King’s Ridge Christian School Alpharetta, Georgia Headmaster July 2017 www.kingsridgecs.org
The Position The Board of Trustees of King’s Ridge Christian School seeks a dynamic, strategic, and visionary Headmaster to passionately lead the school toward its vision of making King’s Ridge an exemplary, Christ-centered, academically excellent, college-preparatory school known for building Christian character and equipping students to find their unique purpose for success in life.
Mission King’s Ridge Christian School is a Christian community providing a college preparatory education equipping students to know, to serve, and to believe.
Statement of Faith King’s Ridge Christian School is a mulit-denominational Christian school. Therefore, as one of its first priorities, the school’s Board of Trustees created and adopted a Statement of Faith.
The next Headmaster will be a strong Christian leader who is committed to inspiring, educating, knowing, and caring for the students, faculty, staff, parents, the surrounding community, and friends of the King’s Ridge Christian School community. The ideal candidate for Headmaster will have academic leadership experience with a substantial background and proven success leading the growth of a school, taking academics and co-curricular programs to the next level of excellence, fundraising for capital improvements, and establishing a strong financial foundation needed for a dynamic and growing Christian school. The mindsets of a builder with skills of a fundraiser are key attributes for the new leader of King’s Ridge.
GOD We believe in the one sovereign and loving God, the Creator and Ruler of all things in heaven and earth. God exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
JESUS CHRIST We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus is both fully God and fully man and was without sin. He died on the cross for our sins, was buried, resurrected from the dead, ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
HOLY SPIRIT We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, convicting us of our sin and need for Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit comforts, teaches and empowers us to live in righteousness.
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The School King’s Ridge Christian School is unapologetically Christ-based and perpetuates high academic standards. The school is resolute in providing an academic experience that is four-dimensional (knowledge, skills, character, and meta-learning) and encourages students to work with excellence at their highest level. KRCS provides diverse offerings in fine arts, athletics, service, and faith-based programs to reveal the uniqueness of each student and create an exceptional school and community experience. The Christian instruction is multi-denominational and focused on integrating the Bible into all aspects of academic and co-curricular activities to prepare students to draw upon their faith in their daily lives. In 15 short years, King’s Ridge has grown from its beginnings—195 students in a converted grocery store—to a vibrant and dynamic school with 900 students in Pre-K through Grade 12. This God-guided
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journey of growth continues with the goal of achieving maximum enrollment of 1,250 students and a fully built 80-acre campus. Despite rapid growth, the 9/1 student teacher ratio insures the school will meet its most publically stated strength: “At King’s Ridge you and your child will be known.” Students come to the King’s Ridge community primarily from within a 10-mile radius that includes North Fulton and adjoining counties in Greater Atlanta. The motivating charge for all faculty, staff, students, and parents is creating an “IRRESISTIBLE COMMUNITY!” Protecting the strong spirit of a Christian community and increasing awareness of KRCS as an asset in the broader North Atlanta community are critical to the growth of the school.
Academic Program Academics are offered through a PreK-12 scope and sequence. The Biblically integrated college prep curriculum is designed to equip students with a strong foundation for college level work and application for lifelong experiences. Academics prepare students to ingest information, connect ideas, apply theories in multiple situations, and transfer knowledge to new settings. Academics also train students to develop a curiosity to know, to occasionally operate in ambiguity, and to push through when things become difficult. The academic program goal at every level is for each student to be the very best s/he can be as an individual student. When students reach high school, they are offered three academic paths in each discipline; college prep, honors, and Advanced Placement courses offer a mix of rigor, enabling each student to focus on his/her natural areas of mastery while maximizing aptitude in other academic disciplines. At all three levels, academic support specialists are available daily to assist students’ development. The technology-rich classrooms expand teachers’ options to engage students and offer a variety of relevant instructional methods to meet diverse learning styles. The curriculum is rounded out with required and elective offerings in Christian education, physical education, and fine arts to allow for the pursuit of passions and expression of creativity.
