Girard College Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. girardcollege.edu

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1 Girard College Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Upper School Head girardcollege.edu

2 The Position Mission Girard is a full-scholarship boarding school for academically capable students from qualified families of limited financial resources. Girard College s mission is to prepare scholarship students for advanced education and life as informed, ethical and productive citizens through a rigorous education program that promotes intellectual, social and emotional growth. Girard College students will be prepared to complete a bachelor s degree in order to maximize their ability to pursue productive careers and be engaged citizens. Respect Responsibility Integrity Self-discipline Compassion Mission Core Values Fast Facts 259 students 126 Lower School students 133 Upper School students 78% of students from Philadelphia Full scholarship for all students every year Approximately $15 million in scholarship 1 At Girard College in Philadelphia, students learn that opportunity awaits them. For over 166 years, this grades 1-12 weekday boarding school has provided scholarships and advanced educational opportunities for academically capable students in need. A recognized leader in its field, Girard has an unmatched history of providing a quality educational experience for a diverse, hard-working, and dedicated group of students. Over its history, the school has positively affected the lives of more than 22,000 young people, preparing them for success in college and in their adult lives. Through a residential program that offers students the ability to dive deeply into their studies and to pursue their outside interests and passions, Girard prepares students to earn a high school diploma, complete a bachelor s degree, and maximize their abilities to pursue productive careers and be engaged citizens. Students at Girard are collectively appreciative of the learning opportunities they have been given, and they are a uniquely hopeful, joyful, and resilient collection of learners. At this time, the school seeks a new Head of Upper School, effective immediately. Girard has developed a clearly articulated plan for its Upper School in the future, with exciting elements that represent the most up-to-date research available on successful high schools. The new Upper School Head will face opportunities and challenges in designing and overseeing the implementation of this plan. S/he will have the opportunity to create new partnerships with the rich array of educational and private sector organizations in the Philadelphia area. The successful candidate will be creative, energetic, and results-oriented leader who is ready to build upon the rich history and traditions of Girard College while striving for continued enhancement and success in academic quality and student performance. School History Girard College was founded in 1831 by an unprecedented act of American philanthropy. Constructed and endowed from the fortune of Stephen

3 Girard, the school opened in 1848 for poor, orphaned, or fatherless white boys who would live on-campus. The school s unique mission guaranteed that it would become a lightning rod for controversy throughout its history, and the school became a leader in social initiatives including social justice and racial/gender diversity. In 1968, the school desegregated, and in the 1980s it began welcoming female students to campus. Today, Girard maintains its tradition of nurturing the minds, bodies, and spirits of children from families with limited financial means and prepares boys and girls for college and for successful adult lives. Each student receives a full scholarship each year and takes full advantage of the opportunities the school offers by living in single-sex dorms arranged by grade level. Residential advisors occupy apartments in the dorm buildings, creating a supportive, familial atmosphere that pervades the campus. The School Girard provides solid, comprehensive academic preparation for children in grades one through 12, implementing the latest educational strategies and employing thought-provoking, engaging lessons. Faculty believe that technology is intrinsic to learning, and computers and tablets are integrated across disciplines. Being a Girard College student is fundamentally about being part of a community that shares a common set of values. Together, students and faculty strive for excellence at every opportunity. They learn from their mistakes, embrace the value of a college preparatory education, and bring to life the school s values of respect, responsibility, integrity, self-discipline, and compassion. Academics In the Upper School, students receive solid, comprehensive academic preparation. They pursue coursework in core subjects, such as English, math, science, social studies, world languages (French, Latin, or Spanish), computer science, art, music, and health. Electives such as etymology or introduction to American film enhance the curriculum and offer students the opportunity to explore areas of individual interest. Girard constantly strives to ready students for life in a modern, global society and has become known as a premier institute for effective urban education. Its Step up to STEM program, which begins in elementary grades, increases students critical thinking and problem-solving skills and boosts college preparedness in these fields. The Physics First program resequences high school courses, introducing students to physics before chemistry and biology, better preparing the school to advance its STEM program. 2

4 College Enrollment The following is a partial list of colleges and universities at which Girard students recently enrolled: Columbia University Cornell University Drexel University George Washington University Harvard University Howard University New York University Pennsylvania State University Stanford University Temple University University of Chicago University of Pennsylvania Villanova University Yale University Girard s curriculum is performance-based, encouraging students to demonstrate what they know through projects and hands-on experiences. The school is committed to imparting the values of service and giving back to its students, who must complete 40 hours of service work during their junior year. Students at Girard are exposed to abundant off-campus learning opportunities within and beyond Philadelphia. They learn about government at City Hall and civic rallies, travel abroad to gain exposure to different cultures and languages, and learn firsthand from Philadelphia s vibrant arts and cultural establishments. In their senior year, students are required to complete a work-study internship in order to graduate, learning about the working world first-hand. Above all, Girard is characterized by its atmosphere of cooperation and support, where students understand that what they learn at the school provides the bricks that pave the way to a better future. Student Life Founder Stephen Girard envisioned a safe place for students to thrive, both in the classroom and beyond. In all aspects of school life, constituents of the school prepare students for advanced education and life as informed, ethical, and productive citizens. The core values of the school are tangible in all areas: in the classrooms, on the athletic fields, on the stages, and in the studios. Strong traditions unite students of all ages; seniors receive the special distinction of adding blue to the universal garnet and steel uniform, for example. All students eagerly anticipate Cavalier Day, the school-wide day of fun in which the Garnet and Steel teams compete for victory in outdoor races and activities. All students live on-campus during the school week, learning life lessons about community 3

