Graland Country Day School

HEAD OF SCHOOL
Graland Country Day School
Denver, Colorado
Founded in 1924, Graland Country Day School ranks among the nation’s largest and most highly respected PS‐8 independent schools. Serving 700 students on its beautifully landscaped and well‐equipped 7.5‐acre campus, Graland prepares young people to be engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders within a joyful community that values collaboration and camaraderie. For more than 90 years, Graland has offered a rigorous curriculum balanced with forward‐
thinking educational practices designed to ignite curiosity and confidence while focusing on the whole child. Guided by the theme A great school never sits still, Graland has raised more than $22 million in the past year to fund dynamic new learning spaces as well as enhanced support for financial aid and faculty development. Financially healthy, superbly managed, and academically vibrant, Graland Country Day School is extraordinarily well positioned for new leadership. For a position to begin in July of 2017, Graland is seeking an engaging and visionary academic leader who will embrace Graland’s tradition of excellence and its commitment to remaining at the forefront of thoughtful educational innovation. APPLICATION DEADLINE: AUGUST 12, 2016
GRALAND COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL AT A GLANCE
Mission
To achieve intellectual excellence, build strong character, enrich learning through the arts and athletics, and prepare our students to be engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders. Motto
Ascende Omnem Montem (Climb Every Mountain)
CAMPUS AND FACILITIES
ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID
ENROLLMENT, ALL GRADES: 700 LOCATION: Central Denver, 4 miles from downtown PRESCHOOL: 48 FACILITIES: 7.5‐acre campus featuring modern LOWER SCHOOL (K–4): 361 classrooms, 300‐seat theater, new dining hall, 32,000‐square‐foot fieldhouse, and 2.5 acres of fields and play spaces MIDDLE SCHOOL (5–8): 291 STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO: 8 to 1 STUDENTS OF COLOR: 21% FACULTY AND STAFF
FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT
TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 146 OPERATING BUDGET: $14.8 million
FACULTY: 65 lead teachers and 31 support teachers, ENDOWMENT: $31.3 million interns, counselors and learning specialists FACULTY WITH ADVANCED DEGREES: 58% AVERAGE FACULTY TENURE AT GRALAND: 8 years INDEBTEDNESS: None ALL-INCLUSIVE TUITION (FULL DAY): $17,940–$23,920
FINANCIAL AID: $1.9 million to 17% of student body TOTAL FUNDS RAISED LAST YEAR: $17.8 million AFFILIATIONS
ANNUAL GIVING: $997,000, with 82% parent participation and 100% participation from faculty, staff, and administration ACCREDITATION:
Association of Colorado Independent Schools, Colorado State Department of Education MEMBER: National Association of Independent Schools, Independent School Data Exchange ON THE WEB:
2 www.graland.org
DEFINING STRENGTHS AND UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES
From its earliest days, Graland’s approach to teaching has been influenced by the philosophy of educator John Dewey, a proponent of progressive education and an advocate for careful attention to the needs of children. As it was then, Graland’s focus today is on the whole child and on the development of a well‐balanced individual of strong character who excels intellectually, athletically, and creatively. Both excellence and innovation have long been celebrated here. Well before most schools were contemplating the importance of design thinking, Graland was advancing Denver’s educational outlook through initiatives such as the Gates Invention and Innovation program. Launched in 1998 with a $1 million endowment from Graland alumnus Charles C. Gates ’34, the program continues today to inspire students to design and create inventive solutions, a number of which have earned patents for the young inventors. A mission‐centered school, Graland operates according to a well‐articulated set of Guiding Principles that are reflected in both the multifaceted educational program and the spirit of community evident on campus. The principles establish these core priorities for a Graland education: Pursue Excellence Honor Individuality Guide Critical Thinking Cultivate Compassion Instill Integrity Embrace Experiences Inspire Leadership Celebrate Perseverance Promote Independence Value Tradition Stimulate Innovation Build Community
All of these principles find direct expression in an educational experience for Graland students that is rich, multifaceted, exciting, confidence‐building and life‐affirming. STUDENTS AND PARENTS
Fueled by the school’s long history and excellent reputation, demand for the Graland experience is very high. Students come to the school from more than 30 zip codes throughout the Denver metropolitan area. Retention is exceptional; only 16 students out of 700 left the school this year, with 10 moving out of state. Graland serves a student body that is academically, racially, religiously, and economically diverse. Twenty‐one percent identify as students of color. Economic diversity is supported through nearly $2 million in financial aid, awarded this year to 17 percent of the student body. Graland graduates go on to successful high school experiences at a broad range of public, parochial, and independent secondary schools in the region, including Colorado Academy and Kent Denver School. A few students each year opt for boarding schools, most often on the East Coast. This