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College Enrollment Below are some of the colleges & universities offering acceptance to KRCS graduates: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Auburn University Baylor University Clemson University Coastal Carolina University College of Charleston College of William & Mary Columbia University Denison University Emory University Furman University Georgetown College Georgia Southern University Indiana University Johns Hopkins University Kenyon College The King’s College Loyola Univ.-New Orleans McGill University Mercer University Newbury College New York University Nichols College The Ohio State University Purdue University Rhodes College Savannah Coll. of Art & Design Sewanee-Univ. of the South St. Mary’s College (IN) Stetson University Southern Methodist U. Tulane University University of Maryland University of Miami UNC-Chapel Hill University of Richmond University of South Carolina Vanderbilt University Virginia Tech University Wake Forest University Washington & Lee Univ. Wheaton College Wofford College
Signature Initiative: JOURNEY For Life Impact JOURNEY For Life Impact is the DNA of the King’s Ridge student experience. As a Christian school, King’s Ridge recognizes each person is created with unique gifts and talents designed by God to serve a higher purpose. JOURNEY For Life Impact uses an intentionally integrated PreK-12 approach to help students identify and nurture a personal understanding of their particular areas of talent and what most excites them. This self-discovery is facilitated through daily experiences in the classroom and co-curricular social interactions on the field, the court, or the stage. Students can safely experiment and navigate the discovery process, bringing clarity to individual areas of strength and the unique path each student will follow. A key goal of the initiative is for students to learn who they are, whose they are based on their relationship with Christ and how Christ is at work within them, and what they were created to do. By answering these three questions they will move on from King’s Ridge knowing how to serve in exemplary ways, and will be sought out by universities and employers because of their clarity of purpose. The JOURNEY for Life Impact allows a child to be KNOWN through: • Identifying purpose and calling. What talents and gifts did God choose for me and how am I to use them? In what types of jobs will I be able to contribute and bring value? • Connecting God to their heart. How am I wired to serve? Where do I see God already at work? How has He created me to reach others? How do I learn more about His direction for my life? • Relational Agility. How do I relate to others? What can I learn from those in other cultures to understand how to serve them best? How can I make others feel comfortable? How can we work together and collaborate? • Life Functioning. How can I improve my effectiveness? How do I best communicate? What motivates me? Inspires me? How does self-efficacy impact success? How do I navigate around my challenges? • Meta-Cognition. How do I learn best? What is my academic approach to gaining knowledge? How do I apply it? What experiences contribute to becoming a life-long learner? Do I work through challenges and not give up when it gets hard?
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Faculty The high quality and caring nature of the faculty is King’s Ridge’s greatest strength and remains at the heart of its excellent educational, faith-based, and character outcomes. The school leadership and Board strongly believe, “No school ever exceeds the quality of its teachers.” Teachers at KRCS directly impact students and inspire them as educational and relational mentors. Faculty members are the key to the King’s Ridge experience. As they model lifelong learning and a personal Christian faith, they must love working with students and perceive working at KRCS as more than a job—it is a calling to invest in students and prepare them for a life of impact. To continue to hire and retain talented and engaged faculty and staff members, King’s Ridge Christian School continuously provides expanding professional development opportunities. KRCS has grown to 166 faculty and staff with annual turnover rate below 6%. The average years of service are over four years in the lower school, five years in the middle school, and four years in the high school. The middle and high schools have been growing rapidly toward capacity, which accounts for the lower average years of service. In the last two years we have added three earned doctorates and hired five faculty members from the university ranks to better assist our students in preparing for their next level of education.
Physical Campus The King’s Ridge campus includes 72 acres of beautiful, rolling, wooded terrain, upon which sits 175,000 sq. ft. of building space. The first building, which houses the Lower School, is the Barbara Adler Academic Center. Completed in 2007, the facility housed all grades (K-12) during that year. In the fall of 2008, the classrooms that make up the current Middle School were built using modular construction. In the same year, a 37,000 sq. ft. Student Center was dedicated. The latest addition to the King’s Ridge campus came in 2013, when the 48,000 sq. ft. high school building and the Kendrick Center for Life Impact opened. The school has two full gymnasiums and three adjoining athletic fields on campus, as well. A master plan for the campus was developed in 2008. The school is currently entering into a new capital effort to add the second phase of the high school building as well as a baseball field and tennis courts. The campus will continue to change as King’s Ridge positions itself to serve a planned student enrollment of 1,250 in outstanding facilities.
