Park City Day School Park City, Utah Head of School July 2017 www.parkcitydayschool.org
The Position Mission Park City Day School inspires and prepares students to live great and giving lives. The DNA of PCDS: We position our students to be resilient learners, creative thinkers, confident communicators, ethical decision makers and empathetic citizens of the world. We provide a challenging educational environment that is... Individual—We embrace our students’ interests, ideas and independence -- we challenge them to achieve their personal best. Authentic—We foster learning that is active and hands on -- in the real world, not just in the classroom. Collaborative—We work together to create the best possible learning environment, where everyone feels secure, valued and supported. Values-Driven—We infuse our core “Strive for Five” school values – responsibility, respect, compassion, integrity, and teamwork – in timely, teachable moments. Dynamic—We challenge our students, through academically vigorous programs and a multi-faceted curriculum, to be active solution seekers. We foster academic, athletic, artistic and personal growth. Innovative—We embrace creativity, intellectual daring, and the enjoyment of discovering things unknown, as we prepare our students for a future that today we cannot fully imagine. Connected—We foster a community where students, teachers, parents and alumni belong to, rather than merely attend PCDS.
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Set against the breathtaking landscape of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, Park City Day School (“PCDS”) is a place where children are inspired to learn, live meaningful lives, and make a positive difference in the world. Established in 2010 with the merging of two area private schools, PCDS provides students in preschool through eighth grade with an exceptional liberal arts education in a warm and nurturing environment. Park City Day School draws upon its natural setting and resources to bring academics to life through outdoor learning and experiential, hands-on instruction. The values that permeate PCDS’ daily interaction as a community are the “Strive for Five” key values: Responsibility, Respect, Compassion, Integrity, and Teamwork. From Early Childhood through Middle School, students develop social-emotional skills and social responsibility alongside content knowledge, creating a humane and motivated individual. With six years of growth since its founding and affiliations with NWAIS and NAIS, Park City Day School seeks a passionate, engaging, and motivating leader to become its next Head of School, effective July 2017. The School will thrive under the direction of an experienced and decisive leader—someone who balances a genuine passion for teaching and nurturing young people with a drive to build a strong and sustainable future for PCDS. S/he will be accessible and approachable, able to listen to the needs of faculty, students, trustees, and families—and make meaningful changes in response to them. As the only independent school in Park City, PCDS offers an outstanding opportunity for a skilled leader
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to build upon the School’s robust foundations and secure its position as an outstanding independent educational institution for years to come.
School History Although Park City Day School is just six years old, the seeds of PCDS were planted in 1989 and 1998 with the founding of Park City Academy and Colby School, respectively. Park City Academy and Colby School were both established with the goal of providing families in Park City with a holistic educational alternative to Park City’s public school system. In 2010 Park City Academy and Colby School successfully merged to create Park City Day School. Since then, PCDS faculty, administrators, and community members have drawn upon the strengths of its predecessors and worked hard to establish an authentic, close-knit educational environment where every student is engaged and supported intellectually, socially, and emotionally. In 2011, PCDS received accreditation from PNAIS (now the Northwest Association of Independent Schools, or NWAIS), and became a full member of NAIS in 2012.
The School Enrolling students from age three through eighth grade, Park City Day School aims to instill in every student a lifelong love of learning. Families are drawn to PCDS for its small class sizes, progressive approach to education, and dedication to supporting students’ emotional and social development. Park City Day School has implemented a place-based learning approach that makes use of the unique elements of its location to enhance student learning. PCDS students acquire outdoor skills and learn leadership and teamwork during annual Outdoor Education trips, planned in alignment with their grade level curriculum; they challenge themselves and learn experientially in year-round excursions in Utah’s national parks and monuments.
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Academics The Early Childhood (“EC”) program enrolls students as young as three years old. Offering morning and full day programs as well as extended day care, the EC program’s flexible programming enables families to craft a schedule that best suits their needs and those of their children. Early Childhood classes are capped at 15 students, each of whom receives individualized support from a lead teacher as well as a teaching assistant. Preschoolers and Junior Kindergarteners participate in hands-on, inquiry-based activities that encourage exploration and discovery. Enrichment specialists also engage students daily in science, Spanish, music, visual arts, and physical education. Students in the EC program also build fundamental technology skills and enhance their classroom learning through a thoughtfully designed iPad program. Teachers use learning apps that align with the curriculum to equip young learners with an appreciation and understanding of the role of technology as an academic resource and tool for learning. Spanning grades K through 5, the Lower School program at PCDS integrates academic instruction with creative exploration, collaboration, and social-emotional learning. The curriculum is designed to build elementary students’ high-level critical thinking skills as well as sound ethical standards in a positive, supportive environment. Understanding that
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students learn best through hands-on activities, Lower School teachers craft lessons that take advantage of the unique Utah setting. Students make real-world connections through offcampus experiential learning trips and service learning projects, while specialized courses in Spanish, STEM, visual arts, and music expand their intellectual scope beyond the core subjects. Technology is integrated across the curriculum, as students conduct research, learn to code, and produce academic work using iPad and MacBook laptop carts dedicated to the Lower School. Attuned to the unique challenges of adolescence, PCDS’ Middle School teachers act as mentors as well as educators to support and inspire students during a period of significant change. Students deepen their liberal arts knowledge in a project-oriented, experiential academic program that allows students to apply their academic understanding of math, science, and the arts through outdoor and service learning activities. A comprehensive 1:1 laptop program ensures that technological learning permeates the entire Middle School curriculum. Electives expand at the middle school level as well, and students are encouraged to develop a sense of individuality in their interests and pursuits.