year, five graduating eighth‐graders earned admission to a total of 19 boarding schools. With more than 400 families in the school, the well‐organized Graland Parent Association plays an important role in community building and parent education. Hundreds of parents participate each year in a variety of events and 3 programs, contributing more than 4,000 volunteer hours. The Parent Education Network sponsors guest speakers and hosts book club meetings with the Head of School. The Graland Inclusivity Forum and Taskforce creates awareness about multiculturalism through discussion groups and special events. To further build community, the Parent Association and school administration have collaborated to establish parent affinity groups that meet and learn from one another, including parents of students of color, parents of children with learning differences, new families, and a men’s basketball group. Eleven such groups are operating now, with new ones created in response to parent interest. THE FACULTY AND STAFF
With an average tenure of eight years at Graland and an average of more than 14 years of teaching experience overall, Graland’s 96‐member faculty constitutes a defining strength. They are warmly engaged with their students in and out of the classroom and wholeheartedly committed to each child’s success. Faculty and staff appreciate a working environment in which they are entrusted and empowered to meet the needs of each student. Red tape is minimal, and the professional culture is collaborative and collegial. Teachers take to heart the Head’s oft‐stated philosophy that they should incorporate healthy risk taking into their teaching: They are advised to stick with proven approaches 80 percent of the time and experiment with innovative ideas 20 percent of the time. Graland honors the professionalism of its faculty in ways both symbolic and tangible. Portraits of past and present Master Teachers – faculty members who have served the school for 20 years or more – are prominently displayed in the lobby of the administration building. One in 10 of the current faculty have earned this designation. Graland invests more than $100,000 annually in professional development, including tuition reimbursement, summer sabbatical grants, conference and workshop funding, and whole‐school professional development days geared to the school’s programmatic goals. The school does not offer tuition remission to faculty but does give preferential consideration to faculty and staff in allocating financial aid. Graland’s Early Childhood Learning Center was established in 2011 to provide high‐quality, onsite childcare and early childhood education for faculty and staff children, ages 1 to 4. Twenty employee children are enrolled in the program this year. ADMINISTRATION AND GOVERNANCE
Much of Graland’s current health and impressive momentum can be attributed to the leadership of retiring Head of School Veronica (Ronni) McCaffrey, who joined Graland in 2008 as its Lower School Head and became the Head of School in 2009. Lauded for her warm and inclusive leadership style, she has created a highly effective senior administrative team with the skills and qualities necessary to manage a robust program and a large community of young children and their families. The 10 administrators reporting directly to the Head include the Heads of the Lower and Middle schools; the Director of Curriculum & Instruction, the Director of Diversity and Community, and the Director of Programs; the Directors of Admission, Development, and Finance & Operations; and the Directors of Information Services and Marketing & Communications. The 21‐member Board of Trustees plays a vital and appropriate role in spearheading Graland’s advancement efforts, ensuring its financial sustainability, and setting its strategic direction. The Board’s strategic planning committee has been working for the past 18 months to evaluate the success of the 2011‐17 strategic plan and lay the groundwork for the next one. With most of the current plan’s goals accomplished ahead of schedule, the committee has now turned its attention to surveying the community and collecting other data that will inform the goals of the next plan. A draft, 4 which the new Head of School will be expected to help develop further, is tentatively scheduled to be presented to the full Board in January 2017. THE ASCEND CAMPAIGN
Graland’s next leader will reap the benefits of the Ascend capital campaign, a record‐breaking $24 million effort that is nearing the finish line. The campaign will support an additional $5 million endowment for financial aid, enabling the school to increase the number of students receiving assistance. A $5 million endowment for faculty professional and curricular development will fund several initiatives, including the creation of a new position, the Gates Chair of Innovation. Additional endowment funds for the employee child care center will ensure that exceptional and affordable child care will continue to be an option for faculty and staff parents. The most visible outgrowth of the campaign is the new Corkins Center, which is taking shape on the campus this year and scheduled to open in October of 2016. The 24,700‐square‐foot center will house the Gates Innovation Lab, two Lower School science classrooms, and the Learning Commons, a dynamic new concept that combines library services with flexible study spaces, online resources, Lower School makerspace, reading nooks, collaborative work areas, and a digital media studio. In March, Graland students had the opportunity to put their own stamp on the new building, inscribing short messages on a special white beam that will be visible through a hatch in the elevator shaft. CAMPUS AND FACILITIES