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Governance and Leadership The King’s Ridge Christian School Board is made up of 14 highly qualified and experienced trustees. The Board operates through a very efficient committee structure. The Board committees are Education, Advancement, Building and Grounds, Christian Life, Communications, Nominating, and Finance. The main focus of the Board is to uphold the mission of the school and provide strategic direction and fiduciary oversight to ensure the school has the resources to meet its mission and growth goals. The Board is dedicated to serving as collaborators, resources, and advisors to the Headmaster to ensure his or her long-term success. The school has a very strong and capable leadership team that is the foundation for achieving the school’s long-term vision. The senior leadership includes the Headmaster, Associate Headmaster, and the Chief Financial Officer. The Operations Team, under the Associate Headmaster’s leadership, provides the day-today management of the school. This team includes the Principals from the Lower, Middle and High School and leadership of operational departments including the Directors of Christian Life, JOURNEY for Life Impact, Athletics, Fine Arts, Admission/Marketing, Technology and Facilities. Together, this vibrant, successful, and collaborative group is poised to facilitate the future growth of the school.
Alpharetta, Georgia Perfectly positioned between the beautiful North Georgia Mountains and the vibrant international city of Atlanta, Alpharetta conveniently provides quick access to numerous recreational activities that makes the city an exciting and comfortable place to live, work, and do business. Alpharetta offers five unique shopping districts and more than 175 restaurants. For those who enjoy outdoor activities, there are more than 750 acres of parkland in the city, and a short drive will take you to many beautiful recreational areas. Alpharetta also has a flourishing music scene, which includes the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park that draws music lovers from around the Southeast to see their favorite high-profile performers. Alpharetta is the entrepreneurial and tech capital of the Southeastern United States. It is a city of creators and builders. A “what can we accomplish next spirit” permeates the city, the school, and surrounding area. Alpharetta is the 6th fastest growing city in the country according to U.S. Census Bureau. The city boasts a list of accolades from national outlets regarding the quality of life and opportunities for residents: • • • • • • •
#1 place where business is thriving, Entrepreneur (2015), One of the 10 best Atlanta suburbs, Movoto (2015), One of the best places to start a business, Nerdwallet (2015), One of the best cities for women entrepreneurs, Goodcall (2015), Best small city in Georgia, WalletHub (2015), Top 10 friendliest cities in the nation, Forbes #1 best place in the country to move, Forbes.
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The mild climate of the area makes it a very comfortable place to live, work, and play. Aside from the rare, short-term extremes in weather, the majority of days in Alpharetta are highly pleasurable and comfortable year-round compared to many other major metropolitan areas.
The Headmaster The Head of King’s Ridge Christian School is the chief executive officer and administrator of the school, serving as the only employee of the Board of Trustees. It is the Head’s responsibility to provide oversight of all academic, enrollment, personnel, compensation, fundraising, and management of the budget and facilities. The new Headmaster must be comfortable leading and relating to others in an overtly Christian manner and be passionate about blending academics and faith. Additionally, the new Headmaster must: • Personify and inspire excellence and serve as the positive face of the school to internal and external constituent groups • Have a track record of fundraising success • Be strategic, resourceful, and actively seeking new ideas and approaches in order to set the direction for four-dimensional education and for students to serve with excellence at their highest levels • Make sound capital investments, establish and meet financial goals, and achieve overall operational excellence • Inspire internally and raise awareness of KRCS externally • Provide collaborative, decisive, and courageous leadership • Be a relational servant leader who builds strong relationships with students, parents, faculty, staff, foundations, and donors.
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Strengths of the School The next Headmaster will enter a community with abundant strengths. The academic offerings are highly regarded college prep programs. The fine arts programs produce outstanding performances, portfolios, and state literary champions. Athletic teams have won state championships since moving up to the Georgia High School Association and others are strengthening and improving each year. One hundred percent college placement of graduates and the success of KRCS alumni in college validate the KRCS mission as a college preparatory school. The beautiful campus setting and state-of-the-art facilities are impressive. The school community is exceptionally strong, possessing an uncommon passion and pride for the school. The new Headmaster will be charged to maintain and improve all of the positive aspects the school has developed in its first 15 years: • A strong and openly Christian school that emphasizes Biblical truths and non- denominational doctrine • Amazing success in the development of a new school from ground zero • Excellent and committed faculty dedicated to Christian education with a strong college prep/academic emphasis • A culture of individualized learning in which each student’s strengths are developed and celebrated as they become the best student they can be • Warm, nurturing teacher relationships which continue long after students graduate from the school • A passionately committed and supportive community of students, faculty, staff, and parents • Balanced program of academics, athletics, fine arts, offered with a Christian emphasis • Beautiful attractive facilities and campus. • Extensive leadership and service opportunities for students.
