Start date: July 2021 - Morristown-Beard school Morristown, new Jersey head of school - Carney Sandoe
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Morristown-Beard School
Morristown, New Jersey
Head of School
Start Date: July 2021
www.mbs.net
Mission
Within a culture of support and collaboration, Morristown-Beard School students discover and
develop their individual pathways to academic success and personal fulfillment while becoming
enlightened, morally responsible citizens of the world.
Vision
Every lesson and interaction at MBS relate to the School’s long-standing Core Values of
respect, responsibility, integrity, courage, and compassion. These Core Values comprise the
bedrock of the MBS academic program, as well as the foundation for co-curricular activities
and interpersonal relationships among students and faculty. In short, MBS employs these
Values to help train and guide students so that they may ultimately contribute to making the
world a better place.
Overview
A visitor to the Morristown-Beard School (MBS) quickly discovers why it is beloved by students,
parents, and alums. The faculty, staff, and administration share a palpable commitment to providing
a supportive academic environment that embraces active engagement, critical thinking, excellence
in expression, and ample opportunities for exploring new frontiers.
Located on a lovely 22-acre campus that has been beautifully enhanced over the past decade, MBS
is an independent, coeducational day school serving 575 students in grades 6-12 (Middle School
enrollment is 140, and Upper School is 435). MBS serves students from more than 85 communities
and nine counties in northern New Jersey.
The School has 92 faculty members – 72% of whom hold advanced degrees – who work conscientiously
and diligently to make MBS a place where young people can learn essential 21st century skills and
what it takes to be an individual of integrity. Students leave MBS exceedingly well prepared for the
challenges of college and university studies; their skills in thinking, writing, and time management
distinguish them, while the character traits they develop at MBS position them for success long after
college. These strengths – from communication and collaboration to the ability to solve complex,
open-ended problems – are all inspired by the School motto Ad Astra Per Aspera, which can be
translated as “To the Stars Through Adversity.”
With the retirement of Peter Caldwell in June 2021, Morristown-Beard School has embarked on a
national search for a new leader who will begin on July 1, 2021. Strong candidates will be committed
to the School’s focus on a personalized approach to education, within an established core curriculum,
that helps students reach their full potential through a program that seeks to be responsive to student’s
interests and strengths while also helping them explore new frontiers.
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 2 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
School History In 1891, the Rev. F. E. Edwards, an Episcopal minister and graduate of Harvard, extolling the healthy climate and natural beauty of the area, established a school in the Normandy area of Morristown. Primarily a boarding school, St. Bartholomew’s enjoyed such a reputation that it was able to purchase the land on which the current Morristown-Beard School is located, and in 1896, erected school buildings in just three months. Unfortunately, the success was short-lived and during the 1898 school year, financial difficulties and the apparent disappearance of Rev. Edwards spelled the end of the school. The demise of St. Bartholomew’s would have been only a footnote in the history of MBS had it not been for three faculty members who decided, with substantial loan commitments and belief in their ideals, to continue the school, then known as the Morristown School, on the same grounds. Francis Woodman, Arthur Butler, and Thomas Browne sought “to provide a place where boys could have the best possible chance to surpass themselves, to gain a sense of mastery and to learn to know the joy of service.” The school introduced novel ideas in both school governance and curriculum, with such innovations as the senior project and curricula for both college preparation and vocational training. The school remained open from 1898-1971. Meanwhile, The Beard School was the dream of Lucie, Lizzie, and Ettie Beard, all teachers and administrators in schools in New York. Beginning with a kindergarten, the school, founded in 1891 in Orange, NJ, added a new grade each year until it had its first graduating class in 1903. The curriculum of the school was designed for college preparation, which was innovative for the times, along with other vocational and professional programs. Adhering to the personal and academic standards set by Lucie Beard, Headmistress for over 50 years, Beard girls obtained a superior education. While maintaining its core principles, the school recognized the cultural changes taking place in the late The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 3 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
1960s, along with changes in the neighborhood of Orange, and thus painfully began a search for a
partner school with which to continue its long history and traditions. As it happened, the Morristown
School was in the same predicament, and so, in 1971, the Beard School concluded its independent
existence and became the partner of Morristown.
The merger of Morristown School and the Beard School in 1971 to produce Morristown-Beard School
provided evidence that such mergers were possible, and that the product was more than the sum
of its parts. Through the leadership of Philip Anderson and Polly Campbell, the School embraced
a set of values that incorporated those of their predecessors while continuing and enhancing the
educational opportunities offered to students.
