The Potomac School McLean, Virginia Upper School Head July 2017 www.potomacschool.org
The Position
MISSION At The Potomac School, we believe that intellectual development, love of learning, and strength of character are complementary, and equally essential, educational goals. With a firm commitment to our core values and a rigorous academic program, we prepare students to lead lives of purpose, achievement, and generosity of spirit. FAST FACTS
• Founded: 1904 • Head of School: John • • • • • • •
Kowalik Grades Served: K - 12 Students: 1,061 Divisions: 4 Campus: 90+ acres Mascot: Panthers 161 full & part-time faculty 114 faculty w/ adv. degrees
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The Potomac School in McLean, Virginia, seeks an experienced administrator to lead its Upper School effective July 2017. Potomac enjoys an extraordinary reputation as one of the top independent K-12 day schools in the nation; the School enrolls 1,061 students on a spectacular 90-acre campus just minutes from Washington, DC. Since its founding near Washington’s Dupont Circle in 1904, Potomac School’s educational philosophy has defined the learning process as an exploratory endeavor driven by students’ natural curiosity and interests. From kindergarten through 12th grade, Potomac faculty seek to develop engaged learners who possess both the intellectual abilities and the character traits needed to thrive in a rapidly changing and demanding society. Each year, Potomac students produce impressive test scores and college placement results, yet the School does not view these metrics as the singular goal of its educational program. With enrollment at the highest level to date, the recent appointment of John Kowalik as Head of School, the development of several signature programs, and a century of academic excellence behind it, Potomac is entering one of the most exciting periods in its history. The Upper School Head is responsible for leading the 9-12 division, its 460 students and 70 faculty members, and for overseeing day-to-day operations, academic and co-curricular programs, student life, faculty professional development, and other related aspects of the Upper School. As a member of Potomac’s senior leadership team, the Upper School Head will work closely with Head of School John Kowalik, who is beginning his fourth year at the school, and with Tim Jaeger, Assistant Head of School (who is also acting Upper School Head for this academic year). The next Upper School Head will be a bright, energetic leader, likely with strong classroom experience, who functions as an independent-minded but team-oriented
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player. S/he will be able to look at the division’s curriculum, programs, and operations and strengthen those areas by working collaboratively with faculty, students, and fellow administrators. The Upper School Head will be an effective and organized manager, a compelling public speaker with a strong intellect, as well as a fair-minded, transparent, and engaged leader who values interpersonal relationships and genuinely enjoys working with high school students and their parents.
School History From a modest opening enrollment of 48 students in 1904, The Potomac School has grown remarkably in size, as well as tradition and reputation. Founded by three women with an interest in education, Potomac was incorporated in 1907 and functioned as a K-8 school for many years. The war years led to an influx of families to the Washington, DC area, and Potomac adapted to meet the needs of a growing student body. By the mid40s, an expanded campus had become a critical need, prompting the purchase of 55 acres in McLean, Virginia, in 1948. Despite the loss of a few urban families when the new campus opened outside of DC in 1951, Potomac’s move to what had formerly been farmland in McLean proved fruitful and prophetic. The school has continued to expand and improve the facilities on a selfcontained campus that now covers more than 90 acres (just minutes away from the nation’s capital). Potomac opened its Upper School in 1987, and within a decade, the school was fully enrolled with 875 students across all grades. In 2004—its centennial year—Potomac lifted its enrollment cap of 875, and subsequently renovated and expanded the Upper School, adding a second building that opened in 2006. A new Lower School opened three years later, and the Intermediate School was substantially renovated in 2012. A new Middle School is likely among the next capital projects.
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The School In recent years, Potomac has made a concerted effort to manage the unprecedented institutional growth it has enjoyed. By fostering deep mentoring connections between students, families, and faculty, Potomac maintains its unique character and intimate atmosphere, hallmarks of a school community that today engages 1,061 students and 161 faculty. All four divisions—the Lower School (K-3), Middle School (4-6), Intermediate School (78), and Upper School (9-12)—are located on the same campus, just three miles outside of Washington, DC. Potomac’s contained campus is not only a rarity for a school of its size in a metropolitan area, but also serves to promote and sustain a key cultural belief across all grades: Students learn best when they learn together. Potomac faculty work across departments and divisions to ensure that students are encouraged to explore a broad array of subjects from traditional courses to specialized electives, unearth authentic passions, and build upon these interests over the course of their academic careers. Potomac students thrive in an educational environment that combines high academic achievement with an emphasis on the skills and qualities needed to lead exemplary lives. Graduates leave Potomac as compassionate independent thinkers with a keen sense of social consciousness, personal integrity, and academic vigor—upholding their alma mater’s longstanding reputation as a top-tier educational institution.