5 living and enriching the educational experience. By living on-campus, students are able to participate in a broad range of extracurricular activities and develop life skills through dedicated classes such as financial literacy, nutrition, and conflict resolution. Girard offers an outlet for all types of student interests, with clubs ranging from world cinema to arts and crafts, creative writing to introduction to business. Student athletes learn various lessons on and off the fields, understanding how to work alone and as part of a team and how to value losing graciously as much as winning. The school offers 14 team sports in the Upper School, including cross country, soccer, tennis, basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball, and track and field. The arts are an integral part of life at Girard; students can explore their various interests and talents in general music, chorus, band, dance, visual arts, and instrumental lessons. Faculty members believe that arts education cultivates the whole person by gradually developing intuition, reasoning, imagination, and dexterity. Student artists learn to respect various ways of thinking, working, and expressing themselves. Physical Campus Students at Girard take advantage of the school s beautiful and expansive 43-acre campus in the heart of Philadelphia. The Founder s Hall is the focal point of campus, the school s original classroom building constructed It is commonly considered the finest Greek Revival-style building in America. Today, the first floor is used for various purposes, and the second floor is a museum that houses the school s remarkable history collections. The Hall is a National Historic Landmark. A selection of other campus buildings includes the four original dormitories that flank Founder s Hall; two octagonal gatehouses built in ; the Hum student center; the Chapel; the Armory/Gymnasium; the Library; the Lower School; the President s House; the Upper School; and the Wall, which was constructed in , encloses the entire 43 acre campus, and makes the students feel protected and safe. 4

6 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania A city central to much of American history, Philadelphia offers a realworld classroom for lifelong learners of every age. As the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the fifth-most-populous city in the United States, Philadelphia offers an abundance of cultural, educational, and recreational pursuits. It has long been a focal point of culture, learning, and commerce in America. A bustling colonial-era port, Philadelphia was an important player in pre-revolutionary America and served as the meeting places for America s Founding Fathers. It was in Philadelphia that both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed. Today, whether they re visiting national historical sites such as Independence Hall, the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial, or the National Constitution Center; exploring the city s numerous beautiful parks; spotting art on the streets or in the Philadelphia Museum of Art; or cheering on sports teams that include the Eagles, Flyers, Phillies, and 76ers, Philadelphia residents have plenty to do, see, and learn wherever they turn. In recent years, Philadelphia has come into its own, amassing accolades such as one of the New York Times 52 best places to visit in 2015 and Conde Nast Traveler s second-best shopping city in the world. This year, Travel & Leisure named Philadelphia America s Next Great Food City, citing its varied types of foodiefriendly cuisine, and The Huffington Post waxed poetic on why Philadelphia is the coolest city in America. The city demonstrates a collective commitment to education and the pursuit of knowledge, and is home to numerous colleges and universities, many with schools of law, medicine and the arts, including the University of Pennsylvania, Moore College of Art and Design, Drexel University, Temple University, and Philadelphia University. Opportunities and Challenges Girard College is currently a grade 1-12 weekday boarding school and will remain so for the foreseeable future. However, there is the possibility that the school could become a day school based on the outcome of a court decision. The new Head of the Upper School will have ample opportunity to take over grades seven through 12 and to improve upon the school s program and culture. The Head of Upper School will set and maintain the highest academic and personal standards and benchmarks so as to prepare every student for successful matriculation and performance in the post-secondary institution of his or her choice. The Upper School Head will be a member of the senior management team. As such, the person in this position serves as the school s leader in all matters pertaining to students academic 5

7 and developmental progress, ensuring effective teaching and learning in every classroom and for all students as well as the personal supports needed to build healthy habits of mind and character. The position requires building a climate that respects and values the diversity as well as the experiences and aspirations of each child and his or her family while setting a common and high threshold for the quality of every student s learning experience. In order to do this work, the Head of Upper School must demonstrate the ability to attend to the work through a systemic approach. S/he will make decisions collectively but with clarity, vision and direction guided by the new upper school s critical elements and stated goals. The successful candidate must be able to empathize, hearing and honoring the school s past practices while providing smooth transitions to the new practices. Finally, the next Upper School Head will possess a high degree of situational awareness, seeing situations as they are in relation to the whole with the ability to separate and analyze them before making big-picture decisions. The new Head of the Upper School will have ample opportunity to take over a school with an interesting history and to improve upon its program and culture. The school is currently a grade 1-12 weekday boarding school and will remain so for the foreseeable future. However, there is the possibility that the school could become a day school based on the outcome of a court decision. Qualifications and Qualities of the next Head of Upper School Proven commitment and capacity to serve and connect with less resourced students and families from urban centers. Has success as an instructional leader who creates a culture of learning that emphasizes continuous academic improvement. Evidence of an interest in and ability to analyze and utilize data from multiple sources to increase student achievement and improve educators practices. Is capable of building strong, productive relationships with key stakeholders internally and externally. Is able to inspire, motivate, and work effectively with administrative team and faculty. Is able to work collaboratively with other senior management team leaders. Is collaborative, decisive, confident, and principled. Evidence of exemplary interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills. Is able to work with a unionized faculty. Has senior leadership in education; master s degree required. This position is exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. This is a 12-month position. 6

8 To Apply Interested candidates should submit the following materials electronically as separate PDF attachments in one Cover letter expressing interest in the Girard College position; Current resume; List of five references with name, phone number, and address of each (references will be contacted only with the candidate s permission). Please send all materials to Sherry Coleman, Senior Search Consultant, Carney, Sandoe & Associates. Sherry Coleman Senior Search Consultant Carney, Sandoe & Associates sherry.coleman@carneysandoe.com 7