The new construction augments a campus that is already among metro Denver’s finest independent school facilities. The 7.5‐acre campus, which is beautifully landscaped, is alive with activity all day long as students enjoy playgrounds, sports fields, and a 32,000‐square‐foot fieldhouse complete with a climbing wall. Classrooms feature the latest tools for technology integration, and the arts programs are well served by an excellent performing arts theater as well as music, art, and drama studios. The new full‐service kitchen and dining hall is a popular attraction. Graland is situated just a few minutes’ drive from downtown Denver in the Hilltop section, one of the city’s leading neighborhoods. It is located 10 miles north of the Denver Tech Center, a major business and technology center spanning 850 acres. 5 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
With an overarching focus on excellence, Graland offers a college preparatory education that skillfully balances tradition and innovation. Graland students experience a carefully calibrated mix of hands‐on learning, lively classroom discussion, creative exploration, and technology integration. Ongoing curriculum mapping promotes a strong core curriculum, with scheduled evaluations of each subject area every five years. Most recently, the math, literacy, history, science, modern languages, physical education/athletics, library, and technology curricula have been examined and enhanced. Key skills and mindsets for developing innovative thinkers, like discovery, persistence, and problem‐solving, are integrated into all curricula. World language instruction begins in preschool with an introduction in Spanish, expanding in the Middle School to include the option to study French. Technology is integrated through a 1:1 iPad program in grades 4‐6, with a Bring Your Own Device pilot now taking place in 7th and 8th grade. Desktops and laptop carts are utilized through the school. Media literacy is a point of emphasis. Graland teachers are adept at presenting classroom instruction in different ways to challenge advanced students and support those who might be struggling. A Student Support Team develops and implements individual learning plans to assist students with specific academic, social, or behavioral needs. Three sessions of after school enrichment classes are offered each year, providing Lower School students with the opportunity to pursue personal passions or hone their academic skills. This program also supports the needs of dual working families. Each summer, Graland offers a broad array of educational and athletic camps, which are open to the public. For a grade‐by‐grade description of the educational program, visit www.graland.org/page/program/by‐grade. Here are a few highlights: TRIPS AND TRADITIONS
Graland’s many meaningful traditions connect today’s students with generations of alumni and help to reinforce the strong sense of community among students, faculty, and parents. School‐wide traditions include the annual Festival of Light and Holiday Sing Along, when teachers and students perform together, and a Spring Art Show. The Halloween parade finds both students and teachers in creative costumes. Students in each grade eagerly anticipate trips and programs that in many cases have been a feature of the Graland curriculum for years. Kindergarteners visit the National Western Stock Show for a unit on Life in the West that culminates in a rodeo performance at an all‐school assembly. Second‐graders invite parents to the Biography Tea, dressing up as the historical figures they have studied. Among the most celebrated of Graland traditions is the fifth‐grade Knighting Ceremony, which combines the study of knights and castles with concepts of service, both at school and at home. All students in PreK‐8 participate in the buddy program each year, forging special relationships and bringing the school together across grades. 6 Many alumni from the 1970s and 1980s still fondly recall their sixth‐grade Southwest Trip, a spring campout to the Mesa Verde area, an eight‐hour drive from the school. The seventh‐grade trip to Washington, DC, and Gettysburg culminates a year that focuses on the theme of being engaged citizens. To reinforce their studies about the Civil Rights movement, the eighth grade class retraces Dr. Martin Luther King’s Freedom March. When they return to Graland, students express their understanding through a meaningful art assignment. GATES INVENTION AND INNOVATION PROGRAM
Through an innovative design thinking program that encourages motivated students to tinker, create, and innovate, students in grades 5 to 8 – 113 participated this year – have the opportunity to invent a new product and potentially earn a U.S. patent. The program culminates in March at the Gates Expo, where students display and demonstrate their unique inventions. Ten faculty members from several disciplines act as coaches and mentors. A source of Graland pride since 1998, the program earned national attention this year when two young alumni were featured on the popular ABC television show, Shark Tank, for an invention that grew out of their 2012 participation in the Gates program as fifth‐graders. Their invention: the Drip Drop, an edible shield to solve the problem of messy ice cream cones. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP
