Gersh Academy Issaquah, Washington Founding Executive Director
(start date depends on candidate availability) gershacademy.org
Vision and Mission Gersh Academy’s vision is a world where individuals on the autism spectrum are empowered to thrive. Our mission is to provide an environment where programs and services are customized around individual needs.
“Why would you settle for the ordinary when you can be doing the extraordinary?” Kim Doxey, Director West Hills Montessori and West Hills Academy (The Gersh Organization)
Position Overview The Gersh Organization is a comprehensive group of programs united by a set of five core values and focused on providing an environment where programs and services are customized around students’ individual needs, both inside and outside the classroom. After 20 years of operating schools and programs for children on the autism spectrum in New York and Puerto Rico, Gersh Academy is expanding to the Pacific Northwest to meet the increasing demand for high quality school programs and services for students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). At the core of everything Gersh Academy does is a commitment to excellence. They not only do what is right for their students and families, they are always looking to develop innovative and creative approaches of support and expand the collective knowledge of the community of organizations that service ASD students and their families. A unique and limitless opportunity exists in Issaquah, Washington, to leverage their curriculum and vocational philosophies to create new and exciting experiences that benefit students, their families and the community. The school is located on an amazing piece of property at Cougar Mountain, a suburb of Seattle, which houses both a remarkable zoo where visitors can get “up close and personal” with the animals as well as a facility that previously housed Cougar Mountain Academy and is turnkey ready for a school such as Gersh Academy. The opportunity to develop and include therapies utilizing the zoo is exactly the kind of creativity that excites the Gersh leadership team. The “Eastside” of Lake Washington is one of the fastest growing regions of the most rapidly growing metropolitan area in the country and is not only home to Microsoft, but a burgeoning tech industry that includes Facebook, Google, and countless other leading tech companies. The Gersh Organization has spent the last year strengthening its core of support at its headquarters in Huntington, New York—including Human Resources, Marketing, Accounting, Operations and The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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Legal—to support its growing family of on-the-ground service providers. It seeks a founding Executive Director to launch Gersh Academy in the greater Seattle area in the fall of 2018. With as much as a year to prepare and strong support from the home office in New York, the new Executive Director will be responsible for building the program from the start and connecting with the local education community and professionals serving autism spectrum disorder, while also educating families about the Gersh approach to introduce the program and build student enrollment. This position is available immediately, but most likely will commence in July of 2017.
The Gersh Organization Established in 1991, the Gersh Organization is dedicated to changing the lives of children on the autism spectrum. It is built on Kevin Gersh’s personal experience and professional commitment to provide opportunities, inspiration, and guidance for every child to reach their full potential, regardless of the challenges they face. Gersh’s family of programs provides support to children on the autism spectrum and their families: • Gersh Academy: Established in 1999, a school for children ages 5-21 on the autism spectrum. • Gersh International: Established in 2012 and located in Puerto Rico, a school for children ages 5-21 on the autism spectrum. • Gersh Experience: Established in 2007, a supported living program for young adults age 18 and over on the autism spectrum. • Gersh Academy at West Hills Day Camp: Established in 2009, a summer camp for children in grade 1 through age 18 on the autism spectrum. • Gersh Social Club: Established in 2012, an after school program for children ages 5-14 on the autism spectrum. • Therapy Solutions: Established in 2013 and located in Puerto Rico, an occupational, physical, and speech therapy service provider for children ages 5-18.
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The Gersh Values OUR HEART IS AT THE CORE OF EVERYTHING WE DO Because our hearts will always lead us in the right direction We are caring and compassionate with others. We go out of our way to help others. We go above and beyond what is expected because it is the right thing to do. We create a warm and supportive environment where everyone matters. WE ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE When we aim for the stars, we always reach our full potential We understand that our work is a reflection of us and we strive for success. We are never satisfied with mediocrity and are continuously looking for ways to improve. We think outside the box and look for creative solutions. We are open to feedback to better ourselves and our work. WE ACT WITH INTEGRITY We know it’s up to us to make a difference We do the right thing even when no one is looking. We are honest with ourselves and others. We are the best version of ourselves every day. We lead by example and know when to get help. We hold ourselves to the highest standards. We do not let the actions of others stop us from doing what is right. OUR ENVIRONMENT IS WARM AND FRIENDLY Because a smile is contagious We are open and approachable to everyone. We respect and listen to others and their needs. We help those around us even when it’s not our job. We strive to maintain a positive and open work environment. We create a warm and supportive environment where everyone matters. WE USE A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH As individuals we are special, but together we are unstoppable We figure out who needs to be involved and we involve them. We keep an open mind and work hard at listening to others. We know when to dream and when to make a decision. We understand our strengths and the strengths of others. We use other people’s skills and abilities to complement our own. search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
The Gersh Culture Working at Gersh Academy is not for everyone. Kevin Gersh, Founder and CAO (Chief Autism Officer), describes himself as a visionary and perfectionist who desires to have people in his organization who will actualize his vision and help create a customized environment for all students and their families. While being a strong leader, it is said by his team that they have the freedom to run their own program and do what is right for the students and their families. They describe Gersh as a culture that welcomes innovative ideas and is a “safe” place to try new ideas and creative approaches. It is not a place for the timid; it’s not a place for those lacking passion or commitment; it is not a place for nine-to-fivers. Gersh Academy is a place for educators who are frustrated with bureaucracy; people with a bias for action; it’s a place for creative minds who, at their very core, burn with passion for helping students on the autism spectrum thrive, and it is a place, as Kim Doxey said, for people who want to do something extraordinary. Ultimately, Gersh Academy is a place for those who want to be a leader in autism and are asking only one question: how are we going to get creative and make it work? In other words, Gersh Academy is an organization of go-getters. It is an organization that lives by its five core values. It is an organization striving to be the leader in providing customized support and service and doing whatever it takes to meet the needs of its students and their families.
