Tower Hill School Wilmington, Delaware Director of College Counseling July 1, 2017 www.towerhill.org
The Position
Philosophy By combining personal challenge with individual support, Tower Hill is a collegepreparatory school committed to building in its students a foundation for lifelong learning. Tower Hill believes that diversity in all aspects of school life broadens and enhances the educational experience. In keeping with its motto Multa Bene Facta— Many Things Done Well—the school provides a challenging program, engaging students in a variety of educational experiences, while allowing them to develop their individual strengths and pursue their passions. To emphasize its core values—active citizenship, personal integrity, collective responsibility, team building and collaboration, and mutual respect—the school encourages each student to develop a sense of personal worth and to recognize, understand and accept the individuality of others. While cognizant of its Christian roots, Tower Hill embraces and celebrates diverse cultures and beliefs, fostering a strong sense of community.
Mission Tower Hill School prepares students from diverse backgrounds for full and creative engagement with a dynamic world. Each student is provided with an educational experience that emphasizes the development of an inquisitive, discerning and critical mind; the value of being creative and aesthetically sensitive; the appreciation of physical well being; the ability to collaborate and to function as part of a team; and the growth of character.
Tower Hill School seeks an experienced, student-oriented, strategically-minded, and dynamic Director of College Counseling with extremely strong communication skills and broad connections in the college admission community. Ideal candidates will be able guide parents and students through a thoughtful journey that emphasizes reflection, discovery, and excitement and decreases anxiety. And, while understanding the desire and importance for Tower Hill’s college list to include a compelling number of highly selective colleges, the Director will balance the ambitions of both students and parents and, above all else, help them to understand the importance of a strong match. The position also requires active collaboration with the Head of School and other members of the senior leadership team, and faculty. Located in Wilmington, Delaware, Tower Hill serves 735 students age 3 through grade 12. The School has a well-earned reputation as one of the finest day schools in the country, sending its graduates to many of the most selective colleges and universities nationwide. Tower Hill is committed to living its motto Multa Bene Facta, Many Things Done Well, through its unparalleled resources, excellent faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and individualized learning support.
School History Tower Hill School was founded in 1919 by a group of benefactors committed to education in Wilmington and Delaware. Amid growing calls for educational reform in the state, a group of like-minded individuals launched an endeavor to provide a model private school for Wilmington—that model became Tower Hill. From its earliest days, Tower Hill embodied the progressive spirit that defined the era, and the school’s first catalogue declared that the institution would provide students with an opportunity for an education of the highest order and the ability to offer to the larger community information intended to advance the cause of education. Throughout its nearly 100 year history, the school as consistently dedicated itself to providing students with a superior academic experience, supported by development of creativity through the arts, healthy attitudes through
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Fast Facts • Ranked among the top 50 private day schools in the country by TheBestSchools.org • Enrollment: 735 total students (240 LS, 213 MS, 282 US) • 28% students of diversity • 24% of students receive needbased financial aid • Over $2,000,000 in financial assistance • 44-acre campus • Accredited by Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools
athletics, and responsibility through service to the community. Today, Tower Hill is one of the leading college preparatory schools in the region, preparing students for lives of intellect, creativity, and integrity. It enjoys a superb reputation in the robust, competitive local school market.