Physical Campus Located on an eleven-acre campus nine miles from Park City’s historic district, PCDS offers families in Park City a local educational alternative to the area’s public schools without having to travel elsewhere in the Greater Salt Lake City region. PCDS is currently finalizing an expansion of the Lower School, to be completed in fall 2016. This significant addition will provide new classrooms for Early Childhood and Upper Elementary, and will bring the school’s total building cover to 36,000 square feet.
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Park City, Utah Originally a mining town, Park City is a premier resort destination with a vibrant tourist economy and an equally vibrant community of full time residents. Located a short 35 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport, Park City offers virtually every type of outdoor recreation imaginable. Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort, two of the world’s leading ski resorts, served as hosts for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. The world-class amenities of these resorts, along with other hotels, restaurants, and local businesses throughout the city, attract thousands of skiers, snowboarders, and outdoor enthusiasts throughout the year. The mountains and hills surrounding Park City also feature more than 150 miles of public trails, ideal for hiking and biking. Golf, fly-fishing, horseback riding, camping and sailing keep residents and visitors active in Park City as well. Add fine dining and the Victorian architecture of Park City’s Old Town Main Street, which features 64 buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and it is easy to see why many people choose to make Park City their permanent residence. As a result of these many outdoor attractions, the tourist population of Park City outnumbers residents year-round. That said, many families choose to settle in Park City for similar reasons— high quality of life, plentiful recreational activities, and proximity to Salt Lake City. It is not uncommon for families to relocate from other parts of the country for professional opportunities, living in Park City for several years until occupations take them elsewhere. Many others make use of the nearby airport to commute to jobs in other metropolitan hubs in the Western US.
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Opportunities and Challenges The next Head of Park City Day School will have the opportunity to shape PCDS’ trajectory as it moves past its early years. PCDS has a strong foundation: students enjoy going to school each day; parents value the presence of an independent school in the Park City area; the faculty are committed to PCDS and the students, and the physical plant is in good shape and has space to grow. The next Head will be charged with building upon this foundation. There will be several immediate priorities for the next Head. S/he will be tasked to develop a concrete program of professional development, evaluation, and supervision. PCDS has been developing an articulated scope and sequence for its curriculum; that curriculum must become better communicated amongst faculty and across the community even as it is finalized. PCDS’ admission and re-enrollment efforts will also require prompt attention as enrollment has dipped for 2016-2017. Managing PCDS’ finances in a way that secures a strong future will also be important. Above all, the opportunity and challenge that awaits the next Head of School will be to shape the narrative, tone, and culture of PCDS’ future. PCDS has often sought to be “all things to all people.” The next Head will lead discussions and processes that develop a more clearly defined identity for the school and a shared vision for its future.
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Qualities & Qualifications of the Next Head of School The next Head of School at PCDS must bring great energy, enthusiasm, and determination to the position. Strong experience as a teacher and an administrative leader will be important, as well as demonstrated evidence of sound judgment and decision-making. The next Head must be an eager communicator, someone who naturally builds partnerships with a wide range of people. Strong candidates will have proven communication and organizational skills. Successful candidates will also possess many of the qualifications and characteristics listed below: • Independent school leadership experience. • Classroom teaching experience and a passion for working with PCDS teachers and • •
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students. Ability to articulate the value of a solid progressive education while holding the needs and expectations of high-achieving parents. A track record as a highly collaborative leader who empowers others, delegates appropriately, builds consensus, and models the traits of transparency, accountability, self-awareness, and honest self-evaluation. The ability to communicate effectively at all levels and a commitment to keeping all stakeholders—families, faculty, staff, community members, and the Board— appropriately informed of important educational trends, school events, potential issues, and future needs. A desire to and a record of being an active and visible presence in the life of the School, providing a foundation for strong, supportive relationships with faculty, staff, and the administrative team, thereby fostering a sense of community and a culture of meaningful professional growth. Experience in hiring, developing, supporting, and retaining high quality faculty and administrative staff. Bachelor’s degree is required; graduate degree preferred.
Personal Characteristics The ideal candidate will be warm, approachable, empathetic, and down-to-earth. A certain and determined leader, s/he will relish knowing and being known by all in the community. As well, the ideal candidate will be a diplomatic collaborator and consensus-builder whose confidence enables the keen ability to listen to the passionate opinions of teachers, parents, and students. S/he should not be faint-hearted; there is much to be accomplished in the first months of this headship. Some of these priorities have been articulated: enrollment; faculty support and professional development; curriculum mapping; connection-building within and across the School community.
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To Apply Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one e-mail and as separate documents, preferably as PDFs, the following materials: • • • •
Cover letter expressing interest in and suitability for the needs of Park City Day School Current résumé Personal statement List of five references with names, including phone numbers and email contacts, to:
Peter Philip | Robin Tweedy peter.philip@carneysandoe.com | robin.tweedy@carneysandoe.com Senior Search Consultants Carney, Sandoe & Associates 44 Bromfield Street, Boston, MA 02138 www.carneysandoe.com
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