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San Francisco Friends School — Lower School Announcement
San Francisco Friends School (SFFS) serves approximately 440 total students with almost equal distribution across the Lower and Middle School divisions. SFFS is both a young school, in the middle of its second decade, and part of a 325-year tradition of Friends education, instilling within students aspiration and excellence in academics and character.
Teachers, coaches, and advisors at SFFS design and facilitate constructivist, hands-on student experiences across all disciplines (math, science, humanities, the arts). A nine year integrated service curriculum as well as thoughtful reflection is at the center of SFFS pedagogy. The school’s Academic Philosophy is purpose driven: SFFS makes use of the best of Quaker educational traditions, as well as current research in psychology and neuroscience. The school’s program is academically rigorous, intellectually engaging, purposeful, and affirming of the spirit of each child. Along the way the program seizes every opportunity to use San Francisco and its communities as a classroom.
As one of the school’s key administrators, the Lower School Head has the privilege and responsibility to lead a faculty in progressive education that includes essential skills in the service of deepening students’ connection to a greater purpose. A premium is placed on collegial and supportive relationships across all constituent groups (administrators, faculty and staff, parents, and students). As a member of the senior leadership team, the Lower School Head models candor, empathy, and transparency when dealing with others. Spirit-led decision-making and a grounding in Quaker values animate discussion, program, and policy-setting.
The Lower School program emphasizes the development of academic and social skills as well as habits in an environment that is both joyful and challenging. Rooted in Quaker education, the lower school program asks students to learn to know their own minds, to learn from one another, and to stretch each other’s thinking in a rigorous and collaborative spirit. Alongside colleagues, the Lower School Head is committed to fortifying a program that celebrates childhood, providing appropriate challenges, depth over breadth, and time to reflect, emphasizing the value of process as well as product, infusing student’s developing knowledge with purpose. The Lower School Head is highly collaborative and serves as the instructional leader of the division. An effective communicator, the division head exhibits specific knowledge of content and pedagogy. The Lower School Head builds foundational and long-lasting partnerships with parents that benefit children academically and socially. The role also includes steadfast support for teachers in grade level and departmental cohorts and myriad outward-facing programs and events. Courageous in the face of complexity, the Lower School Head leads by example.
Adam Peichert and Doreen Oleson from RG175 are assisting San Francisco Friends School with this important search. A full position statement is here.
Applications (including a Letter of Interest, Resume, Personal Statement and List of References) are now being accepted. All initial inquiries and nominations will be strictly confidential and references will not be contacted without permission.
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact the consultants directly at adam.peichert@rg175.com and doreenoleson@gmail.com with any questions.