The School
Nestled next to Frelinghuysen Arboretum and with easy access to Route 287, MBS offers a full
athletics program; a vigorous performing, visual, and digital arts curriculum; and a forward-thinking,
technologically-enhanced academic program, all steeped in the timeless principles of civility and a
commitment to service.
At MBS, the faculty recognize that growing up in the Digital Age is a complex process – a process
that both demands and elicits creativity. All members of the MBS community understand the role
and significance that technology presents to living in the 21st century. Thus, the MBS stance on
technology is that it is indispensable in our lives and is a powerful learning tool in the classroom.
Teachers across disciplines and levels integrate technology as a learning tool to help students
develop their skills and cognitive abilities. MBS teachers are always committed to using the new
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 4 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
technologies in ways that ensure they are meeting genuine academic needs and goals, rather than
just employing technology for its own sake.
In light of this, it is safe to say that MBS has fully embraced the “new” or “21st Century” paradigm
for secondary education, as articulated by such thinkers and researchers as the late Grant Wiggins,
Sir Ken Robinson, Tony Wagner, and many others. Despite the challenges this new model poses to
many traditional secondary school assumptions and practices – its focus on skills over content, on
critical and creative thinking over mere absorption of information, on critical reading and writing in all
disciplines, and above all its foundation in a “growth” as opposed to “fixed” mindset – is supported
by a wave of cognitive research and emerging best practices. These beliefs are clearly outlined in
MBS’s Statement of Curricular Philosophy:
The Morristown-Beard curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, problem solving, independent
thought, and intellectual risk taking. It supports cross-disciplinary connections and a holistic
view of knowledge. It encourages integration of habits of intentional speaking and writing so
that students may develop and articulate their ideas. The curriculum is process-oriented, and
teachers’ assessment of student work reflects the means by which a student creates and learns
in addition to the final product. The curriculum at Morristown-Beard esteems the qualitative as
well as quantitative dimensions of learning, and supports students’ making connections to other
areas of intellectual thought and the larger world.
The School is accredited by New Jersey Association of Independent Schools and is approved by the
New Jersey State Department of Education.
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 5 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
Academics
The Morristown-Beard School academic program emphasizes critical thinking, problem solving,
independent thought, and intellectual risk taking. It supports cross-disciplinary connections and a
holistic view of knowledge. It also encourages the broad integration of intentional speaking and
writing, so that students may develop and articulate their ideas.
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
The Middle School curriculum is designed to cultivate a culture of learning while engaging and
challenging students. As a student- and child-centered institution, MBS Middle School values the
attributes each child brings to MBS and helps each student forge a pathway to academic success
and personal enrichment. The curriculum is process-oriented, and teachers’ assessment of student
work reflects the means by which a student creates and learns in addition to the final product.
Assessment of student learning and thinking at MBS is driven by educational objectives. It is not
limited to in-class test-taking but may take many forms and seeks to engage higher-order cognitive
functions.
As students in Middle School are figuring out who they are in the world, they are asked to communicate
their ideas, express themselves, and discover who they are on the page – over and over again. The
“Write It!” (Signature) Program at MBS recognizes the intensity of this challenge, and the social and
emotional learning that is intertwined with it, providing students in seventh and eighth grade with
intensive writing workshop periods that supplement their regular English classes.
Simultaneously, MBS encourages Middle School students to foster an awareness that their learning
in the classroom and activities on campus have a place in the world at large. In each year of the
Middle School program, students and teachers extend their learning through regular and purposeful
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 6 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
off-campus visits, trips, and outreach programs. Each year includes national trips to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., as well as international trips to Quebec and Costa Rica. Recent local contexts for student learning have included visits to Morristown community service initiatives, the neighboring Frelinghuysen Arboretum and Whippany River. In all of these, students discover how their learning depends on and contributes to larger contexts, and they deepen their awareness of the numerous communities to which they belong and contribute. In one of the most “real world” opportunities available to MBS students, each Middle School class suspends its normal activities for a portion of the year to offer students a mini-semester (a “mini-mester”) on financial literacy. The aim is to provide students not only with a basic sense of personal financial principles, but to understand how finance ties together societies on local and global scales. Students in each grade learn about a range of problems of increasing complexity, exploring topics such as “What is a Statistic,” “Credit and Debt,” “Proposal Writing,” “Branding,” and “Entrepreneurship.” Upper School (Grades 9-12) The Upper School curriculum offers a rigorous academic program to challenge every student and satisfy a broad range of interests. MBS students can also participate in an array of co-curricular options to gain a deeper understanding of themselves while contributing to the community beyond. MBS faculty always encourage their students to take risks, to engage deeply in learning, and to become independent thinkers. Thus, at MBS, the faculty teach the values and habits of mind that will prepare young people not only for success in college, but also for lives of meaning and fulfillment. In honoring the concepts of a growth mindset and the awareness, definitively established by research, that intelligence is not fixed but capable of continuous growth in the proper learning contexts, MBS has created an “Earned Honors” model in many classes whereby students are not pre-slotted as The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 7 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
College Placement
Students from the classes of 2016-
2019 matriculated at the following
institutions, among others:
American University
Barnard College
Bates College
Boston University
Brown University
Chapman University
Colby College
Colgate University
Columbia University
Dickinson College
Drexel University
Duke University
Elon University
Emory University
Fordham University
Georgetown University
Haverford College
Indiana University “honors” or “regular” but are placed in heterogeneous
Johns Hopkins University classes and given the opportunity to earn honors on the
Lehigh University basis of the work they produce. The honors distinction,
Middlebury College therefore, is not based on quantitative factors (i.e. “more
New York University work”) but is measured by the qualitative rigor and analytical
Northeastern University depth of the tasks undertaken to earn honors.
