Steamboat Mountain School
Head of School
Start Date: July 2027
Day and Boarding (HS) School
Grades PK-12 and PG, 180 students
46205 Country RD 36, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
Educators Collaborative is pleased to assist Steamboat Mountain School in its search for its next Head of School to begin July 2027.
Mission
Steamboat Mountain School cultivates the intellect and imagination of young minds, so that students grow their curiosity, discover their potential, contribute meaningfully to their community, and engage in a dynamic, global society.
About the School
Thriving Through Contrast: SMS intentionally embraces the dynamic equilibrium between contrasting principles — providing challenge and offering support; developing independent thought while encouraging collaboration; bringing the world into the classroom and the classroom into the world; focusing on the school community while connecting to the global community; fostering self-awareness while inspiring broader impact.
SMS operates two campuses in Steamboat Springs, Colorado: the Emerald Campus in town, home to the Lower and Middle Schools (grades K–8), and the 150-acre Mountain Campus, home to the Upper School (grades 9–12) and the school’s boarding program. Together, the campuses form a single K–12 community united by a shared mission and Core Principles.
Vigorous Learning
SMS’s academic program favors depth over breadth: rather than a traditional AP curriculum, the Upper School uses a modular schedule built around honors-level, inquiry-based coursework that blends rigor with real-world application. Small classes — averaging ten students at a 6:1 teacher-to-student ratio — give faculty room to know each student well and to push them toward genuine intellectual independence.
That same spirit of hands-on, world-facing learning runs through the Lower and Middle School years at the Emerald Campus, where students build the foundation of curiosity, collaboration, and confidence that the Core Principles describe as being “Vigorous in Learning.”
Fun Facts about SMS
- 293″ average annual snowfall; 10 minutes to a premier ski resort
- 6.25 miles of trails across the 150-acre Mountain Campus
- The school mascot is the penguin, reflecting the resilient, supportive, and tight-knit community of SMS
- 100% of graduates matriculate to four-year colleges and universities
- SMS is situated in “Ski Town, U.S.A.” and has a rich history of producing Olympians and elite winter sports athletes, including multiple medalists in freestyle, Nordic combined, and alpine skiing
About the Opportunity
Steamboat Mountain School enters this search from a position of real strength. Under the leadership of Head of School Samantha Coyne Donnel, the school has completed a historic merger uniting Steamboat Mountain and Emerald Mountain Schools into one K–12 community, strengthened its financial footing, grown enrollment, expanded philanthropy, invested in both campuses, and built an exceptional leadership team. A recent accreditation process affirmed the strength of that unified vision and set a solid foundation for the school’s next chapter.
The search for SMS’s next Head of School launches in early September 2026 with broad community input, including on-campus listening sessions and an online survey open to the full SMS community. The full position statement will be available here by mid-September, with applications due November 16. The search is expected to conclude in early 2027.
To Learn More
Nat Conard and Tracy Bennett are assisting in this search. Please reach out to Nat or Tracy to schedule a conversation and learn more.
Candidates interested in the position will be asked to submit the following materials:
- EC Candidate Summary Sheet (request from search consultants)
- Letter of interest addressed to the Search Committee
- Resume
- Statement of educational leadership philosophy
- A list of five professional references with email and phone contact information
- EC Disclosure Form (request from search consultants)
Please send any inquiries, nominations, referrals, or expressions of interest electronically and in confidence to:
Nat Conard, Partner, Educators Collaborative
Tracy Bennett, Partner, Educators Collaborative
Listing Date: August 12, 2026
Compensation and Benefits
Steamboat Mountain School offers a rich and comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees.
Compensation range of $200,000-$275,000 inclusive of housing (on-campus or stipend)
Medical, dental, vision, and short-term disability insurance
Wellness benefit
Retirement contribution match after one year of service
Tuition remission benefits after two years of service
Steamboat Mountain School is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
SEARCH, TRANSITION & STRATEGY