Montessori School of Northern Virginia
Head of School
Start Date: July 1, 2027
Independent, Day School
Ages 18mos – Grade 8
290 students (approx)
Hillbrook: 6820 Pacific Lane, Annandale, VA 22003
Valleybrook: 3433 Rose Lane, Falls Church, VA 22042
Sleepy Hollow: 3435 Sleepy Hollow Road, Falls Church, VA 22044
Educators Collaborative is pleased to be assisting Montessori School of Northern Virginia (MSNV) in their search for a Head of School to begin July 1, 2027.
About the School
In 1962, a small group of Northern Virginia parents, inspired by Montessori philosophy and the work of Nancy McCormick Rambusch, started a school for 14 children in shared community spaces. That parent cooperative became the first Montessori school in Virginia. More than sixty years later, MSNV welcomes children from 18 months through 8th grade on three Fairfax County campuses: Valleybrook and Sleepy Hollow in Falls Church, and Hillbrook in Annandale
At MSNV, a child who first learns to choose work independently in Preprimary becomes a student who moves confidently through new classrooms, new campuses, and increasingly complex work, guided by a consistent approach to learning. Preprimary, Primary, Elementary, and Middle School programs follow that developmental path, with an average 8:1 student/teacher ratio and approximately 62 faculty and staff, many of them veteran educators whose service spans decades. The school is dual accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools and the American Montessori Society.
The cooperative spirit of those early years still shapes the school. Families, teachers, and trustees share responsibility for MSNV’s direction, and children are trusted to explore, ask questions, and take their work seriously. Signature experiences, including Echo Hill Outdoor School, The Island School in the Bahamas, and the student-run Middle School Microeconomy, carry that trust beyond the classroom and into the wider world.
Mission
MSNV inspires and guides children to love learning, to love one another, and to love the world around them. Rooted in Montessori philosophy, the school nurtures curiosity, respect, cooperation, and care for others, and builds habits of environmental stewardship and responsibility that last well beyond the classroom. MSNV is committed to equity, justice, diversity, and inclusion, and envisions a humane and peaceful society where people of all ages feel reverence and responsibility for all that sustains life on Earth.
About the Opportunity
MSNV seeks an inspiring, versatile, collaborative, and mission-driven Head of School to lead a thriving Montessori community into its next chapter, beginning July 1, 2027.
The next Head will build on the successful nine-year tenure of a highly regarded Head of School and will lead from a position of strength: excellent financial health, strong enrollment in the early grades, dedicated faculty and staff, an engaged community of families and trustees, and experienced academic and administrative leaders. The priority is not to reinvent MSNV, but to preserve its defining qualities while helping the school evolve thoughtfully in response to the needs of its students, families, and faculty.
Working in partnership with the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and families, the next Head will:
- Strengthen the sense of community and connection across the three campuses
- Support the continued development of all program levels, from Preprimary through Middle School
- Invest in faculty growth and retention
- Deepen engagement with current families and alumni
- Guide the school through upcoming AMS and VAIS accreditation
- Work closely with the Board to draft the school’s next strategic plan
- Strengthen the sense of com
This is an exceptional opportunity for a leader who pairs a deep understanding of Montessori philosophy with strong management skills, financial acumen, and the courage to make difficult decisions with care.
The ideal candidate:
MSNV seeks a leader who is:
- Deeply knowledgeable about Montessori philosophy, with a demonstrated record of successful educational leadership, preferably in a Montessori or independent school
- Compassionate, accessible, and genuinely interested in the daily life of the school
- Highly visible across all three campuses, welcoming of feedback, and an open, transparent communicator
- A collaborative leader who empowers colleagues and embraces distributed leadership while maintaining clear expectations and accountability
- Strategic and analytical, yet humble and self-reflective
- Skilled in budgeting, enrollment, staffing, and long-term institutional sustainability
- Experienced in strategic planning, faculty development, accreditation, and Board partnership
- Committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging
MSNV’s next Head of School will be a relational and thoughtful leader who can listen carefully, build trust, address challenges directly, and sustain the welcoming atmosphere and strong sense of community that define the school.
View the Information for Candidates to learn more about the school and the position, including the full Leadership Profile.
Why Northern Virginia?
MSNV’s three campuses sit in Falls Church and Annandale, in the heart of Fairfax County and just minutes from Washington, DC. It is a region that offers an extraordinary quality of life for school leaders and their families.
Close to the nation’s capital. The Smithsonian museums, national monuments, theaters, and world-class cultural institutions are all within easy reach, and Metro, major highways, and three major airports make the region simple to navigate and easy to connect to the rest of the world.
A diverse, globally minded community. Northern Virginia draws families from across the country and around the world, many with careers in government, technology, healthcare, education, and the nonprofit sector. The result is a community that is engaged, international in outlook, and deeply invested in the education of its children. Family expectations are high, and so is the sense of partnership.
Green space and the outdoors. Despite its proximity to the city, the region offers abundant parks, trails, and waterways, including the Potomac River, with the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah National Park, and the Chesapeake Bay within a short drive. The outdoors is central to MSNV’s own program, and the area makes it easy to live that value.
A strong independent school landscape. Northern Virginia is home to a vibrant network of independent schools and educators, with active professional communities through VAIS, AMS, and NAIS, offering rich opportunities for collaboration and professional growth.
Neighborhoods to call home. From Falls Church and Annandale to Arlington, Alexandria, and beyond, the area offers a wide range of neighborhoods, restaurants, and community life, along with a dynamic job market for families.
How to Apply
Interested leaders are asked to submit the following materials in a single merged pdf file to Debbie Millon or Mary Seppala:
- EC Candidate Summary Sheet (You’ll be asked to make a copy upon opening)
- Letter of Interest addressed to the MSNV Head of School Search Committee
- Current resume
- Statement of Educational Leadership Philosophy
- A list of five or more professional references, with contact information (name, relationship to candidate, phone, and email)
- EC Disclosure Statement (You’ll be asked to make a copy upon opening)
Debbie Millon, Partner, Educators Collaborative
Mary Seppala, Partner, Educators Collaborative
Listing Date: October 30, 2026
The salary range for this position is $225,000–$260,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications, plus a comprehensive benefits package.
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