Occidental College
Pennsylvania State University The Upper School at MBS features an ever-evolving group
Rhodes College of Signature Programs built upon forward-thinking academic
Rutgers University research. Students will benefit most from innovative
St. Lawrence University classes that provide academic rigor and the opportunity
Syracuse University for meaningful intellectual challenge. The majority of
The George Washington University these courses feature small class sizes, allowing for true
The Ohio State University student-teacher engagement, and collaborative, team-
Tulane University based assignments and assessments. These Signature
University of Colorado Programs are oft-cited reason why MBS students report
extremely high levels of preparedness (and consequently,
University of Maryland
achievement) through college and beyond. Current Upper
University of Pennsylvania
School Signature Programs include Advanced Seminars,
University of Richmond
Advanced Studies, Earned Honors Model, Humanities
University of South Carolina
Program, Independent Studies, and Writing Across the
University of Wisconsin
Curriculum.
Vassar College
Wake Forest University MBS’s dynamic college counseling team is involved in
Washington University in St. Louis the larger life of the School, which allows counselors to
Wesleyan University engage with students in a variety of ways beyond the
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 8 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
college process as early as freshman year. Starting junior year, students are assigned a dedicated college counselor who will work closely with them throughout the process, from researching schools through campus visits and interviews, to finalizing applications. Counselors also offer support for student-athletes and artists who may be going through the recruitment, portfolio development, and audition processes. In addition, the College Counseling Office hosts several programs and workshops designed to demystify the college process for families at all grade levels. Arts MBS believes deeply in the power of the arts to stimulate creative thinking, resourceful problem solving, collaboration and teamwork, aesthetic appreciation, and openness to new ideas. In addition, the arts have the power to illuminate academic study by making powerful, meaningful connections to history and literature, and promoting a greater understanding and responsiveness to the world at large. The wide range of activities and programs offered, both at the Upper and Middle School levels, do more than teach students to sing, dance or draw/paint; they integrate the arts into student lives, inspiring individual reflection and community dialogue. Notably, MBS offers students in the arts the chance to collaborate with faculty members who are themselves accomplished performers and artists, to sample from dozens of elective courses, and to pursue creative work in state-of-the-art spaces equipped with professional technology. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 9 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
Athletics Athletics are a vital part of the Morristown-Beard School experience, and the program’s merit is succinctly defined by its mission statement: MBS athletics promote the physical and educational wellbeing of student-athletes by reflecting the highest standards of dignity and honor that characterize competitive sports in a school setting. More than 80% of MBS students play at least one sport. All athletes honor the same values embraced in the classroom and all MBS coaches aspire to the same ideals as the teachers: to help young people find the very best in themselves. The program puts great emphasis on participation, with an unwavering commitment to the fundamental values of fair play and sportsmanship. School Life Morristown-Beard School believes that an education for the 21st century is an education in interdependent cultures, ethnicities, genders, economies, and religions. The culture at MBS encourages students to recognize that they live in a world of inherent diversity, and to imaginatively reflect on what it means to act responsibly in such a world. Drawing inspiration from the freedom and values of the School’s curricular philosophy, faculty and students come together inside and outside of the classroom to create an inclusive community of understanding about diversity and inclusion. Another meaningful way in which the culture at MBS nurtures reflection and responsibility is through traditions such as Headmaster Peter Caldwell’s monthly “Bench Talks,” which have become an essential way for him to share his philosophy and vision for the School. The talks are forthright, The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 10 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
sincere, personal, and often humorous, drawing on current topics, popular culture, classic literature, and Headmaster Caldwell’s family stories. Like many things at MBS, this present-day practice is rooted in the School’s long history; Headmaster Caldwell first thought of the Bench Talks when he read about the “Tree Speeches” that were delivered at graduation at Miss Beard’s School. The “Bench Talks” are not just an isolated monthly occurrence: in his office, Peter Caldwell has a hand- carved bench – a gift from his wife, Darcy – that was inspired by the Bench Talks. The bench is hewn from a Vermont maple tree that had grown on the mountain where the Caldwell family lived. The bench invites contemplation and has become a gift to the entire MBS community. MBS further nurtures its values of integrity and compassion through the advisor system, which facilitates a close relationship between students and teachers. Thanks to the advisor system, the student-faculty connections at MBS stem from mutual respect that the advisor and advisee have for each other within the naturally occurring boundaries that exist in a school setting. During the Advisory period, students and advisors engage in relevant conversations aimed to address character formation and values. The Advisory program is often the launch point for service efforts, within the school and the local community, as well as leadership education. Campus Over the past 15 years, MBS has dedicated $50 million to 16 major building and renovation projects that have transformed its picturesque 22-acre campus, enhancing its ability to deliver high-level academic rigor, co-curricular activities, and social engagement. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 11 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
