ALLENDALE COLUMBIA SCHOOL Rochester, New York HEAD OF SCHOOL Start Date: July 2021 allendalecolumbia.org Mission At Allendale Columbia, we prepare students for the world they will inherit. In our trusting and responsive environment, students in nursery through grade 12 grow in confidence and develop scholastic independence. Together, our students and teachers imagine, design, and create in order to make a positive impact locally and globally. OVERVIEW Allendale Columbia School (AC) is a leading independent, coeducational school that prepares a diverse student body in nursery through grade 12 for the world they will inherit. The school is defined by its academic quality and a strong sense of togetherness. At AC, exceptional educators lead personalized explorations of learning, offering countless opportunities for students to express themselves, discover their passions, pursue real world projects, and achieve academic excellence. AC leads the way in innovation, global engagement, entrepreneurship, and ingenuity with learning that goes beyond books and tests. Faculty members use their independence and experience to connect knowledge to real-life, so students can make more sense of the world – and their place in it. They inspire students to be curious and creative learners, encouraging students to take risks while sparking their resilient spirits. As a result, students develop critical thinking skills and become effective problem solvers. The school is a thriving community of learners who engage locally and internationally to create opportunities to design, imagine, learn, and make a positive impact. Students, families, faculty, and staff frequently collaborate in service to the school, the community, and the world demonstrating the shared values that unite our lives. It all adds up to a different school of thought: high expectations and relevant experiences that prepare students to succeed in a globally competitive society. The school is seeking a Head of School effective July 2021. The current Interim Head of School is Shannon Baudo. Before assuming the role of Interim Head, Shannon served as the Assistant Head of School and Director of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid. The successful Head of School candidate will be an experienced educational leader devoted to the school’s mission and program. The Head has oversight of all organizational activities and serves as the school’s academic leader, fostering a climate of excellence and ethical growth among students, faculty, and staff. CARNEYSANDOE.COM 2 Fast Facts Established: 1890 Total students: 354 Students of color: 30% Total faculty: 64 Faculty with advanced degrees: 70% Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 Financial aid budget: $2.75M Students receiving financial aid: 56.6% Value of endowment: $7.6M SCHOOL HISTORY The story of Allendale Columbia School began in the fall of 1890, when the Columbia School opened with 13 elementary students. The Columbia School soon expanded to become a kindergarten through grade 12 women’s preparatory school. In 1926, a group of Rochester businessmen founded the Allendale School for Boys on a 24-acre site and followed the innovative “country day” philosophy. Gradually, Allendale became a college preparatory school like its sister school, Columbia. Faced with financial strain from the Great Depression, the two schools merged in 1936, parting again in 1939. Allendale and Columbia remained separate for the next 30 years. On Thanksgiving night in 1966, a fire destroyed all the original buildings on the Allendale campus. Classes were held in the surviving gym and science building, and fundraising efforts to rebuild the school began immediately. Toward the late 1960s, the leadership of the Allendale and Columbia schools mutually agreed on a merger, seeing the benefits of increased space and resources. In 1971, Allendale and Columbia combined under one board of trustees. The following year, the Columbia School moved to its new facilities on the Allendale campus. United as a single entity, the Allendale Columbia School blossomed. A 1990 Centennial Celebration was a major milestone, setting the tone for the last years of the 20th century and carrying the school into the new millennium where improvements continued. The Gleason Science Wing, Gannett Gymnasium, and Curtis Performance Center were added, and the Alumni Gymnasium, Arts Building, and Library underwent significant renovations. The year 2000 saw the successful conclusion of a three-year endowment campaign which added five million dollars to the school’s already strong endowment fund, for the particular purpose of supporting faculty compensation. CARNEYSANDOE.COM 3 In 2002, the courtyard was renovated, and darkrooms were added to the art facilities. The administrative wing was renovated, and the admissions team was moved to the other side of the school with their own entrance to welcome guests to campus. An ongoing effort to stay current with the latest technology has resulted in the complete wired and wireless networking of campus, the addition of several computer laboratories, and issuance of laptops to faculty. In 2015, the school established its Centers for Impact that include the Center for Global Engagement, the Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Invent Center for STEM & Innovation. A portion of the main building was renovated to create The Bruce B. Bates Design & Innovation Lab, a two-story technology and creativity space. In the past 10 months, the school also created an entire Pre-Primary wing that holds the newly added Little School program as well as Nursery students. THE SCHOOL For 130 years, Allendale Columbia School has been challenging students to reach their potential by offering opportunities for leadership, character development, and structure around high expectations. AC is currently home to over 350 students in AC’s nursery through grade 12 program and 18month – 3-year-old Little School program who are from more than 51 communities nearby, 10 countries, and four continents. AC’s team of teachers, staff, and administrators consists of over 100 people who bring an array of experience, interests, and talent – including more than 60 faculty members who have an average teaching experience of 11 years. This group of dedicated, engaged, and collaborative educators is truly passionate about what they do and set high, but achievable, goals for themselves and their students. As a result, students are inspired to work harder and to ultimately exceed their own expectations with the support and encouragement of the AC team. Accommodating and encouraging each student’s uniqueness is central to AC’s culture and approach to education. Through enrichment classes, CARNEYSANDOE.COM 4 support opportunities, specials classes, athletics, and family-style lunch, all faculty and staff members intentionally know every child. So many of the relationships fostered at AC become lifelong. Allendale Columbia School is a proud member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and has received full accreditation from the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS). AC Centers for Impact Established in 2015, the AC Centers for Impact challenge students to think and work in new ways to better prepare them for the world they will inherit, shape, and lead. These three unique programs offer students real-world opportunities to explore, learn, grow, and make a positive impact. The Center for Global Engagement is committed to exposing students to global opportunities and multicultural perspectives and creating a culture of global empathy and global responsibility. While the Center influences the curriculum in all divisions, it focuses on a proprietary curriculum that supports AC’s Global Engagement Diploma in which students embark on service-learning, cultural immersion international trips, and leadership and exchange opportunities within the local community and across the world. Students interested in pursuing the global diploma can apply during their 8th or 9th grade year. The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation creates opportunities for students to learn to adapt to a constantly evolving world, connect globally, and carve their own path. Entrepreneurship course offerings begin in Lower School and increase in Middle and Upper School. Highlights include students in the Middle School Entrepreneurship elective running aspects of marketing, promotions, sales, and ordering for the school store, and Upper School students participating in TEDxAllendaleColumbiaSchool, an independently organized TEDxYouth event, held annually. The event is completely student-run, organized, and curated. TEDxAllendaleColumbiaSchool strives to promote the TED tag line of “ideas worth sharing” representing the school, Rochester, and the global community. CARNEYSANDOE.COM 5 At the Invent Center for STEM and Innovation, students are challenged to learn critical thinking, creativity in problem solving, reflection, and communication – solidifying skills that students can transfer across STEM content areas and the arts. Whether in the STEM, Research and Writing course, the Lower School robotics team, or courses that focus on design and the creative process, teachers coach students to develop critical and innovative thinking as they solve problems and overcome challenges. ACADEMICS AC Little School The AC Little School is a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment that provides children 18-36 months-old with an early childhood education, based on an Reggio Emilia-inspired approach. Through a combination