Head of Middle School

Hillbrook School is seeking a dynamic and experienced educator to serve as our Head of Middle School. Reporting directly to the Head of School, the Head of Middle School has primary oversight of the day-to-day operation of grades 5-8, including the student experience, recruitment, hiring, support and retention of faculty and staff, and support of families as they work in partnership with us throughout their child’s educational journey.

Hillbrook School is a junior kindergarten-8th grade independent school located on 14 acres of oak woodland in Los Gatos, CA. Founded in 1935, Hillbrook School remains deeply connected to its historical roots as a school where children are known, learning is authentic and active, and success is measured one child at a time. During the past 85 years, we have grown and evolved from a small boarding school serving wards of the state to one of the leading independent schools in the Bay Area, and yet our vision remains the same—to inspire children to achieve their dreams and reach beyond themselves to make a difference in the world. Our talented faculty delivers a program that provides 375 students of all genders with a unique blend of challenging and engaging academics, diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, visual and performing arts, physical and wellness education, passion-driven projects, and opportunities to serve and partner with others in our community beyond campus.

Hillbrook School is a recognized leader in innovation, earning designation since 2010 as an Apple Distinguished School. Our 1:1 iPad program, Hub Makerspace, Center for Teaching Excellence, and Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship all stem from a commitment to implementing best practices in education. Our faculty members present at conferences across the globe each year on topics ranging from ways we have audited our curriculum for greater inclusion to research studies conducted on-campus examining the impacts of classroom design on learning. A community of highly engaged, lifelong learners, Hillbrook is intentional about, and deeply committed to, collaboration and professional growth in all facets and roles.

As noted in our Statement of Inclusivity, we strive to reflect the extraordinary diversity of Silicon Valley, believing that educational excellence and equity depend on the creation of a diverse and inclusive community where all students, families and employees feel a full sense of membership. To live up to our JK-8 DEI Teaching Philosophy Statement, all employees contribute to developing culturally competent students and building an educational institution committed to social justice and reaching beyond. We offer a wide range of opportunities for all employees to engage in work that furthers these goals, from personal dialogues that help us understand different perspectives, to pedagogical training designed to support equitable instructional practices and build habits to disrupt bias whenever we see it. Ultimately, we hope that this work helps all of our constituents—employees, students, and families—be more aware, empathetic, globally-minded, and justice-oriented.

A highly collaborative community, we use the following norms to guide our communication with each other:

●      Assume good will

●      Come from your own experience

●      Be more curious than certain

●      Hold yourself and others capable

Our commitment to these norms makes it possible for us to partner meaningfully, disagree productively, and lean into conversations that are both challenging and generative.

Hillbrook is located in the heart of Silicon Valley: 35 minutes south of Stanford University, 30 minutes north of Santa Cruz, and 1 hour south of San Francisco. The Bay Area is home to world-class universities, museums and restaurants, farmers markets and wineries, and outstanding outdoor opportunities for biking, hiking, surfing and more.

Salaries are competitive. Benefits include: full medical, dental, and vision coverage; ample retirement planning with TIAA-CREF; a generous holiday schedule; religious holidays following each employee’s faith; access to the latest state-of-the-art educational technology; and a strong commitment to engaging and personalized professional development. Hillbrook School is an equal opportunity employer. Opportunities are open to all individuals without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, or disability.

The Head of Middle School will join the Hillbrook community at an exciting time in the school’s history. We have recently completed an ambitious strategic plan, Vision 2020, which helped to establish the school as a leader in the Bay Area and beyond. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the school rose to the challenge of quickly transitioning to hybrid learning and has since implemented a range of evolving protocols to bring students and faculty safely back to campus for in-person learning since September 2020. Throughout these two years back on-campus, faculty and school leaders have worked hard to reimagine and bring back a wide range of in-person opportunities for middle schoolers: after school Athletics, Choral and Drama programming, school-wide concerts, cross-grade clubs, field trips, overnight grade-level trips, cross-divisional Buddies programming, and regular family education and community events. In addition, the school is preparing to open a high school, with the Founding Freshman class beginning in Fall of 2023. Within the next decade, we expect to be one of the leading JK-12 schools in the Bay Area.

