New Common School Foundation
Detroit, Michigan Executive Director Fall 2015
Mission
“Our broad and beloved community of friends will make possible an excellent education for children to prepare them for life and leadership. On this journey we will seek to follow Jesus as a sure path to a fulfilling life and servant leadership.”
Vision “We see transformed lives, for good; and a new city for all.”
Philosophy “We believe all children are created in the image and likeness of God and are endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights and abundant purpose.”
The Position The mission of the Detroit-based New Common School Foundation (NCSF) is to develop a sustainable model of excellence for a “new common school” for all students, provide scholarship and learning opportunities for urban children, develop partner programs to enrich the education of children, purchase facilities for their use, and create fundraising events to assist grant making and fund development in mission areas. The Foundation helps support the Cornerstone Schools, which currently serve over 2,200 children in the Detroit area through one independent and four charter schools, with an ultimate goal of enrolling 5,000 students plus additional students online. Most recently, the independent school opened a leadership and business high school with a goal of enrolling over 200 students. Deloitte has formed a unique partnership with Cornerstone to create a beta for the Deloitte Cornerstone Career Pathways program. In 1990, Detroit Cardinal Adam Maida gave a speech to the Detroit Economic Club. He asked the community to help build cornerstones for the city. One cornerstone was to be a Christ-centered schooling alternative that would provide the children of Detroit with access to a highquality education. More than 20 years later, the fact that Cornerstone Schools Association (CSA) was named the number one primary school by Excellent Schools Detroit speaks to a vision fulfilled. In fact, CNN featured the school in a segment entitled “How One School Gets It Right.” This success was translated to a subsequent effort, namely, Cornerstone Charter Schools.
The Cornerstone Charter Schools (CCS) provide an excellent education for Detroit’s children, based on a foundation of integrity and good character that prepares them for a fulfilling life and leadership. In their first year as charter schools, both Cornerstone Charter Academies were named in the top 10 by Excellent Schools Detroit. Two more Cornerstone Charter Schools opened in 2012, including a charter health and technology high school, to bring the Cornerstone experience to even more children. At this time The New Common School Foundation seeks an Executive Director to oversee all external functions of the Foundation involving the Cornerstone Schools Association and the Cornerstone Charter Schools, including fundraising and development communications. Working with Board members of CSA, CCS, and NCSF, as well as CSA’s and CCS’s executive directors and advancement staff, the successful candidate will help all Cornerstone schools, and others to come, achieve the goals of “One Cornerstone,” a strategic planning effort begun in 2014. “One Cornerstone” recognizes and will strive to better unify CSA’s and CCS’s operations and educational offerings while maintaining the necessary integrity of the public and independent spheres. The position reports directly to Clark Durant, President of NCSF and the co-founder of the Cornerstone Schools.
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The Schools Cornerstone Schools Association For over 20 years, Cornerstone Schools Association (www.cornerstoneschools.org) has provided an exceptional education to Detroit students. The Christ-centered, data-driven, rigorous approach of this school has produced amazing results: Excellent Schools Detroit ranked Cornerstone’s primary and middle school the number one and number two schools in the city; students average one to two grade levels above state norms in all subjects; 95% of students graduate; and 91% of students pursue higher learning—including at the nation’s top colleges and universities. The first class of 14 high school graduates were awarded over $2 million in scholarships and have been admitted to many excellent schools, including Harvard, Morehouse, and the University of Michigan. True to its vision, Cornerstone transforms the lives of the students it enrolls. Topquality educators at Cornerstone set high expectations for their students and teach them how to exceed those expectations. An innovative, comprehensive partnership program pairs each student with a person from the community, who sometimes helps to fund a portion of that student’s education but always provides an example of caring and guidance. Students at Cornerstone enjoy the myriad resources the school has to offer, from internships at local businesses to partnerships with local universities and the nearby Cranbrook Educational Community. The result is a nurturing yet rigorous learning environment that prepares each student for a successful life characterized by servant leadership. At this time, CSA consists of a nonpublic elementary, middle, and high school on the Nevada Street campus. Additionally, CSA licenses its name and other intellectual property to the four current Cornerstone Charter Schools. Cornerstone Charter Schools The Cornerstone Charter Schools (www.cornerstonecharters.org) are grounded in the same unwavering purpose upon which CSA was built– to make possible an excellent education for the children of the city. In their first year as charter schools, both Cornerstone Charter Academies were named in the top 10 by Excellent Schools Detroit. They also opened two more Cornerstone Charter Schools in 2012, including its Health & Technology High School, to broaden the CCS experience throughout the greater Detroit community. CCS is committed to integrating new ways of delivering academics to ensure student success. Every aspect of education is exemplified with a student-centric focus right down to the infrastructure of the buildings and Blended Learning Labs. At Cornerstone Charter Schools, attention to detail is an ongoing process. In this way, The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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each school consistently prepares every child who walks through its doors with an excellent education for today’s changing landscape of learning. CCS strives to fulfill the Cornerstone Promise, to develop its students to: • Be wholesome in character; • Be compassionate and see life as a re sponsibility to give something to the world; • Achieve academic prowess necessary to score a 22 or higher on the ACT; • Be culturally competent…should possess the cultural competencies necessary to live and work in a global society including the ability to speak a second language; • Successfully apply their learning to
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complex, real-world problems; Be problem solvers; Be technologically savvy; Understand and support our country’s founding principles of republic and free enterprise; Be physically fit and have the knowledge and habits to lead a healthy lifestyle; Be financially literate; Enroll in college and complete college coursework prior to high school graduation.
