The Island School
Head of School
Start Date: July 1, 2027
Nature Based – Outdoor Preschool for children ages 3 to 5
Kindergarten to 5th Grade
70 to 90 students approximately
8553 NE Day Road, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Educators Collaborative is delighted to be assisting The Island School (TIS) in their search for a Head of School to begin July 1, 2027. Located on Bainbridge Island, a short and scenic ferry ride from Seattle, the school serves students and families from greater Kitsap County.
The Island School was founded in 1977 by founders Kelly Webster and Nancy and Dave Leedy to provide an open, nurturing, and supportive learning environment for their children. Nearly 50 years later the school is thriving! The academic program at The Island School is designed to be joyful, hands-on, and community-centered. Nestled on a five-acre forested campus, it blends strong academics with outdoor exploration and a low-tech philosophy for students from preschool through fifth grade.
Core Academic Pillars
- Project-Based Learning: Students engage in multidisciplinary, inquiry-based projects covering core concepts like math, literacy, and sciences. Science lessons often center around local phenomena like salmon and the food forest.
- Low-Tech by Design: The school intentionally limits screen-based instruction. They introduce technology thoughtfully as a tool rather than the main driver of learning.
- Social-Emotional Growth: Development of the whole child is integrated directly into the daily routine, prioritizing compassion, kindness, and community responsibility.
- Small Class Sizes: Low student-to-teacher ratios allow educators to provide highly individualized instruction tailored to where each child is academically.
Daily & Weekly Highlights
- Outdoor Exploration: Students receive more than an hour of outdoor playtime and learning every single day on a wooded campus featuring trees to climb and space to dig.
- Specialist Classes: Weekly instruction includes Art, Library, Music, Physical Education, and Spanish. The school also gathers for a community “Monday Morning Sing”.
- Annual Cultural Study: For the entire month of March, traditional testing and schedules are paused for a Month-Long Cultural Immersive Study. The whole school community dives into the history, food, traditions, and arts of a chosen country, culminating in a school-wide musical.
Schedule & Structure
- Preschool: A half-day, nature based, outdoor-focused program serves curious and energetic learners ages 3 to 5 year olds. Available on 2-day, 3-day, or 5-day schedules.
- Kindergarten to 5th Grade: A comprehensive, full-day elementary program.
About the School
Learning with joy. Leading with Kindness.
Located on a 5 acre wooded campus, founded 50 years ago, The Island School serves students with a belief that learning should be joyful, challenging and fun. Families choosing to enroll in the program seek a supportive community where the child is celebrated for their strengths as well as their challenges. The teaching model is one that actively involves the student voice and perspectives to create an educational environment that fosters respect and care for others different and similar from the status quo; where students are seen as capable citizens who can make a positive difference. The talented faculty use research-backed instruction techniques to deliver hands-on, meaningful learning experience for the diverse population of learners in a classroom.
The Mission
The Island School provides a flexible learning environment where each child is known and celebrated.
The Vision
Children at The Island School become lifelong learners with a strong sense of self, an appreciation for community and the skills to thrive.
The school is accredited by the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS), a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and Puget Sound Independent Schools (PSIS) and Washington Federation of Independent Schools WFIS.
About Bainbridge Island
Don’t rely on us telling you why Bainbridge Island and the greater metropolitan area is a fantastic place to live. We recommend that you spend some time on the web. Living and/or working on Bainbridge Island has many pluses. If you prefer to live in Seattle and work on Bainbridge Island, it is only a 35 minute ferry ride to cross from Seattle to Bainbridge. This 8.6 mile scenic trip across Puget Sound is the busiest route in Washington’s ferry system with many commuters reading the paper, visiting with each other, completing jigsaw puzzles, or closing their eyes for a quick few zzzz’s. Tourists jump on this ferry to enjoy the scenery or go to Bainbridge for a quick lunch, where there are numerous options for a delicious meal.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should electronically submit the following materials in a single merged pdf by August 15, 2026.
- EC Candidate Summary (contact Mark and/or Joan for this document) )
- Formal cover letter to the Island School Search Committee, stating reasons for interest
- Current résumé
- Statement of Educational Leadership Philosophy
- A list of five professional references, including phone and email contact info and a brief explanation of connection to the candidate
- EC Disclosure Form (contact Mark and/or Joan for this document)
We are available for a preliminary conversation before you apply. We’d like to establish a supportive relationship with you, which will ultimately benefit you in the process.
Learn more about the school and the position in the Information for Candidates/Leadership Profile document. Inquiries may be directed to Mark Crotty or Joan Beauregard:
Mark Crotty, Partner, Educators Collaborative
Joan Beauregard, Partner, Educators Collaborative
Listing Date: June 12, 2026
Updated: July 7, 2026
The salary range is $180,000 – $200,000. The Island School (TIS ) provides generally competitive employee benefits which includes TIS contributing 4.25% of gross pay to a TIAA retirement plan on behalf of the employee. The employee is not required to contribute a matching amount but may contribute an additional amount if desired. Housing will not be provided.
The Island School does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, national or ethnic origin, citizenship or immigration status, sex, ancestry, age, family or marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, honorably discharged veteran or military status, and/or the presence of any physical disability (including pregnancy), mental disability, or sensory disability, or any other legally protected characteristic or status.
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