The School Tower Hill School is a coeducational private day school serving 735 students age 3 through grade 12. The school’s Latin motto, “Multa Bene Facta,” or “Many Things Done Well,” captures the spirit of a community that thrives on challenge and helps students bring their best selves to everything they do. Ranked among the top fifty private day schools in the U.S., Tower Hill is committed to continued growth in its mission to serve students from diverse backgrounds: during the 2016-2017 school year, 28% of students have received financial assistance, amounting to a cumulative total of two million dollars. Expanded diversity initiatives across grade levels foster inclusivity and build community; Tower Hill is a school where relationships matter, and students grow up in a family of peers and adults in which individuals are valued for their unique contributions. Academically, Tower Hill is distinguished by the breadth and depth of the educational experience it offers. At every grade level, students develop strengths and pursue passions while building critical faculties along with an aesthetic and creative sensibility. This growth is facilitated by small class sizes and a committed faculty, who flourish in a setting that promotes professional development and autonomy. Excellent facilities and learning resources allow students and teachers to do their best work. In the Preschool and Lower School, students build a foundation for lifelong learning, with the youngest students benefiting from a supportive and nurturing environment that prioritizes exploration and play. Grades 1 through 4 foster active engagement through activities that promote inquisitive and creative The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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College Placement
The Class of 2016 matriculated to the following colleges and universities: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Amherst College Brown University Bucknell University Champlain College College of Charleston Dartmouth College Elon University Emory University Franklin and Marshall College Furman University George Washington University Gettysburg College Goucher College High Point University The Johns Hopkins University Lynchburg College Muhlenberg College New York University North Carolina State University Pennsylvania State UniverstiyUniversity Park and Honors program Rhodes College Stanford University Swarthmore College Syracuse University and Honors program Tulane University University of Alabama University of California- Davis University of California- San Diego University of Chicago University of Colorado- Boulder University of Delaware and Honors program University of Maryland University of Miami University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania University of South Carolina University of Texas- Austin Ursinus College Wake Forest University Washington College Wellesley College Wesleyan University Yale University
growth, and in the Middle School, students expand on these qualities to develop and refine the essential skills necessary to function in an increasingly rigorous academic environment. Across grade levels, character development, physical wellness, and a full fine arts curriculum augment the work students do in the classroom, along with frequent field trips and co-curricular activities. While the Upper School at Tower Hill is often described as “college prep,” “college-like” is truly the most apt descriptor. In grades 9 through 12, students have the opportunity to follow sophisticated and in-depth courses of study, guided by the school’s individualized advising program. In lieu of traditional Advanced Placement courses, Tower Hill offers the advanced course model, which moves beyond AP in order to allow master teachers to design tailor-made lessons that engage and challenge Tower Hill students.
Physical Campus Tower Hill’s state-of-the-art, 44-acre campus includes modern classrooms with Smart Boards and recently renovated athletic and physical education facilities. In September 2013, the School opened a new 25,000 square foot innovate Math and Science Center. Across all divisions, facilities and tools support students in all areas of their learning. With enviable playing fields, a superb theatre, two libraries, abundant student study spaces, and a safe, self-contained campus set in an easily accessed residential neighborhood, Tower Hill is a stunning place full of opportunities and resources for students and faculty alike.
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Wilmington, DE With a population of nearly 71,000 making it Delaware’s largest city, Wilmington is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek. Excellent transportation infrastructure, including the city’s direct highway access and Amtrack Service, link it easily to nearby Philadelphia, with Baltimore, New York City, and Washington, D.C. located inside of two hours’ drive. Residents refer to Wilmington as “a small town in a city setting.” Wilmington’s economy benefits from Delaware’s business-friendly financial laws and fair, effective judicial system. Residents benefit from a very low tax structure and extremely modest housing prices. They city is a national financial center for the credit card industry and also welcomes other industries such as insurance, retail banking, and legal services. The city’s active and diverse population hosts a number of festivals every spring and summer, including the Italian Festival, Greek Festival, Polish Festival, Big August Quarterly (celebrating African American religious freedom), IndiaFest, and Hispanic Week. Music festivals are also highly popular, and include the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival and the Riverfront Blues Festival each summer. In the 1990s, a campaign to revitalize the former shipyard known as the Wilmington Riverfront created a beautiful stretch of land featuring boathouses, restaurants, apartment buildings, and shops. Outdoor enthusiasts find haven in four state parks, a zoo, easy access to excellent beaches on Delaware’s Atlantic coast, and the Pocono Mountains two hours north. An historic, affordable, and economically stable city, Wilmington—and Delaware—offers much more to those who call it home than its small size suggests. The area is also cited by faculty and parents at Tower Hill as a great place to raise a family.