Both CSA and CCS rely heavily on their Partner Program to ensure the success of every child. The Cornerstone Partner Program is a truly unique aspect of all five schools. It exposes the children to an expanded circle of influence by partnering them with a member of the community. This inspiring program creates supportive relationships that often last throughout a student’s years at Cornerstone and beyond. Additionally, both the CSA and CCS believe in character education and share 10 “character words” they instill in their students: patience, love, kindness, goodness, gratitude, gentleness, self-control, peace, citizenship, and faithfulness.
History The original idea for the creation of Cornerstone Schools began in 1990, when Archbishop Adam Maida, new to Detroit, challenged his audience at the Detroit Economic Club “to make all things new” in the culture of the city and suggested a new kind of a school. A small, committed group of business, civic, and religious leaders, including Clark Durant, responded to that call, and Cornerstone was born. The school first opened its doors to 167 students in August of 1991. Today, CSA and Cornerstone Charter Schools serve over 2,200 children in grades PreK-12. One hundred percent of the students are African-American. Cornerstone was first located in 1991 on Linwood Street and Chicago Boulevard in Detroit’s west side on the grounds of the Sacred Heart Major Seminary. It opened a second school the next year in Indian Village in the basement of a Lutheran Church on Detroit’s east side. In 1994, it purchased the old Lutheran School for the Deaf at 6861 East Nevada, a 19-acre property on the east side. This is the current home and only campus The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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of CSA. This campus now serves Pre-K (threeyear-olds) through high school. In 2006, the Linwood campus moved to a newly-acquired, more spacious campus on Grove Street, and the Redford Campus opened, but the severe economic downturn in Detroit in 2008-2009 compelled CSA to convert the Grove and Redford campuses to Cornerstone Charter Schools. They opened in 2010 as the Lincoln King Academy and Washington-Parks Academy, operated by the newly-formed Cornerstone Charter Schools management company. In 2012, Cornerstone Charter Schools opened the Madison-Carver Academy and the Cornerstone Health & Technology High School. In 2011, the Cornerstone Leadership and Business High School opened on the Nevada campus, enrolling 15 freshman students. In 2015, 14 of those students graduated and received over $2 million in college scholarship offers. These graduates will be attending a variety of colleges and universities, including Harvard, Georgetown, Michigan, Michigan State, Wayne State, and Schoolcraft College, among others.
Clark Durant A graduate of Tulane University and the University of Notre Dame Law School, Clark Durant is a co-founder of Cornerstone Schools and The New Common School Foundation. Mr. Durant created, developed, and led Cornerstone Schools’ Partner Program, where each student was paired with a member of the community to create a meaningful relationship essential to the success of the student’s education. Mr. Durant has been deeply involved in pursuing the mission of NCSF and Cornerstone Schools since their inception. Mr. Durant has an impressive list of accomplishments even prior to the 20+ years he has been involved with Cornerstone. He was vice president of Hillsdale College at age 23 and taught a great books program while at Notre Dame. Even at this early age, he was beginning the process of making education his life’s work. Upon the recommendation of then Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole, Mr. Durant served as the bankruptcy trustee of the Ann Arbor Railroad from 1983 to 1988. In this position, he turned a state-owned, state-subsidized railroad, with close to $100 million in debt and claims, into a profitable private sector entity that provided full payment for all court-allowed claims. In 1984, President Reagan nominated Mr. Durant to the Board of the Legal Services Corporation. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and served four years as chairman. He was also a Republican nominee for the Michigan Supreme Court. He was one of four national co-chairs for Jack Kemp’s presidential campaign. In 1994, he was elected to the State Board of Education in Michigan and became President of the Board at the outset of his term. He stepped down from his role as President of the State Board The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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of Education in 1999 in order to focus more on developing the work of the Foundation and the Cornerstone Schools. Durant ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in the 2012 Republican Primary.
