 |
| |
| Current & Recent Searches |
http://www.smtexas.org | St. Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas
has appointed
Wortie Ferrell
as
Head of Upper School | The School
St. Mark’s School of Texas is a non-sectarian, college preparatory, independent day school enrolling 845 boys in grades one through twelve. Its 40-acre campus, located in an attractive, residential section of Dallas, Texas, includes 16 buildings and state-of-the-art athletic facilities. Founded in 1906 as the Terrill School for Boys, St. Mark’s builds upon a rich heritage of academic excellence by fostering students’ physical, intellectual, moral and religious growth. In order to prepare young men for lives of responsibility and leadership in a competitive and ever-changing world, the school promotes six key values: integrity, confidence, judgment, passion and curiosity, spirituality and ethics, and balance. Throughout their time at the school, boys learn responsibility for their actions, the benefit of deferring gratification in pursuit of goals, and the importance of working with others to make a positive difference on campus and in their community.
St. Mark’s believes that the focus of teaching and learning should be the total development of each student. Teachers work to instill an enthusiasm for learning, to encourage independent and critical judgment, and to demonstrate the methods for making sound inquiries and for effective communication. Whether in or out of the classroom, all activities aim at motivating students to realize their potential, and the school rewards both striving and achieving. Of the 91 full-time outstanding and dedicated faculty members, 85 percent hold advanced degrees, including seven who have earned their doctorates or other terminal degrees. A student-faculty ratio of 8:1 allows teachers to work closely with students, and each faculty member advises approximately ten boys and their parents, with several also coaching one or more sports or sponsoring a wide variety of clubs and activities.
The Upper School, which has approximately 360 boys in grades nine through twelve, is a challenging, close-knit environment that allows each boy to develop his talents, to pursue his interests, and to excel at every opportunity. The interdisciplinary curriculum is aimed at helping students acquire knowledge and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. St. Mark’s academic requirements go well beyond the required curriculum for college admission, with each student encouraged to pursue the most challenging program of study he can successfully undertake. Students choose from 21 Advanced Placement courses but are asked to enroll in no more than three per year in order to maintain a proper balance between academic and extracurricular and social opportunities. In addition, twelfth-grade students present a Senior Exhibition, which is the presentation of a special talent, skill, or interest to the student body and faculty. Although standardized tests are only one indicator of academic success, “Marksmen” continually score exceptionally well on the SAT, with mean Critical Reading/Verbal, Math, and Writing scores of 680, 716, and 668 respectively for the class of 2009.
While academics are at the core of the school’s mission, the physical opportunities provided by athletic participation are viewed as complementary to the intellectual demands made on boys in the classroom. Sports include cross-country, fencing, football, and volleyball in the fall; basketball, diving, soccer, swimming, and wrestling in the winter; and baseball, crew, golf, lacrosse, tennis, and track and field in the spring. In addition, Upper Schoolers perform at least 15 hours of community service each year in over 80 Dallas-area organizations, including homeless shelters, environmental agencies, senior citizen centers, the SPCA, and tutorial and mentoring programs.
St. Mark’s graduates attend some of the finest institutions of higher education in the world. Marksmen from the classes of 2006-2008 have matriculated at the University of Texas at Austin, Stanford, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, the University of Pennsylvania, Washington University in St. Louis, Georgetown, the University of Southern California, Southern Methodist University, Harvard, Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale, and New York University, among others. Representatives from nearly 200 colleges and universities visit the campus to meet with the boys and provide information about their schools every year.
The Opportunity
St. Mark’s culture is one of trust, collegiality, and collaboration, combining autonomy and freedom with high expectations and accountability. The successful and long tenure of Arnold Holtberg, Headmaster since 1993, has allowed for the evolution of a generally flat organizational structure. The school is managed with a mix of centralized and decentralized decision making whereby issues are typically addressed through a highly participatory discussion process in accordance with the school’s matrixed administrative framework. Day-to-day decisions are most often made as the result of collaboration between various staff members, while key decisions are made by the Headmaster in consultation with top administrators. Likewise, although curriculum is driven most directly by department chairs, the three division heads (often referred to as “heads of school” at St. Marks) are integral to maintaining consistency and coherence and to ensuring that academics and other programs remain aligned with the school’s ultimate mission. St. Mark’s seeks a new Head of Upper School who embodies the values of the school and will contribute to its overall leadership by guiding the Upper division, supporting and serving a committed and experienced faculty, and working closely with teachers and staff to improve what is recognized throughout the nation as an academically excellent program.