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Gersh Academy Gersh Academy defines its student population as “anyone whose primary diagnosis is autism spectrum disorder.” It is often the case that students may have multiple diagnoses. Because the spectrum is broad, the school groups students based on various behavioral, academic, social and physical needs. This means that classes vary in focus and one-to-one teaching support. Gersh rejects the “one-size-fits-all” approach and believes that each student deserves nothing less than the best individualized and customized learning plan. Initially, Gersh Academy in Issaquah envisions opening with approximately 50 students in grades K through 8. At some point down the road, if demand is present, it may expand to include high school years.
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The facility has multiple buildings with classrooms, an auditorium, offices, and ample space.
The Facility A short distance from the Lakemont exit off I-90, you drive up a short hill, wind into the woods and there sits the Cougar Mountain Zoo and a turnkey school that used to house Cougar Mountain Academy. It’s hard to imagine such a serene, quiet, and rural-feeling campus literally minutes from the busy interstate, Issaquah’s Gilman Boulevard, and countless housing developments. But remarkably, there it is. There is safe off-street access for students, ample parking, and multiple buildings that create a warm nurturing atmosphere. Even though the prior school is closed, the facility looks ready to accept students. You are greeted by what is proudly labeled as the largest cougar sculpture in the world, and you are surrounded by the elements of the zoo. It is literally hard to tell where the zoo stops and the school starts. In addition to several classroom buildings, there is a spacious auditorium and multiple outdoor learning and play spaces. Given the unique population of students that Gersh Academy will serve, the possibilities seem endless.
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Befitting its setting nestled in the woods, there is a safe and enclosed outdoor play area.
The Position The Executive Director (ED) will be the first employee of Gersh Academy in Issaquah. This individual will report to Kevin Gersh, CEO, and be responsible for building the program and team. While there are substantial support resources from the “home office,” this is truly a start-up opportunity. The facility has been chosen and is ready to go—a big head start for a new school. The ED will be responsible for building a high-touch, individualized academic and student support program, utilizing best practices and innovative approaches (for example, leveraging the adjacent zoo). With support from the HR team, the ED will be charged with selecting the right team to actualize that vision. The exact structure of the team, particularly in the area of the student-facing academic and support program, will be determined around the skill set of the Executive Director. It will be up to the ED, in consultation with those in Gersh’s home office, to design the optimal administrative and academic structure to best meet the needs of the students and their families.
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Desirable Skills and Characteristics When the Director who started the Gersh Academy in Puerto Rico was asked what she felt were essential skill sets that she needed when launching her school, she quickly replied, “multi-tasking.” In fact, the ability to keep many balls in the air at once, shift gears quickly, and be flexible and adaptable while remaining highly organized and focused, are key attributes of any successful startup leader. Among the specific skills needed are: • • • • • • • • • • • •
A knowledge of and passion for serving students on the autism spectrum Constantly plugging into thought leadership and emerging practices in special needs education Working knowledge of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Absolutely a self-starter with get-it-done-now drive; able to organize and prioritize in order to accomplish many things effectively and promptly A strong customer-service mentality, constantly able to empathize with students and their families A can-do determination that nothing is impossible, we just have to figure out how to make it work Experience building and leading teams of highly motivated, highly skilled professionals Experience with establishing the full range of school policies and procedures, from transportation, health and safety, attendance, scheduling, and after-school programs, to parent communications, security, facility maintenance, and food policies A natural connector—someone who seeks out and builds relationships with individuals, organizations, and especially students and families Someone familiar with the landscape of special needs education in Washington State and the greater Seattle area Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to be the external face of the school with a broad variety of individuals and groups; able to persuasively make a compelling case for the program of the school Familiarity with admissions and building enrollment, including modern digital tools increasingly
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relied upon by the current generation of parents • Tech savvy and proficient with multiple technology platforms and software • While most accounting functions will be centralized in the home office, the ED must have sufficient financial literacy to manage a budget and understand the financial realities of decisions being made
To Apply Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials: • A cover letter explaining your interest in this particular position and what you believe you bring vis a vis this position description • A current résumé • Statement of philosophy for serving students with special needs, in particular those on the autism spectrum • A list of five (5) professional references with name, phone number and email address of each to: Skip Kotkins Senior Search Consultant skip.kotkins@carneysandoe.com
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