Challenges and Responsibilities of the Executive Director For the right individual, this position offers a prime opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to a mission-driven organization providing extraordinary service and life-long impact to Detroit’s children and families. The successful candidate must absolutely embrace the missions of the entities over which s/he will be charged to raise support. Initial priorities and ongoing responsibilities will include: • Leading a needs assessment review for NCSF, CSA, and CCS in consultation with their Presidents and CEOs; • Setting annual fund-raising goals integral to annual budgets of individual schools and Board-approved comprehensive and/or more immediate targeted campaigns; • Formulating, managing, and monitoring short and long-term plans to broaden prospect pools and cultivate and solicit individuals, corporations and foundations; • Developing stewardship processes; • Working with President and Chief Executive Officer, Cornerstone Schools Association and President and Chief Executive Officer, Cornerstone Charter Schools Management Company to establish and coordinate communications of significant initiatives and achievements, as well as community and constituency messaging; • Serving as liaison with constituent Boards and senior staff and faculty leadership; • When needed and appropriate and in coordination with CEOs, acting as Cornerstone Schools spokesperson to media and public; • Working with Legal Counsel to ensure adherence to national and state guidelines and ethical standards. Clark Durant is the face of all the entities and One Cornerstone and has been the principal fundraiser for the organization for over 20 years. Keeping him appropriately involved and utilized as a “closer,” and not necessarily as an identifier or cultivator of prospects, will be essential. The successful candidate will have significant fundraising experience, be well-versed in development best practices, and possess an entrepreneurial spirit necessary to unearth all forms of financial support. As well, the successful candidate must possess the gravitas to be an effective liaison to all Cornerstone schools, an informed spokesperson for the organization as a whole and for each of its separate parts, and a credible and convincing emissary to Detroit’s business, civic and non-profit leaders.
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“I’ve spent my career studying intentional efforts to influence remarkable changes in behavior across the world. Cornerstone’s leaders have developed the most intentional, systematic, and effective system for influencing the lives of young people I have ever seen. They are grounded in good social science, inspired by genuine love, and driven by a commitment to measurement that will ensure they bless the lives of students for many years to come.” -- Joseph Grenny, NYT Bestselling Author
“Education is the key to open the doors of opportunity for our young people. When a child attends Cornerstone Schools, they are entering a learning community that brings together children, parents, teachers, and partners all working toward a single goal -- the success of our children.” -- Former Detroit Mayor Dave Bing
“I want people to know that Cornerstone is no ordinary place. It is a school where you are bound to make lifelong relationships with friends, teachers, and staff. The sense of community is what makes this place amazing, because you have support coming from every direction. With all the love in this environment, students are not only given the knowledge necessary to succeed, but they also gain confidence in themselves.” -- Taylor Blackston, Cornerstone ’07
“Every day provides countless opportunities to meet children on their walk through life, to assist them with challenges, and to celebrate their victories and accomplishments. I have witnessed students overcome insurmountable obstacles with confidence and pride.” -- Joelle Messana, Third Grade Teacher
Experience and Characteristics The ideal candidate will have the following experience and characteristics: • Demonstrated leadership experience; • 10 or more years of fundraising/capital development experience, including a deep understanding of the full scope of development functions, including information services, annual giving, major gifts, campaigns, planned giving, constituent relations, and stewardship; • Demonstrated evidence of his or her ability to raise six and seven-figure gifts; • Demonstrated experience hiring, managing and evaluating development staff and other personnel; • Experience at an institution known for best practices and its track record for attracting voluntary support • Proven ability to create an organizational budget and supervise the administration of a non-profit organization; • Familiarity and comfort managing the communications function, both internally and externally; • Experience and comfort working with governance Boards and standing committees; • Familiarity with the Detroit philanthropic community would be a definite plus; • Genuine respect for Christian values, acting in accordance with the same, and thriving in a Christcentered environment. S/he will also: • Be decisive and articulate; a strong leader; The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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Possess personal and professional gravitas; Have great enthusiasm for the work and high energy for an extremely mission-driven environment; Have an external focus; be a visible part of school life; Have comfort dealing with people from all backgrounds and positions ranging from corporate executives to support staff members; Be an effective storyteller who can articulate the case for support of NCSF; Possess excellent analytical skills; Possess authenticity and humility; Be an outstanding communicator orally and in writing; Believe in the value of strong collaboration and teamwork; Be entrepreneurial; a risk-taker.
To Apply Interested candidates should submit the following materials confidentially as separate PDF attachments in one e-mail to John Clark and Gary Dicovitsky of Carney, Sandoe & Associates • Cover letter addressed to the Search Consultants expressing interest that details reasons for perceived fit; • Current résumé with Education, Experience, and Related Professional Experience including dates; • List of five references with names, phone numbers, and email addresses for each -- references will be contacted only with the candidate’s permission. John Clark | Gary Dicovitsky Senior Search Consultants john.clark@carneysandoe.com | gary.dicovitsky@carneysandoe.com Carney, Sandoe & Associates www.carneysandoe.com
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