Large-scale projects, including the construction of a new Middle School, Math & Science Center (a $12.6 million building that features a multitude of light, air, and space), and Performing Arts Center, have led the way, while significant renovations of Simon Athletic Center, the Rooke Pool, several athletic fields, and the Technology Center also help MBS honor its unwavering commitment to provide students and faculty with the very best environment and tools for learning, growth, and success. The newest highlight on campus is the Center for Innovation and Design (CID), which opened in 2019. The CID provides more than 8,000 square feet of space for students to explore, experiment, design, and problem solve as they engage in multi-disciplinary projects. While other schools in the area have innovation and design spaces, MBS is the only school with a CID of this size and scope. The center features a state-of-the-art computer science studio, professional sound and film studios, an industrial design studio, and a makerspace studio. Morristown, New Jersey Morristown, the Morris County seat, is in Northern New Jersey and is only about 30 miles west of Manhattan. It was incorporated in 1865 and, today, is home to just under 20,000 people. The town was named after Lewis Morris, the first royal governor of the New Jersey colony. The Morristown Green, enjoyed by locals and visitors, is bordered by North, South, East and West Park Place, and is a nexus for cultural activity in Morristown. Surrounded by shops, restaurants, condominiums, and offices, it is the site of the Festival on the Green in September, the Christmas Festival, and a multitude of other activities, including political rallies, concerts, and even family get- togethers. Just a short trip from The Green is the Mayo Performing Arts Center (which, in any given The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 12 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
month, can host a diverse line-up of performances, ranging from the New Jersey Youth Chorus to Deepak Chopra). Morristown has ample recreational activities, too, thanks to a town public ice rink and swimming pool, as well as excellent schools. It is nearly impossible, though to talk about life in Morristown without talking about life in New York City. Interstate 287, which forms a crescent around New York, runs to the east of the Green in downtown Morristown, offering the town access to Interstates 80 and 78. New Jersey Transit has regular service for Morristown residents to and from New York. Situated on a massive natural harbor, New York City, comprising five boroughs, is a quintessentially international city. Any resident or visitor will attest that the attractions offered by New York City are, quite literally, unparalleled. The City offers stunning views from the Top of the Rock, the Empire State Building, and One World Observatory. For those who prefer to keep sightseeing at ground-level, the City has an ever-changing rotation of shows and a breathtaking range of permanent exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the American Museum of Natural History, the Brooklyn Museum, and New York Hall of Science (the list goes on!), as well as at countless small-scale galleries. Additionally, adults and children alike can enjoy thrilling performances on Broadway, and at the Lincoln Center, BAM and Barclays Center. Sports fans appreciate that New York’s professional sports scene includes nearly every type of game imaginable, and foodies agree that culinary choices in New York City are limitless. It’s easy to see why Morristown is such a popular place to live – it offers the comfort and amenities of a suburban community with all of the excitement and rich cultural opportunities that abound in New York City. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 13 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
Opportunities and Challenges Morristown-Beard enters its Head of School search in a position of great strength, with a deeply committed faculty, a well-rounded student body, a dedicated board of trustees and a highly supportive parent body. MBS supports a range of learners and has a deep commitment to educating the whole child. MBS is a place where students are encouraged to take risks and try new experiences that might be out of their comfort zones. All stakeholders embrace and celebrate the school’s commitment to balance and to a place that offers a rigorous 21st-century curriculum in a warm and inclusive community. We consider this an exciting and compelling opportunity. The priorities that lay ahead for the next Head of School include: Addressing the impact and aftermath of COVID-19: The MBS faculty and administration responded quickly to move instruction online when the Governor ordered all schools closed. The faculty and administration are now undertaking contingency planning for the 2020-21 school year. After the search concludes in the fall of 2020, the Head-Elect will be kept informed as plans are created for the 2021-22 school year. Supporting a high-quality, personalized, approach while maintaining an engaging core academic curriculum: MBS has long had the courage to create