A commitment to developing character and community connection is an integral component of the Graland educational program. A daily advisory program in the Middle School and the Responsive Classroom program in the Lower School promote strong relationships among students and adults. Dedicated full‐time counselors in both Lower and Middle School and a full‐time Wellness teacher in the Middle School help students to celebrate differences and develop life skills. Opportunities for leadership growth include a student council, a service council, and a peer leadership program in the Middle School. Fourth‐graders serve a myriad of age‐appropriate leadership roles in Lower School including as assembly leaders. Service learning outreach opportunities at each grade level cultivate compassion and systematically introduce students to community needs in areas including animal care, environmental sustainability, hunger, poverty, endangered species, and elder care. Fourth‐graders have hosted Special Olympics style games for buddies from the Denver Public Schools for the past 16 years. Seventh‐graders participate in an interdisciplinary project on aging and Alzheimer’s disease that incorporates science instruction, a memory box art project, meetings with top researchers, and frequent visits to seniors, including playing croquet together. The program was featured nationally on National Public Radio this year. 7 THE ARTS
Art and music abound at Graland. Student artwork is displayed throughout the school, and the school’s permanent art collection includes more than 800 pieces of extraordinary student work. Students participate in visual arts, drama, music, and movement throughout their PS‐8 experience. Middle School opportunities include Choir, Band, Musical Theater, Jazz Band, an a cappella group, Debate, and Film. Nine faculty members teach in the three arts disciplines, including two Master Teachers in the Art department. ATHLETICS AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Daily physical activity is incorporated into every student’s schedule at Graland, either in the form of physical education and recess or interscholastic sports. Lower grades have PE daily. In grades six through eight, students have the opportunity to pursue competitive athletics and lifetime fitness in a variety of ways. Teams are fielded in golf, lacrosse, field hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross country, baseball, basketball, and tennis. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR THE NEXT HEAD OF SCHOOL
By the time the next Head arrives, Graland’s new facilities will be up and running and a new strategic plan will be in place. With the support of a seasoned administrative team, a talented faculty, and a productive Board of Trustees, the next leader will be exceptionally well situated for a successful headship. Among the specific opportunities and challenges the Board of Trustees will expect the next Head to address are the following: CURRICULAR INNOVATION
The next Head of Graland Country Day School will lead a first‐rate independent school that has achieved great success in striking a healthy balance of challenging academics and holistic, student‐centered learning. This is a particularly exciting opportunity for a forward‐thinking academic leader who aspires to maintain and enhance Graland’s position at the forefront of PS‐8 independent education. In a school that prides itself on never sitting still, curricular change and improvement is a constant. Program innovation supports all elements of the mission, including academic excellence, arts, athletics, and character building. Graland’s next leader should be prepared to guide and support this thoughtful approach to innovation while resisting unproven fads. 8 THE FACULTY
Graland’s remarkably positive school culture flows directly from the healthy morale and spirit of camaraderie among faculty, who also highly influence parent satisfaction. The outgoing Head of School has worked hard to establish a deep bond of trust with faculty, encouraging them to exercise leadership and empowering them to experiment and innovate in their classrooms. The next Head of School most support, sustain, and actively nurture this exceptional professional environment. Mindful that the excellent faculty and staff constitute the heart of the school, the Board of Trustees is committed to ensuring that compensation and professional development programs support the recruitment, retention, and continuing growth of this most valuable asset. While the school’s professional culture and benefits are very attractive, its overall compensation levels place it at the mid‐range of peer K‐8 schools nationally – an area of focus for the school’s leadership in the years ahead. FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
While Graland is financially sound, well managed, debt‐free, and blessed with a $31.3 million endowment, the Board of Trustees is aware that affordability and tuition control will be increasingly important to prospective families in the years ahead. The next Head will be expected to partner with the Board to devise creative alternatives to a heavy reliance on tuition revenue. At a minimum, additional endowment funds will be needed to support financial aid, faculty compensation, and professional development initiatives. Building upon the remarkable success of the Ascend campaign, there is great confidence in Graland’s potential to raise capital. A talented new Development Director will be joining the school next year, and the school community has demonstrated both a willingness to be generous and the capacity to give. Graland prides itself on a large and engaged alumni body. The school has developed an active outreach strategy that incorporates social media tools and an event calendar to maintain connections with this important constituency. Alumni historically have been meaningful contributors to capital campaigns. The next Head of School will need to prioritize this outreach and execute strategies to expand their philanthropic giving. DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY
