POSITION PROFILE
HEAD OF SCHOOL MONTESSORI ACADEMY OF CHAMBERSBURG 2019-2020 School Year
MISSION STATEMENT
Montessori Academy, guided by the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori, immerses students in a diverse community that values creativity and nurtures each student’s social, emotional, and academic growth.
Montessori Academy of Chambersburg is seeking a highly qualified educational leader to become its next Head of School in July 2019. The new Head of Montessori Academy will be a strategic and confident forward thinker, able to articulate and achieve a strong vision, inspire and support others, and manage people, business, and programs in order to uphold and promote the school’s mission.
Montessori Academy is a private, non-profit, non-sectarian institution of learning, serving children from 12 months through grade 12. Founded in 1998, Montessori Academy is housed in a purpose-built, 30,000 square foot state-of-the-art building that meets the unique needs of a Montessori educational environment, situated on 8 acres of rural land in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. The next Head of School at Montessori Academy will inspire the collaboration of the community to build upon the school’s many strengths to promote a educationally, financially, and socially healthy organization.
AT A GLANCE FOUNDED
1998
ENROLLMENT
120 students, student-faculty ratio is approximately 10:1
GRADE LEVELS
12-months through 12th Grade
STAFF
25 full- and part-time
FACILITIES
30,000 sq. ft. building on 8-acre rural campus
FINANCIAL AID
Approximately 30% percent of students receive financial aid
ACCREDITATION
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS)
CERTIFICATION
Licensed by the State of PA
AFFILIATION
American Montessori Society
TAX EXEMPT
Registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
GOVERNED BY
Board of Directors consisting of 9- 18 members
In 1988, the Montessori School was founded for preschool children. The school offered unique educational and developmental experiences. The school quickly grew to include children from 18 months through 6th grade.
THE ACADEMY
In 1998, Montessori Academy, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, was formed to direct and oversee the elementary program for 1st through 6th grades. In response to the community’s need for an alternative middle school program aimed at preparing students for a secondary/college preparatory education, the Academy was expanded to include 7th and 8th grades. In 2007, the Montessori Academy and the Montessori School merged to form the non-profit Montessori Academy of Chambersburg. The Academy now offers a comprehensive Montessori education for students age 12 months through 12th grade. Prompted by increasing enrollment and the addition of new programs, stakeholders identified the need for a new facility specifically tailored to the growing needs of the students and responsive to the unique teaching Montessori style. The current building was designed to facilitate holistic learning grounded in Montessori principles of education. The architectural design features several pods, each housing multi-age classrooms.
MONTESSORI EDUCATION • The primary goal of a Montessori program is to help children reach their full potential in all areas of life. Activities promote the development of social skills, emotional growth, and physical coordination as well as academic preparation. The aim of the Montessori classroom is to encourage active, self-directed learning and to strike a balance of individual mastery within small group collaboration. • Montessori children are adaptable. They learn to work independently and in groups. Since they’ve been encouraged to make decisions from an early age, these children are problem-solvers who can make choices and manage their time well. They have also been encouraged to exchange ideas and to discuss their work freely with others. Montessori programs help children develop the confidence to face challenges, overcome difficulty and actively participate in their educational experience.
Students are divided into multi-age classrooms across the school including: - Primary Program, which includes the Toddler Room (ages 12 months-3 years) - Children’s Houses (ages 3-6) - Elementary Program (grades 1 – 3) - Upper Elementary (grades 4 - 6) - Middle School Program (grades 7 & 8) - High School Program (grades 9-12)
ACADEMIC & SPECIALTY PROGRAMS
The curriculum at Montessori Academy is designed to meet the needs of students who are preparing for a secondary/college preparatory school, but is flexible enough to meet the needs of students with other goals. Students with special needs are considered for admission as long as no alterations to our curriculum are required. Reasonable accommodations are made.
CURRICULUM: PRIMARY PROGRAM The PRIMARY PROGRAM’S curriculum is based on the prepared environment and respect for the child. The program focuses on building the foundation for the special individuals children will grow to become. Each activity the toddler explores deals with a particular theme, skill or subject of value to toddler development. We have created a safe and nurturing environment. The Toddler program is designed to be the first away-from-home experience for most children who are not yet toilet-trained.
CURRICULUM: CHILDREN’S HOUSE The goal of the CHILDREN’S HOUSES is to develop personal independence, concentration, self-motivation, and a genuine love of learning. Self-discipline and social competence develop quickly as the children interact with peers. Older students gain self-esteem by aiding younger students, while younger students learn from older peers. Students learn through the use of manipulative materials as well as through teacher guidance. Activities include: language arts, mathematics, geography, nature studies, science, practical living skills, art, music, creative movement and Spanish. This is a five-day a week program for children who are toilettrained.
The LOWER ELEMENTARY curriculum incorporates the wide array of Montessori multi-sensory materials, which allows our students to explore mathematics, physical science, biology, geography, history, social studies and Spanish. The younger children form an impressionistic understanding of the world in which they live which provides the foundation for more indepth learning using reading, writing, calculation, and presentation. As the students progress through Lower Elementary, their reasoning becomes more abstract and their research becomes more specific. The curriculum also becomes more indepth with lessons ranging from history of mathematics to chemistry, geometry, algebra and literature.
The Upper Elementary curriculum is structured on a three-year continuum. A comprehensive and rigorous curriculum utilizing Montessori multi-sensory materials for history, science, math and language arts provides the core of the Upper Elementary academic experience. The Middle School curriculum is based on a two-year continuum. The program is designed to prepare students for the demands of public and private high schools. Students utilize textbooks, simulations, handson activities and direct instruction; they complete research papers, presentations and projects .