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Enthusiasm for the school has never been stronger, with students coming from more than 100 zip codes in Virginia, Maryland, and the District. Parents express that they have chosen Potomac for its personalized, whole-child approach to education. They “love the way it feels as a school,” and appreciate the school’s “amazing teachers who get kids to do ‘hard learning’ and to become lifelong learners.” They also recognize that at Potomac, the relationships between faculty and families are special in that there seems to be an extra level of commitment, both by families to the school and by the school to the students and families that it serves. Admission to Potomac is extremely competitive and divided across five entry-points: Kindergarten, 1st grade, 4th grade, 7th grade, and 9th grade. In 2016-17, just 162 of Potomac’s 1,061 students were new enrollments. The student-teacher ratio schoolwide is approximately eight to one, with an average Upper School class size of 14 students. The Potomac School is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) and holds membership in Independent Education (IE) and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
Physical Campus, Setting, and Location Potomac has successfully completed six capital projects in the last 10 years. Beyond the new facilities for its Upper, Lower, and Intermediate Schools, these projects also include construction of additional tennis courts, a new turf field, and the beautiful Flag Circle Building, which serves as the school’s welcoming “front door” and houses the admissions and development offices. The campus also features three libraries, three gymnasiums, three more athletic fields, a gorgeous Performing Arts Center, tennis and squash courts, a wrestling room, science and computer labs, art and photography studios, music rooms, and an active robotics lab. The woods, streams, ponds, and wetlands on the school’s sprawling property provide a rich environment for learning. Upper School students and faculty make use of the campus’s four outdoor classrooms and expansive hiking trails. The setting makes Potomac uniquely poised to teach an environmental consciousness that links the joyful experience of nature with the imperative of stewardship.
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The school’s proximity to Washington provides a different—but equally indispensible— kind of extended classroom. The educational and cultural resources of the nation’s capital profoundly shape and enhance Potomac’s academic programs across all divisions. The school enjoys convenient access to the George Washington Memorial Parkway, the Capital Beltway, and Chain Bridge—the nearest viaduct across the Potomac River into DC. Potomac also provides an extensive school bus and local shuttle system that reduces neighborhood traffic and supports the school’s environmental initiatives.
The Lower School, Middle School, and Intermediate School Students in the Lower School begin to cultivate their innate curiosity in kindergarten through grade three, developing a love of learning and gaining early preparation to meet and exceed high academic standards in the years to come. Teachers weave language arts, social studies, and math into interactive, integrated lessons. Weekly art, science, music, physical education, library, and technology classes, as well as collaborative learning activities and community service projects, supplement the Lower School curriculum. The Middle School encompasses grades four through six, where students are encouraged to maintain their curiosity and creativity while stretching their self-
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confidence and self-advocacy. A primary goal of this division is to develop critical thinkers with strong reading and writing skills. Dedicated teachers work to engage every student in the learning process, fostering academic and personal growth through an inquiry-based curriculum. Recognizing the unique challenges and opportunities of early adolescence, Potomac features a separate division focused exclusively on the educational needs of seventh and eighth graders. A central goal of the Intermediate School curriculum is to equip its students with the critical thinking and study skills they will need to succeed in the Upper School. Led by dedicated teachers who serve as advisors and mentors as well as instructors, students gain a foundation in the core subjects as well as many electives. They also learn how to leverage new technologies to organize, explore, and communicate information in innovative ways. All students in the Intermediate School participate in some form of athletic activity four days a week, and many elect to engage in other extracurriculars, such as the digital newspaper, debate, robotics, and student government.
The Upper School The Upper School at Potomac is recognized for its rigorous academics, and rightfully so. The division’s educational goals encompass more than high test scores; students are encouraged to pursue their individual passions and hone new perspectives on the world. Potomac teachers prepare students for “lives of purpose, achievement, and generosity of spirit� through a curriculum that empowers them to make authentic connections between their immediate learning environment and the wider world. Yet, having graduated only 27 senior classes, the Upper School is young, providing the opportunity for originality and innovation in taking the division into new territory, both educationally and experientially.