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Opportunities and Challenges The new Director of College Counseling will be joining a school that is actively engaged in the strategic planning process in anticipation of its Centennial celebration in 2019. The Director of College Counseling reports to Upper School Head, Dan Hickey, who has been at the school for 11 years and who started his career in college admission. In addition, the Director of College Counseling meets biweekly with Head of School Bessie Speers, currently in her second year at Tower Hill. The new Director will be joining a senior administrative team that added four new members in 2016 (out of an 11-person team) and will be hiring three new administrators this year. In short, change is in the air at Tower Hill, making this an exciting time for an experienced college counselor who has an interest in and ability to contribute to the bigger picture of schools to join this vibrant institution. The current Director of College Counseling, Jill Lauck, is headed to France next summer as the American School of Paris’s Director of College Counseling. She joined Tower Hill after 12 years in college admission, and under her thoughtful direction and hard work, the department expanded to include an associate director and developed into a strong and well-regarded program that was lauded by the most recent accreditation team and by families in a marketing self-study. The Director of College Counseling oversees the college guidance office, which also includes a well-versed administrative assistant who has been at Tower Hill for 17 years. The current team of three is a collaborative, experienced, and warm trio who have created thoughtful programs and events to support and educate students and parents, established a welcoming space for students, maintained positive relationships with college admission officers, and worked to stay on top of best practices and college admission trends. All three members serve as student advisors. In addition to embracing Tower Hill’s mission, supporting its Head and leadership, overseeing the College Guidanc Office, and representing the school at professional and public forums, the new The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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Director of College Counseling has a number of primary responsibilities: • Counseling half of each graduating class (approximately 35-40 students per year) in highly personalized ways to learn about the students’ interests, abilities, talents, needs, and ambitions for study and life in college. • Being proactive in meeting with every junior and senior parent, as well as keeping in close contact with the student’s parents regarding all aspects of the college counseling process. • Helping students to own and drive their college process. • Discovering and collecting information about every student, including academics, athletics, and extracurricular interests both in and out of school, in order to write the strongest possible college recommendation to be submitted for each student. • Using a competitive drive, resiliency, and determination to ensure that Tower Hill students and its academic program are known and understood by admission officers. • Providing financial aid counseling for students and families. • Building upon and strengthening contact with college and university admission officers, including organizing college visits to our campus. • Providing an annual report to the Board of Trustees. • Reporting directly to the Head of Upper School. • Meeting biweekly with the Head of School. • Working with the Head of School’s Administrative Council. • Serving as an advisor of a multi-grade level advisory. Looking ahead, the community wishes to build off of the strengths of current the college counseling office and to explore how the team may: • Raise Tower Hill’s visibility and presence amongst highly selective colleges and univerisities. • Thoughtfully, and within the scope of its educational philosophy, provide college search perspective to students earlier in their high school careers. • Provide more structure and support for the student-athletes who wish to compete at the college level. • Continue to be connected to the Tower Hill community, e.g., through advising, coaching, and/or teaching.
Qualifications and Qualities of the Next Director of College Counseling The School is most interested in candidates who demonstrate the following qualities and qualifications: • A Bachelor’s degree, Master’s preferred. • An affection for and connection to school community with the requisite sense of humor, collaborative nature, and dedication that entails. • Enthusiasm for working with students and their parents in a caring and reassuring manner. • Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and time management skills. • Exceptional communication skills: a close and thoughtful listener, a compelling and articulate speaker, and a masterful writer. • Working knowledge of relevant technology. • Integrity and understanding of appropriate relationships with students, parents, and colleagues. • Strong relationships in the college admission and college counseling community (regionally and nationally). The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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• Awareness of current trends and practices that affect students and of best practices and opportunities. • Substantial experience in college counseling and/or college admission.
To Apply Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically, in one e-mail, the following materials to Jennifer Christensen: • • • •
Cover letter expressing your fit with the specific values and needs of Tower Hill Current résumé with relevant dates, work experience, and education List of five references with name, phone number, and e-mail address of each Two sample letters of recommendation
More information about Tower Hill’s College Counseling program, including a comprehensive school profile, may be found at http://www.towerhill.org/page/academics/college-counseling. Jennifer Christensen, Search Consultant jennifer.christensen@carneysandoe.com 707.775.7790 Carney, Sandoe & Associates 44 Bromfield Street, Boston, MA 02138 www.carneysandoe.com
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