The High School program collaborates with the Pennsylvania Leadership Cyber School. This allows students to choose from a myriad of classes for their high school curriculum. Working online with live teachers, working with area colleges for labs and Early to College Programs, and working with area businesses for job shadowing experiences, this program brings to life the students’ academic and career goals.
• Technology is an integral part of the Montessori • classroom. The Lower Elementary students use computer software and internet resources to develop keyboarding skills and support their lessons, while the Upper Elementary, Middle and High School students are expected • to complete research projects and write reports on computers, develop PowerPoint presentations, participate in interactive lessons, and study a variety of learning materials.
Field trips are also an important part of our curriculum. These experiences enhance the education of your child and participation is mandatory. In addition to the core academic subjects, Montessori Academy provides Spanish instruction to students in Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary and Middle School. Athletic programs are coordinated during school hours through various recreational facilities throughout the Franklin County area.
SPORTS AND EXTRACURRICULAR Our Physical Education Program serves students from our Lower Elementary through High School. In Physical Education classes, each student takes part in a variety of games and sports that help develop coordination, a capacity for teamwork, and a sense of joy in movement. Elementary students have the opportunity to participate in interscholastic soccer organized by the Chambersburg Recreation Department. Our Montessori Mustangs team plays other schools in Franklin County. Students learn basic sports skills, teamwork and sportsmanship.
ARTS & AUXILIARY PROGRAMS
Performing and Visual Arts are an important part of the Montessori Academy experience. Students of all ages participate in our International Day Program and Winter Program. Elementary through high school students perform in our Spring Show and Talent Show. Students have the opportunity to act, sing and dance. There are also opportunities to design and build sets and to make and coordinate costumes. Our after school Drama Club puts on Dinner and a Show. Arrangements can be made to enroll students in private music lessons during or after the school day.
SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAMS
Montessori Academy of Chambersburg offers numerous supplemental programs which are a notable source of revenue and serve as a support system for the school’s community of working parents. The before and after school programs are attended by approximately 40% of Montessori Academy students. In the before and after school programs students engage in a multi-age model that offers opportunities for arts and craft creation, exploration of Montessori materials, gross motor play and outdoor activities. Afternoon clubs at Montessori Academy of Chambersburg are designed to encompass multidisciplinary subjects that are tailored to specific ages, groups and levels. In the past, afternoon clubs have included drama, chess, knitting, and dance fitness.
SUMMER PROGRAM The summer program is a critical offering for working families of Montessori Academy of Chambersburg. For nine weeks of summer, children engage in curriculum centered around themes such as cooking, coral reefs, Olympic games, pottery, gardening and STEM. Enrollment in the summer program has nearly doubled in the past two years. This growth is due in part to the leadership of a dedicated staff-person, the program’s strong reputation, and its diverse offerings across age levels. This program is an important source of revenue for the start of each fiscal year.
COMMUNITY AND DIVERSITY • Montessori Academy is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian educational organization. At Montessori Academy we embrace and celebrate the diversity of our world. Our families represent many cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, family structures, sex and sexual orientations, gender identities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Our interactions across our entire community are characterized by guiding principles of respect, equity, justice, humanity, peace, and personal responsibility. • We oppose discrimination and consciously recognize the value of diversity throughout our hiring practices, admission process, classroom composition, professional development, and community activities.
FACILITIES In 2004, Montessori Academy relocated to a newly constructed 30,000 square foot building on eight acres of rural land. Designed by Voith and McTavish Architects of Philadelphia, this state-of-the-art building meets the unique needs of a Montessori educational environment.
STRENGTHS
• Purpose-built, owned facility in a rural setting • Experienced, committed faculty and staff • Active, engaged Board of Trustees • Established traditions including field trips, productions and fundraising events • A strong sense of family within the school community • Small classes and individual attention
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
• Preserve the sense of community and diversity at Montessori Academy. • Market the unique Montessori Academy mission and vision and its high value versus its cost in the Franklin county community while helping to dispel the misconceptions that it is a religious, elitist or special education school. • Maintain and build enrollment and generate revenue outside of the traditional streams. • Increase fundraising through active and broad cultivation of key and promising local relationships and school alumni. • Maintain the positive, collaborative relationships with staff, parents, and students •Be an active and visible presence in the local and corporate communities in order to promote Montessori Academy • Communicate clearly and consistently to all constituents of the Montessori Academy • Attract, retain, develop, inspire, mentor, supervise and evaluate the faculty and staff to preserve high quality and consistency • Ensure that appropriate administrative policies and procedures are in place and followed • Pursue the strategic goals developed by and agreed upon with the Board of Directors.
CANDIDATE QUALITIES Requirements: ● Master’s degree or higher in Education (or equivalent) ● Five or more years of teaching experience ● Hold or ability to obtain Pennsylvania Administrative Certificate or Principal K - 12 Certification ● Dedication to the Montessori method and philosophy ● Experience in the direct supervision of faculty / staff ● Fluency in English with excellent verbal and written communication skills Preferred qualifications: ● Administrator certification in Montessori education (AMI/AMS) ● Montessori teaching credentials for one level or more (early childhood and/or elementary) ● Experience in organizational growth and management, preferably with a non-profit school ● Demonstrated financial and business acumen
To Apply
Applications should be made via email to our Search Consultant: Dr. Brooke Carroll at brooke@AciesStrategies.com. Please include a cover letter, your resume, a Statement of Educational Philosophy (less than 500 words), and the names and contact information for 5 professional references. Montessori Academy of Chambersburg does not discriminate against any person in admission, employment, or otherwise on the basis of race, color, religious creed, gender or sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability (unless such disability prevents performance of the work involved), or on any other basis prohibited by law.