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Potomac’s new Faculty Growth and Development Cycle will focus on excellence in teaching; in the Upper School, it will support the strategic objective of creating greater consistency across the high school classroom experience and co-curricular programs. Student schedules in the Upper School accommodate seven class periods, also allowing students requisite time for meeting with advisors or teachers, participating in one or more of the division’s 35+ clubs and activities, studying independently at the Engelhard Family Library, or gathering with friends. Students can explore a variety of subjects over the course of their four years— traditional and innovative, required and elective—all of which are characterized by small classes and rigorous expectations. The Potomac School’s commitment to support diversity of all kinds—human, cultural, ideological—is longstanding and foundational to the curriculum as a whole. This year, the school added the position of Upper School Director of Student Life; this individual oversees the deans for grades 9, 10, and 11-12. The Director of Student Life works closely with the Upper School Director of Curriculum and Academics, also a new position. Faculty report that Potomac Upper School students are uniformly polite, gracious (“the kindest I have ever encountered”), and invested in their own learning. The result is a warm and collaborative learning community with very few disciplinary issues.
Service Learning Beginning in 2014-15 Potomac transitioned the focus of its nationally recognized community service program toward a greater emphasis on service learning. Students now have more voice and choice as they engage in meaningful experiences that connect to the curriculum and address real needs in the community. Many Potomac graduates go on to pursue service-oriented careers, including teaching, government service, medicine, and nonprofit leadership.
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Upper School Academic Concentration Programs Potomac’s Upper School offers several subject-area concentrations, which serve to expose students to the types of independent study and research projects they will encounter in college. Students with particular interest in world affairs, science and engineering or the performing arts can apply to selective and specialized academic tracks in their area of choice. Global Perspectives and Citizenship Program Students with a strong interest in the social sciences can apply for admission into the Global Perspectives & Citizenship Program (GPAC), which requires three years of coursework in global studies, as well as completion of an individual research project under the guidance of a faculty member or external mentor. GPAC students may also engage in internships, study abroad, or summer programs in global studies at one of the DC area’s many outstanding universities. Science and Engineering Research Center The Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC) at Potomac attracts some of the brightest and most talented students in the region by providing the opportunity to conduct high-level independent research in relevant STEM topics while being enrolled in the school’s rigorous college-preparatory program. Students in the SERC program pursue in-depth study of a specific scientific, mathematical, or engineering problem in collaboration with a faculty mentor, as well a subject-area expert from academia, business, or the public sector. The aim of the SERC program is to foster the kind of innovative thinking and risk-taking that results in new discoveries and inventions. Visual and Performing Arts Concentration Students demonstrating serious dedication to music, visual arts, or theater may apply for Potomac’s
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College Matriculation The following colleges enrolled the most Potomac graduates from 2011 to 2015:
Boston College Boston University Carnegie Mellon University Colby College College of William and Mary Colorado College Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Davidson College Duke University Elon University George Mason University Harvard University Kenyon College Lehigh University Middlebury College New York University Northwestern University Pennsylvania State University Princeton University Southern Methodist University Stanford University Syracuse University Trinity College Tufts University Tulane University University of Miami University of Pennsylvania University of Southern California University of Vermont University of Virginia Vanderbilt University Villanova University Virginia Tech Wake Forest University Washington and Lee University Washington University-St. Louis Wesleyan University Williams College Yale University
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selective Visual and Performing Arts Concentration (VPAC). This specialized track provides the opportunity to engage in academic exploration of a specific arts discipline, as well as the essential time and space to practice, rehearse, and create during and after school. VPAC’s students receive individualized faculty support and have multiple opportunities to perform and exhibit for their peers and the wider community each year.
The Arts at Potomac For more than 100 years, Potomac students have explored music, visual, and performing arts as a means of building their self-confidence and deepening their artistic expression and appreciation. Live performances are seen as integral to Potomac’s educational philosophy and treated as a core part of the academic program. Faculty lead by example in this regard, serving as mentors and collaborators as students learn to explore and create art and to push themselves beyond self-imposed limitations. The arts are also the foundation of many of Potomac’s cultural traditions, from Madrigal Singers and chamber music to the performance of classic and original plays, as well as community celebrations like May Day. Student actors, directors, musicians, and designers work together to expand their abilities, acquire new skills, and produce work of quality and originality.