Opportunities Ahead King’s Ridge will be in growth mode for many years and the new Headmaster must be experienced and comfortable leading growth and continual change for the purpose of improvement. The next Headmaster will lead the strategic planning efforts to help the school reach its full potential while navigating the challenges the school may face over the next decade. The next leader will be both visionary and resourceful in order to establish and execute a vision for the future while anticipating the challenges that may arise on the journey. As well, to achieve growth goals, the next Headmaster needs to be a persuasive and articulate advocate for the school, both internally and in the wider community.
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The new leader will need to drive strategy to achieve certain key objectives in the following areas: Financial • Build relationships and develop plans to raise funds for operational needs and capital campaigns • Strengthen the financial foundation commensurate with the school’s reputation, vision, and size Growth • Achieve growth without compromising KRCS’s Christian mission, faith principles, quality, characteristics of student body, and irresistible Christian community • Identify and navigate the changing life and academic skills KRCS graduates will require for a lifetime of success • Set direction to propel academics, co-curricular programs, and the KRCS community to the next level of excellence and phase of growth • Lead the community in transitioning from an established, growing school to a fully grown and developed Christian educational community • Complete the campus master plan by funding and building facilities needed to support a complete student experience for 1,250 students • Grow enrollment to full capacity of 1,250 • Continue to attract, develop, and retain excellent Christian faculty and staff • Develop policies and practices to foster the growth of the mission, school, and community External Reputation • Be visible and present in the external community to raise awareness of and create opportunities for the school. Internal Inspiration • Keep the school community informed of the school’s accomplishments, issues, and challenges • Foster the school’s “irresistible community” by building strong relationships with the faculty, staff, students, parents, alumna, and external community The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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Qualifications and Qualities of the next Headmaster The favored candidate will be a Christian servant leader who is relational about sharing his/her faith; takes a strategic and innovative approach to growing the school, programs, and community, and has a warm, positive, empathetic presence. The favored candidate will be a strong, collaborative leader who can inspire excellence, engage the internal and external communities, and lead growth and change. A track record of fundraising success is critical, as is the ability to steward and maintain the King’s Ridge Christian School’s mission, vision, and values. While there will be varying degrees and levels of these qualifications and qualities, the successful candidate will have: Experiences • Long-term, dedicated, and active involvement with a local church • Highly successful leadership in a well-regarded independent or public school • Success in a growing school environment, (e.g., funding new construction, growing enrollment, etc.) • Proven fundraising success (operational and capital campaigns) • Overseeing building projects • PhD or Master’s Degree • Proven track record in creating and fulfilling an inspirational vision. Skills and Knowledge • Strategic thinking and planning • Strong critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making abilities • Strong verbal and written communication • Inspirational and comfortable public speaker • Able to facilitate transparent, open communication • Ability to delegate and hold others accountable for high levels of performance • Build and maintain relationships • Lead, build, and inspire high-performance creative teams • Knowledgeable and up-to-date on new trends in independent private school education • Business and financial acumen. Personal Characteristics • Christian who is able to share his or her faith • Love of children and families • Outgoing, optimistic, and positive • Highly motivated to be the leader of King’s Ridge • Innovative, progressive and relevant • Decisive • Resourceful • High Emotional Intelligence • Humble The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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Leadership Style • A Christian leader whose faith is central to their actions, decisions, and behaviors • A visionary who sets direction, and paints a compelling vision of the future that people want to follow and donors want to support • Inspires all constituencies of the school to be the best they can be • Embraces new and innovative ways to improve the school • Balances collaboration, decisiveness, and courage to make the best decisions for the school.
To Apply
• To apply for the Headmaster at King’s Ridge Christian School, candidates should submit the following materials electronically to Bob Windham of Carney, Sandoe & Associates: • • A cover letter explaining the reasons for your interest in and qualifications for becoming the next Headmaster at King’s Ridge Christian School • A current résumé • A personal statement outlining your leadership style • A personal statement of your Christian faith journey • The names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of five references to: Bob Windham bob.windham@carneysandoe.com Senior Search Consultant Carney, Sandoe & Associates 44 Bromfield Street, Boston, MA 02138 Consultant Office: San Antonio, Texas www.carneysandoe.com
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