innovative programs that will best meet the needs of student learning. The Center for Innovation & Design, The Earned Honors Program, and the Center for Teaching & Learning are recent examples. MBS has also expanded its attention to the arts and global studies. The next Head of School will support further innovation and an ongoing appraisal of these initiatives to ensure that they employ best practices and foster optimal learning. Mental health and wellness: Long before other schools “discovered” that student learning and growth require attention to students’ social and emotional needs, MBS was committed to student health and wellness as integral part of their academic success. MBS has a robust wellness curriculum that promotes lifelong wellness and develops the skills needed to promote overall well-being across the school’s community. Sustaining and deepening the sense of community: MBS students, faculty and parents express deep appreciation for the warm and inclusive sense of community at MBS. The Head will need to be someone with strong interpersonal and communication skills, who can help sustain and deepen that sense of community. Empathy, Cooperation, Humility, Awareness of Diverse Perspectives, and Connectedness are the school’s core values. The next Head of School will work with the faculty and student leaders to ensure that these values are infused throughout MBS. Team leader: MBS attributes its successes to school leaders who invite all members of the community to contribute their thoughts and efforts to help fulfill the ambitions for students and programs. The Head of School will be expected to be comfortable with distributed leadership, while also providing the vision and accountability necessary for achieving excellence. Sustainability: MBS relies primarily on revenue from tuition and philanthropic support to funds its aspirations. With strong public schools as well as a broad range of excellent independent school options, Northern New Jersey offers families many educational opportunities. The next Head will be asked to continue and expand the ways MBS communicates the benefit of its unique approach to education. Philanthropic support is also essential to MBS’ ability to offer its exceptional program. The next Head of School will be active in cultivating and soliciting gifts. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 14 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.com
Desired Qualities and Qualifications
MBS is an aspirational and caring community. As such, the community is looking for a visible and
visionary leader, a strategic thinker, a collaborative team builder and a skillful manager who can
mobilize and direct the passion and commitment of the school community. Successful candidates
will have a background and skills that include most or all of the following:
• A joy in and enthusiasm for working with teenagers, with the heart and mind of a teacher.
• A passion for working with teachers and administrators to provide students with an education
based on the school’s values and rooted in a community that celebrates each person’s uniqueness.
• A commitment to the goals articulated in the strategic plan and the ability to mobilize the MBS
community to achieve them.
• A deep understanding of important trends in education and the ability to combine that understanding
with an appreciation for MBS’ values, culture, and traditions in order to articulate a compelling
vision for the school’s future.
• A collaborative leadership style that projects openness and genuinely invites and respects the
perspectives and views of others, yet is decisive and firm when necessary.
• Visibility, approachability, and engaged with the community not only during the school day, but
after hours at games, performances, and faculty, alumni, and parent events.
• An ability to connect and communicate effectively with faculty members, administrators, parents,
students, community members, and the Board of Trustees so that these groups are appropriately
informed of school events, potential issues, key decisions, and needs.
• A deep commitment to an active role in a comprehensive outreach program that includes
enrollment management, college placement, fundraising, and broader community involvement to
provide the financial and human capital to support the school’s aspirations.
• Significant teaching and administrative experience.
• Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree preferred.
Personal Characteristics
The next Head will be an academic leader who exudes optimism and a growth mindset, while also
being humble, approachable, and down-to-earth. The favored candidate will be a person with a
passion for academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, and a keen sense of inquiry who is also
outgoing, energetic, and confident, with strong emotional intelligence, fine personal values, and
excellent communication skills.
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 15 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.comTo Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate
documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials:
• A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;
• A current résumé;
• A personal statement highlighting some of the important aspects of the candidate’s journey as
an educator and leader (not an annotated resume);
• A list of five professional references with name, phone number, and email address of each
(references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) to:
Lisa Parsons
Search Consultant
lisa.parsons@carneysandoe.com
Bob Fricker
Senior Consultant
bob.fricker@carneysandoe.com
Search Calendar:
Application Due: June 30
Search Update: July 30
Semifinalist Interviews: August
Finalist Visits: September
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 16 search@carneysandoe.com | www.carneysandoe.comYou can also read