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Athletics Potomac’s interscholastic sports teams consistently rank high among local independent schools, while stressing the principles of sportsmanship and teamwork. The Upper School program comprises 38 teams in 23 sports. Potomac’s boys compete in the sixmember Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC), while the girls teams compete in the 16-member Independent School League (ISL).. In the 2016 spring season, all six of the school’s varsity teams qualified for the state championship playoffs—an accomplishment achieved by only three independent schools in Virginia. Many Potomac graduates go on to play at the college level. Since 2014, more than 50 alumni/ae have gone on to compete in college, including 18 at the Division I level.
The Potomac Community The Potomac community is made up of individuals from diverse backgrounds united in the belief that everyone is intellectually and morally strengthened when many different voices and viewpoints come together. At this school, cultural competence is recognized as a key life skill, and the principles that enable individuals to work together across differences are consistently taught and modeled. Throughout the year, on-campus programs and events celebrate diversity and empower students to see beyond differences to embrace their common humanity. With a healthy balance of experienced educators with strong institutional memory and teachers near the start of their careers, the 168-member Potomac faculty shares a collaborative synergy that shapes the school’s core culture. They constantly model
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learning and innovation, strive to develop and refine best practices in teaching, and set individual goals to improve their own learning. There is widespread faculty appreciation for the strong professional development and extensive support provided by the school’s leadership. At the center of the Potomac experience are the relationships students cultivate and share with teachers, friends, administrators, and staff. The students are talented, creative, and accomplished; they take obvious joy in their educational journey. Shared traditions are critical to the Potomac experience. The school draws on a legacy over a century in the making, impressing upon its students a sense of history, tradition, and their place in the collection of shared memories that spans generations. Many school traditions have endured for decades, providing Potomac alumni with a strong connection to the school and reinforcing a shared identity with, and connection to, current students. These traditions extend beyond the familiar events and rites of passage that punctuate one’s progression from kindergarten through senior year, as all four divisions frequently assemble together as one community on their shared campus. These gatherings foster a culture where older students become role models for younger ones, and where children, adolescents, and adults form lasting bonds.
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Qualifications and Qualities The Upper School Head will play a central role in helping the division bring greater cohesion to its curriculum and programs, complementing the existing signature programs that the school has developed as well as its AP offerings. The school seeks candidates who enjoy thinking about and working with faculty on these kinds of questions and changes (and who have experience doing so) and who have an interest in exploring and developing a program without losing its core culture. The individual selected for this role will be a leader who can optimize the Upper School administrative structure; maintain consistent, efficient, and timely management; and ensure a healthy balance among academics, the arts, athletics, co-curricular activities, and other opportunities. Personal Qualities: • Advocates and models The Potomac School’s core values: courage, integrity, respect, humility, and perseverance • Focused on building relationships and community • Visible, warm, and engaged leader • Relates well to, and is genuinely inclined toward, high school students • Committed to fostering diversity • Thoughtful, reflective, and intentional • Forward-thinking • Displays self-confidence and self-mastery • Good listener who values collaboration but is willing to step up and make difficult decisions Professional skills and experience: • Demonstrates “versatile leadership” – the ability to communicate and lead effectively in diverse situations with various constituents, from large assemblies to one-on-one meetings • Proven academic leader with solid classroom experience, committed to excellent teaching and ongoing faculty professional development • Values the strengths of a traditional liberal arts program yet is open to creating new programs, adapting existing curriculum, and exploring innovative methods of instruction to address emerging needs and opportunities • Demonstrates strong organizational and management skills • Experienced supervisor who hires for mission and effectively manages and motivates personnel. Compensation Salary and benefits are highly competitive and commensurate with experience. The position offers housing in a school-owned home, as well as tuition remission if needed.
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To Apply Interested candidates should submit the following materials as separate PDF attachments in one email:
• Cover letter expressing interest in the upper school position and The Potomac School; • Current résumé; • Statement of educational philosophy and practice; • List of five references with name, phone number, and email address of each. (References will be contacted only with the candidate’s permission.) Please send all materials to Ben Bolte or Beth Dietz of Carney, Sandoe & Associates:
Ben Bolte Senior Search Consultant
Beth Dietz Search Associate
bbolte@carneysandoe.com
beth.dietz@carneysandoe.com
Carney, Sandoe & Associates 44 Bromfield St. Boston, MA Skype: bnbolte | Direct: 617-933-3430
Carney, Sandoe & Associates 44 Bromfield St. Boston, MA
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Thank you for your interest in
The Potomac School