Graland has been very intentional in its commitment to a diverse and inclusive school community – including developing a philosophy and policy articulating its beliefs – and the school is committed to continuing its efforts to ensure that Graland is welcoming and inclusive to all. Graland’s current approach to financial aid focuses on large grants to relatively few families. To attract more middle‐
class families, the school may wish to both expand financial aid resources and distribute them differently. Ensuring that families from all economic backgrounds receive the support necessary to feel welcome and enjoy a positive experience at Graland is a particular priority. More broadly, the next Head will need to be attentive to the importance of maintaining a strong sense of community among the more than 400 families who entrust their children to Graland. The school prides itself on having developed a vibrant and diverse student body that crosses ethnic, socio‐demographic, and international cultures. The outgoing Head has been a masterful leader in this regard, warmly welcoming and engaging every child and every family. The new leader will be expected to continue this personal approach, while also delivering a clear message of support for faculty to a parent body with high expectations. The Graland community is eager to welcome a new leader who will offer a strong cultural fit and the potential to be another highly successful, long‐term Head of School. 9 WHO SHOULD APPLY: IMPORTANT QUALITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate will offer most or all of the following key attributes: 
A progressive educational vision that is wholly consistent with the Graland mission and philosophy. 
Experience in one or more independent schools of high quality. 
Substantial expertise and a forward‐
looking philosophy regarding best practices in curriculum and pedagogy across the PS‐8 spectrum. 
A record of success as a teacher, ideally in a lower/middle school setting. 
Successful experience as an academic administrator. 
Solid academic credentials, including an advanced degree and evidence of a commitment to lifelong learning. LEADERSHIP STYLE

An inspiring, supportive, and discerning leader of faculty. 
A warm, personable, and outgoing leader – a community builder who genuinely enjoys interacting with all members of the school family. 
A leader with the ability to craft a clear vision and engage the community to follow that vision. 
A principled leader who can adroitly balance competing interests and who is willing to set and enforce appropriate boundaries. 
A collaborative leader who is available and accessible to his/her team. 
A strong communicator who engenders trust and confidence through the spoken and written word. PERSONAL QUALITIES

A welcoming and inclusive spirit; an appreciation for and sensitivity to diversity across many dimensions; a sense of humor. 
Genuine enjoyment in, and the ability to connect easily with, young children and pre‐
adolescents. 
Respect for the history and traditions that enliven the Graland culture. 10 ANTICIPATED SEARCH CALENDAR
Application deadline:
August 12, 2016
Selection of semifinalists:
August 25, 2016
Semifinalist interviews:
September 10-11, 2016
Finalist visits:
September/October 2016
Appointment:
October 2016
Starting date:
July 2017
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SEARCH PROCESS
Acting on behalf of Graland Country Day School, Wickenden Associates is actively recruiting talented academic leaders for this appealing leadership opportunity. The lead consultants are Sue Walters (swalters@wickenden.com) and Jim Wickenden (jwickenden@wickenden.com). Both may be reached at (609) 683‐1355. Candidates should submit no later than Friday, August 12, 2016, an application package including the following: 
A cover letter indicating why they are particularly interested in and qualified for the position. 
A current résumé. 
A statement of educational philosophy. 
The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references. (We will obtain permission from candidates before contacting references). 
Optional: Other supporting material (e.g. articles, speeches, or letters of recommendation) that would be useful to the Search Committee. These materials should be transmitted via email attachment to searches@wickenden.com. Candidates who are new to Wickenden Associates are particularly encouraged to initiate the application process well before the deadline. After an initial review of applicants, the Search Committee will interview semifinalist candidates on September 10–11, 2016. Shortly thereafter, finalists will be invited to Graland for a more comprehensive series of interviews with representatives of the school’s constituencies. An October appointment is anticipated. Wickenden Associates will keep all applicants informed of their status throughout the process. 1000 Herrontown Road, Princeton, New Jersey 08540-7716
www.wickenden.com
Tel: (609) 683-1355
searches@wickenden.com
Fax: (609) 683-1351