Active Search – Waldorf School of Philadelphia

Head of School
Start Date: July 1, 2023
Coed Day School Grades 1 – 8
250 Students
6000 Wayne Ave, Philadelphia, PA

www.phillywaldorf.com

Nathaniel E. Conard

About the School

The Waldorf School of Philadelphia traces its roots to the early 1990s, when a group of parents began to discuss bringing a Waldorf-inspired community center or daycare to Philadelphia. Over the early years of that decade the concept developed and evolved, and in 1995 the Philadelphia Waldorf Initiative was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A little over 25 years later, WSP is a modern, organic learning environment in the heart of Germantown, based on Rudolf Steiner’s philosophy of education. The school’s mission is to create a vibrant learning community based on a deep understanding of the child, integrating the intellectual with the artistic and the practical with the beautiful. WSP provides a decidedly independent form of education that creates decidedly independent thinkers. Learning that inspires. Learning that endures. And learning that children will treasure forever.

There has never been a more exciting time to join the Philly Waldorf community. The school is a diverse, energetic, and urban school with a strong commitment to a deep understanding of each student’s needs. Love, reverence, and respect for childhood are reflected in the collegial community of teachers, a diverse mix of seasoned professionals and those who are relatively new to teaching in a Waldorf setting. A magnet for creative, community-minded people, the school seeks to foster and support thoughtful, socially conscious, and engaged citizens. In this regard, the community at Philly Waldorf is exceptionally active, engaged, and thriving.

Philly Waldorf’s strong commitment to increasing and supporting diversity in employment and programs is expressed in its desire to hire candidates underrepresented in Waldorf Education.

Celebrating its 25th year in 2020, the Waldorf School of Philadelphia teaches students from ages 2 years through eighth grade. In July 2015 the school moved to a permanent new home, 6000 Wayne Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144.

Total enrollment is approximately 250 students, comprising early childhood programs and 1st-8th grade. The Waldorf School of Philadelphia has 28 faculty members and 9 administrative staff members.

Statement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Racism is deep and widespread in society. It dehumanizes and divides people in ways that hurt us all. Mirroring much of the dialogue and action witnessed across our nation, Waldorf schools are undergoing an intense and overdue period of reckoning. A moment of reckoning that calls on us to:

Confront the specter of White Supremacy now exposed more regularly in a wide array of social life
Critically question the subtleties, silences, and absences in policies, structures, and practices that traditionally shape the dynamics that shape our communities.
Reevaluate the pedagogical legacy of Waldorf education and Rudolf Steiner in a way that meets and reflects all families.

The Head of School Opportunity

Waldorf School of Philadelphia seeks a warm, collaborative, and strategic educational leader with a passion for education and putting students and their needs first to serve as Head of School beginning July 1, 2023. Appointed by the Board of Trustees to implement the school’s strategic plan in accordance with its mission and philosophy, the Head of School provides management and oversight of the school’s operations and staff. This person ensures the school’s mission is achieved and that the school is financially and operationally sustainable. The Head of School collaborates with pedagogical leadership in the development of school programs and pedagogical policies and is an active member of the school community, the surrounding neighborhood, and both the larger Waldorf and local independent school movements. A full position description is available here.

How to Apply

Candidates interested in either position should submit the following materials as soon as possible.

EC Candidate Summary Sheet (contact Nat Conard for this document)
Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee
Resume
Statement of educational leadership philosophy
A list of five or more references with contact information (including phone numbers and email addresses)
Up to three letters of reference (optional)

Please address any inquiries or expressions of interest to:

Nathaniel E. Conard, Partner, Educators’ Collaborative, LLC, nconard@educatorscollaborative.com

Listing Date: May 13, 2022

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