place where educators and parents join together to make great ideas happen, where priorities are determined by educational impact, backed by leading research – not by standardized tests or budgets – and where, above all else, the School is focused on what’s best for the students. THE SCHOOL One of Saddle River Day School’s greatest strengths is its ability to anticipate what students need in order to be successful – and to adapt quickly to meet those needs. Through the innovation and resourcefulness of the School’s leadership and faculty, and the individual focus the educational environment permits, learning feels both challenging and satisfying to students. In a part of the country where public schools have a strong reputation, Saddle River Day is distinctive. The School’s goal is developing motivated, confident, and well-balanced individuals who challenge themselves to achieve academic and life success. To accomplish this takes several key ingredients. There is a focus on finding ways to inspire students, for example, with project-based learning and interdisciplinary projects. Critical to success is a motivated faculty that creates an innovative learning environment where trying things out is both encouraged and accepted. Students say they feel they have grown in important ways and “had teachers who have really changed the academic trajectory” of their lives. The special sense of community and encouragement to try new things creates opportunities for all The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 3 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com types of students (academics, artists, and athletes) to personalize their experience, develop critical thinking skills, create leadership opportunities, and be equipped for success in the 21st century. SRDS teachers create active learning opportunities that go beyond content knowledge to develop deeper understanding and, perhaps most important, they lead by example. As part of the SRDS strategic plan, the Excellence in Teaching initiative requires all teachers to earn their master’s degree within five years of their hiring. Currently, 74% of SRDS faculty holds advanced degrees, with additional teachers currently working towards completion. Having grades PreK-12 on one campus also contributes to the closeness of the community. Students support one another and the atmosphere is welcoming, trusting, and friendly across all levels, students and faculty alike. Among the notable aspects of the School’s academic and co-curricular program are its impressive use of technology including: • The K-12 research and analysis program, where students gather, analyze, and convert data into information for decision-making; • An abundant digital resource catalog and tech-ready collaborative spaces in the library and media center to support independent and group research; • A preeminent commercial quality computer graphics lab featuring powerful iMacs with Adobe Creative Suite applications; large-format color printing and scanning capabilities; cutting-edge high-definition drawing tablets; multiple Sony HD and GoPro Hero 4 mobile video cameras to film content for the video studio and editing deck; • An IDEAS Lab (Innovation, Design, Engineering, Arts, and Science) with 3D printers, circuit and electronics kits, robotics, and much more. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 4 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com The work turned out by students (covering many hallway walls) is truly impressive both in its imaginativeness and quality. Technology is also part of the prevalent STEAM initiative at SRDS. STEAM integrates the classic sciences of biology, chemistry, and physics with the applied sciences of technology and engineering, while using the languages of art and mathematics. Reflecting real life, STEAM does not segment knowledge into disciplines – it invites students to bring everything they know to bear on a project. SRDS is accredited by the New Jersey Association of Independent School (NJAIS) and Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools. ACADEMICS Lower School (Pre-K to 4) SRDS has carefully curated its Lower School curriculum, which includes a science program developed by the Smithsonian Institution, a Spanish program that emphasizes speech first, and a math program that focuses on mastery rather than memorization. The Lower School’s goal is to encourage each child’s sense of curiosity and explore basics that set the foundation for higher learning. Lower School students have Middle School “pen pals” and Reading Buddies who help make the Middle School feel more familiar. The Middle School Dean also comes to talk to fourth-grade students toward the end of the year about what to expect as fifth graders, reinforcing SRDS values of community, connection, and individualized support for each student. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 5 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com Middle School (5 to 8) In Middle School, the study of core subject areas is an interdisciplinary practice, weaving together a variety of skills and content. Middle School faculty focus on helping students to build essential skills such as critical reading, time management, and self-reflection. The SRDS STEAM initiative is especially important at the Middle School level, integrating science, technology, and engineering with art and mathematics. As students progress, the academic program expands to include more options in the arts, language, and mathematics. Advanced students take classes with higher grades, including the Upper School, as appropriate. A variety of clubs and activities offer students opportunities to pursue their interests and develop passions. Offerings include Comic Book Club, Film Club, Rebel Muffins (weekly talk show), Rebels 404 (technology club), Running Club, SRDS Cares (service), and Vid Kids (video production). Upper School (9 to 12) The Upper School focuses on preparing students to speak effectively, read intelligently, and write well in all subject areas. Course offerings change each year to accommodate