Responsibilities
Reporting to the Headmaster, the Head of Upper School will work with the Headmaster and the Department Heads in assuring that the policies of the Board of Trustees are carried out in the division. In addition to teaching a class and acting as an advisor, this individual will generally oversee the education, conduct, and welfare of the boys. Specific duties will include the following:
Preparing the Upper School budgets and schedules.
Hiring, assigning, supervising and evaluating the division’s faculty in consultation with the Head of School and Department Heads as part of the school’s matrix management structure.
Serving on the committees for Admission, Financial Aid and the Academic Program as well as chairing the Senior Prize and Valedictorian/Salutatorian Committees.
Supporting and supervising Upper School community service, student publications, school events, and extra-curricular activities.
Working with Upper School Parents’ Association representatives.
Overseeing college counseling functions.
Supervising the Upper School office, including the Registrar, Administrative Assistant, Attendance Officer, and Assistant Head of Upper School. Candidate Qualities
Leadership
One who has high expectations for himself or herself and whose experience, intelligence, dedication, and compelling presence inspire the trust and confidence of others.
An individual who leads through influence and collaboration rather than by virtue of exercising the power of his or her office.
An accessible, visible, and engaged person who projects an active and positive presence in the daily life of the school.
A manager who is aware of important division matters at all times while still being comfortable delegating to an experienced and responsible faculty and staff.
A flexible leader who handles unexpected challenges with grace and poise.
Experience
Experience as a teacher and administrator in independent schools, including working at the high school level, with an emphasis on institutions known for their strong academic programs.
A history of collaborating with department heads, faculty, and staff to refine educational policy, curriculum, and programs.
Background creating schedules, managing budgets, and mentoring and evaluating faculty and staff.
A track record of working successfully with a variety of constituencies, including faculty, staff, administrators, parents, and students.
Skills and Knowledge
Excellent verbal and written communication and public speaking skills.
Knowledge of matters relevant to educating adolescents, such as trends in curriculum and programs, social-emotional developmental issues, and parent education and interaction.
The ability to contribute meaningfully to a team and culture within the context of an institution’s history and values, including working well with both new and veteran faculty and staff members while maintaining the school’s ethos of freedom and accountability.
A well-developed awareness of organizational dynamics and the ability to operate successfully within a relatively “flat” management structure.
The ability to inspire and motivate others through one’s own enthusiasm, commitment, and competence.
Familiarity with best practices in scheduling, policies and procedures, budgeting, discipline, curriculum development, and evaluation.
Skilled in recognizing, recruiting, encouraging, mentoring, evaluating, and retaining gifted teachers.
Effective both one-on-one and in large group settings.
Strong problem solving and critical thinking skills, including an ability to move easily between details and “the big picture.”
Personal Attributes
A person of unquestioned honesty and integrity who keeps commitments and deals with people in a straightforward fashion.
One who feels invested in the total life of the school and the complete development of each student.
A servant leader who is self-confident and assured but lacks arrogance or pretension.
A proactive, hardworking “go-getter” who displays a great deal of energy and stamina and is willing to go “above and beyond” when necessary.
A straightforward, mature, and discerning person who confronts difficult situations head-on and devises practical solutions.
A good listener who respects differences of opinion and is able to forge consensus.
A person who embraces single-sex education and is excited about being in a boys’ school.
Organized and attentive to detail.
Comfortable in a large, urban environment in the Southwest. Other Considerations
Compensation: Expected to be in the top decile of NAIS schools in the region.
Education: Master’s degree required.
Candidates May Now Be:
- A Head of School in a smaller, high quality institution.
- A Head of the upper division of another school who is open to a move for professional growth and development reasons.
- An Assistant Head of School with responsibilities comparable to those required in this position.
- In another senior administrative role that includes interface with an upper school, predicated upon a career comprised of other administrative duties that prepare one for this position.
| | Updated: Apr 23, 2010 |
|
|
|  |