The Middle School team performed extraordinary work responding to the pandemic, while continuing to move forward significant initiatives that resulted from our strategic plan. The recently redesigned schedule prioritizes a balance between interdisciplinary study and skill development, along with the creation of a Reach Beyond Block (RBB) and a yearly Reach Beyond Week (RBW). Now in its fourth year, RBB features weekly transdisciplinary, co-taught learning experiences that connect all 5-8th graders with real-world issues, community organizations, and people within and beyond campus who are models for making a difference. Our newly opened, world class maker space, the Hub, brings wood, print, textile, photography, multimedia, ceramics, programming, and a wide variety of visual arts together in an interconnected series of spaces where students both take regular classes and have open access to pursue passion projects. Other recent programmatic shifts and expansions in Middle School include the expansion of our 8th grade capstone project into a core part of the 8th grade program in the form of the Social Impact & Leadership class (SIL), a larger 5-8th student leadership body (STUCO), establishment of core grade-level courses in Social Entrepreneurship, mapping of core SEL and DEIJA skills for each grade level team to steward, and focused professional learning on identity, diversity, equity, executive function (EF), social emotional learning (SEL), and Restorative Practices/Discipline.

Responsibilities:

–     Oversee the student experience, ensuring the creation of a school climate that upholds the school’s core values, by proactively designing a culture that ensures children are known and valued and supports appropriate positive student behavior

–     Provide academic guidance and support for a diverse student body

–     Coordinate with faculty to ensure an effective home/school partnership

–      Oversee the coordination of co-curricular programs and the development of a dynamic Middle School experience

–     Support the Dean of Middle School Students to implement Restorative Discipline Practices, to communicate this approach with families, and to ensure all adults who work with middle schoolers support the follow-through

–      Oversee teams of grade level advisors

–      Support teachers in effectively delivering the educational program to students

–     Serve as a consultant to teachers in matters of classroom management, teaching methods, and general school procedures

–     Prepare a master school schedule and assign teachers to classes and other obligations

–      Work with the Director of Teaching & Learning to ensure a regular and thoughtful review and evaluation of the educational program (See our Curriculum Guide)

–     Work with the Head of School and Director of Teaching & Learning to recruit, hire, and support faculty members

–      Oversee a faculty growth process that provides for goal setting, reflection, recognition, and meaningful feedback

–      Make recommendations to the Head of School regarding the hiring, retention, and the assignment of faculty

–      In partnership with the Director of Teaching & Learning, develop and support meaningful professional growth opportunities both on and off-campus for faculty

–      Meet regularly with new faculty to support their on-boarding

–      Lead the school at the tail end of a significant period of growth and change, taking advantage of new opportunities and supporting students, families and parents through this exciting and sometimes complex moment in the school’s history

Qualifications:

–      Middle School teaching and administrative experience

–      A genuine passion and joy for working with Middle School students and their families

–      A deep knowledge of child and adolescent development, including identity development

–      Experience with strategic thinking and leadership, including expertise in gathering and assessing a broad range of data and helping develop shared agreement for key priorities and initiatives

–      An open and collaborative management style combined with an ability to be a decision-maker

–      Strong passion for the role and the school, and an understanding of how the position supports the school’s ability to meet its mission and vision every day

–      Ability to work in a collegial, collaborative environment and to develop the necessary trust and credibility to work with faculty, administrators, and parents

–      Ability to facilitate and engage in difficult conversations and coach others to do the same

–      Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills

–     A growth mindset, active sense of humor, warm personality, and excellent organizational skills

–      Advanced degree preferred

CalWest is exclusively leading the Hillbrook School search for the next Head of Middle School.  If you meet the qualifications and want to be considered for this role, please apply directly to CalWest via this LINK.   All inquiries, nominations and questions can be sent to Erin Sullivan, Senior Search Consultant at ESullivan@CalWestEducators.com.