Seeking the Next Director for

Transcription

1 Seeking the Next Director for Mission Statement The mission of St. Anne s Day School, a ministry of St. Anne s Episcopal Church in Atlanta, GA, is to promote a nurturing, enriching environment where each child is respected as a unique gift from God with boundless potential. We strive to promote a collaborative learning community of children, families, and educators, where relationships develop and thrive, where we make meaning of our world through creative inquiry, and where every individual can grow in mind, body and spirit. Our Day School welcomes around 200 children from 4 months through 6 years of age. School hours are from 8:35 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Our Enrichment Programs include an Extended Day for Day School students age 3 and older, and an After School program for elementaryage children from local public schools. We also offer a Summer Camp program for ages 2-6. Our Philosophy promotes a nurturing environment, rich in complexity, where children, families, and educators alike are respected as competent individuals. We strive to cultivate a collaborative learning community where relationships can develop and thrive; exploration is encouraged, and learning processes are sustained. Our approach to learning seeks to integrate domains of knowledge that are often separated. We value the participation of children, parents and educators as partners in this process. We have been particularly inspired by the experiences of the infant-toddler centers and preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Our Context Metropolitan Atlanta is home to over 5 million people. With the busiest airport in the country, Atlanta attracts visitors from around the globe, mixing a tradition of hospitality with a cosmopolitan feel. Now the home to many different cultural and international communities, Atlanta has capitalized on the strengths of its people to create an environment of welcoming diversity, rich in history, the arts and natural beauty. 1

2 Seeking the Next Director for The Atlanta skyline gives way to a dense canopy of woods that spreads into the suburbs. St. Anne s is situated in the Buckhead area of Atlanta and enjoys a lush, tree-filled campus. Our school began in 1966 as a mission of St. Anne s Episcopal Church in a traditional setting with thirteen students. Over the years, our school, as well as our thinking, has evolved, sparked by encounters and ongoing collaborations about the Reggio Approach. Due to our long history of excellence in early childhood education and our forward-thinking philosophy, St. Anne s enjoys the reputation of being an outstanding preschool with an annual wait list and a thriving parent organization. Our Faculty Every class has two co-educators. In addition to 22 classroom educators, we also have a librarian, music teacher and support teacher, as well as a group of multi-classroom educators (MCEs). M CEs specialize in visual arts and materials, technology and other focused skills and work with small groups to support and enrich classroom work. M CEs regularly collaborate with classroom teaching teams and the Pedagogical Coordinator. Our administrative team includes four full-time support positions. Professional Development As our faculty believes in the importance of observation and listening to children, we continually strive to learn and research together among other educators by participating and/or presenting in national and international conferences. Our school also hosts educational initiatives and exchanges that offer opportunities for us to come together with other educators, parents, academics and local leaders to dialogue about children s learning processes. Since 2004, our faculty has participated in Project Infinity, a collaboration of schools from Atlanta and Greenville, SC. The collaborative is supported by the non-profit organization Inspired Practices in Early Education, Inc., as well as dialogue with Amelia Gambetti, a Reggio Emilia International liaison and consultant to the U.S. 2

3 Seeking the Next Director for The Successful Candidate Will Be: One who can create a joyous and nurturing environment that encourages children to develop a love of learning. One who has strong academic credentials, preferably with an emphasis on early childhood education and associated classroom experience a master s degree or equivalent. One who possesses a well-articulated educational philosophy based on non-traditional, constructivist or Reggio- inspired perspectives. One who is a warm, approachable person with a presence that invites and respects the views of others, yet can be decisive. One who communicates clearly and effectively as a passionate advocate for children, families and faculty. One who appreciates and personifies the values of an Episcopal Day School. One who has strong leadership and administrative skills and is able to oversee the financial affairs of the Day School. This will include effectively utilizing technology and maintaining a budget to monitor the school s ongoing income and expenses while working directly with the Advisory Council as well as the Rector and Vestry of St. Anne s Episcopal Church. One who has demonstrated successful fundraising strategies. One who is a supportive mentor of the faculty, capable of working with them to develop a curriculum that is engaging and successful in preparing students emotionally, socially, and cognitively. One who communicates clearly and effectively and can collaborate with children, parents and faculty within the Day School and more broadly with leaders across the church community the Rector of the Church, the Vestry and the Director of St. Anne s Terrace. One who can be an active participant in church functions and a visible member of the church community. One who can build and maintain relationships among the wider school community in Atlanta so students can successfully transition to area schools. 3

4 Seeking the Next Director for Candidates Should Provide: The following materials must be provided electronically by September 1, 2015 to with attachments in PDF or MS Word format: * Letter of interest with qualifications for this position, * Complete resume with previous positions and responsibilities, * Statement of Educational Philosophy including how the applicant would foster the Reggio Emilia philosophy, and * Five references with contact information ( addresses and/or phone numbers). Two references should be from individuals with first-hand observation of the applicant in the context of work in an educational environment. References will only be contacted at the semi-finalist stage with the candidate s permission. Applications will be acknowledged by . Candidates will be notified by the Search Committee of their status after all materials have been received and reviewed by the Committee. Anticipated Search Calendar: Application Deadline...September 1, 2015 Appointment...January 2016 Start date...june 1,

5 Seeking the Next Director for Our Campus: 13 acres with extensive gardens and koi pond St. Anne s Episcopal Church St. Anne s Day School St. Anne s Terrace Our School: 10 renovated, light-filled classrooms Large Studio with kiln New $500,000 Outdoor Classroom 2 large age-specific playgrounds Dedicated Music and Movement Room A library with over 1600 books State-of-the-art security system campus-wide Kitchen Classes Ages Classes Days Infants 4-16 months Toddlers months Students per class Teachers 1 1 or 2 days, M-F days, M, W, F 10 2 Twos 3 T, TH 12 2 Threes 3 Multi-Age 3&4 year olds 2 classes meet M, W, F 1 class (T-4) meets five days Five days 16 2 St. Anne s Day School At-A-Glance Founded: Enrollment: Educators & Staff:...37 Operating Budget:...$1,600,000 Annual Giving:...$120,000 Pre-K 3 Five days 16 2 Kindergarten 1 Five days

6 St. Anne s Day School Memberships: NAES NAREA Buckhead Preschool Association Project Infinity Currently conducting self-study for SACS accreditation