Website San Francisco Waldorf School
Waldorf High School
Waldorf Education is the fastest growing independent school movement in the world. This dynamic, 100-year-old approach to child development and education—based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner—is continually reinventing itself to meet the needs of current students. Waldorf education inspires life-long learning in students and enables them to fully develop their unique capacities.
The San Francisco Waldorf School (SFWS) was founded in 1979 and serves more than 475 students across a parent-child program, a nursery program, kindergarten, and the first through twelfth grades. The high school campus is in the West Portal neighborhood. Our grade school campus (nursery through eighth grade) is in the Pacific Heights neighborhood. Both campuses are easily accessed by public transportation.
The San Francisco Waldorf School hires dedicated and highly capable faculty and staff; many are current or former parents of students in the school, and all develop a deep connection to Waldorf education and our unique school in San Francisco. SFWS employees are a committed group of free, responsible adults who bring our best individual selves to our work. We invest in our learning and growth to best serve the needs of our students, our teachers, and each other. We are committed to fostering equity and inclusion.
Summary
The High School Admission Director (HSAD) is a full-time, exempt staff position focused on engaging, recruiting, and enrolling students and families in the San Francisco Waldorf High School. Working collaboratively with faculty, the Administrative Director, the Marketing Director, and the Grade School Admission Director, the HSAD designs, improves, and implements processes to achieve annual enrollment goals. This senior administrative role reports directly to the Administrative Director and manages a part-time Admission Associate.
The HSAD will have strong interpersonal skills and be a knowledgeable, approachable, and supportive representative of SFWHS to all constituencies. The HSAD will form relationships with interested and already enrolled families, exhibit consistent professional competence, and have a positive and engaging public presence in order to achieve annual goals for engagement, inquiries, applications, and enrollment. The HSAD’s understanding of and support for Waldorf education must be heartfelt and clearly articulated. They will confidently use digital tools for communication, data gathering and analysis, and the overall admission process.
Key responsibilities focus on outreach/marketing, leading the admission process, and completing the enrollment cycle
Outreach/Marketing
Establish and maintain relationships
● Work with feeder schools, middle school placement counselors, parent groups, and Bay Area colleagues
● Support and cultivate relationships with local Waldorf and Waldorf-inspired Schools and class teachers from Marin Waldorf, Berkeley Rose Waldorf School, New Village School, and others.
● Support and engage robust SFWS parent Ambassador network
● Provide and review content for social media posts, ads, print and other collateral to build initial connections with parents and students
● Co-create and execute email and other outreach/communications strategies using the School Admin system
Parent Tours and Open Houses
● Organize and lead weekly tours, lead private tours, and open houses (in person or remote as needed)
● Design program and create regular schedule for events
● Work closely with Admission Associate and High School Coordinator to prepare the building to show the culture and beauty of SFWHS
● Engage and train faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, HS Chair and Administrative Director in events
● Host event and moderate panels and classroom experiences
● Organize and track inquiries
Affinity Group Events
● Market, design, and host special admission events for families from various racial, ethnic, gender/sexuality, family structure backgrounds
High School Fairs and Professional Associations
● Represent SFWHS at High School Fairs, Individual middle schools events, and other admission events.
● Recruit and train student volunteers
● Participate in industry conferences and professional development gatherings such as BAAD, AISIP, and Waldorf-specific groups like AWSNA
SFWS Grade School
● Design and execute outreach to SFWGS families exploring SFWHS beginning in early grades and focused on middle school
● Participate in Grade school events to establish connections with community
Admission Process
Prospective student shadow visits
● Host student shadow visits and other in-person or online activities to facilitate student to student connection
● Recruit, train and manage current students to host prospective students
Application Management
● Review all applications for admission to SFWHS
● Schedule engage faculty-student interviews
● Conduct prospective parent interviews
● Organize, manage, and share data with the HS Admission Committee Meeting to review and decide upon all incoming students grade 9-12th
● Work closely with Business Office to help support equitable tuition model
● Establish personal relationships and lines of communication with families to support their final decision to enroll at SFWHS
● Manage waitlist and parent expectations
Retention
● Host multiple retention committee meetings working with registrar, HS Chair, Finance team, Administrative Director, and faculty.
● Lead and track follow-up with families and students of concern
Early Decision Admission Option
● Refine and communicate the benefits of Early Decision Admission Program exclusively offered to SFWS students, and local Waldorf students
Enrollment
9th grade Orientation
● Plan and host parent and student activities for newly enrolled families in spring
● Facilitate connection with parent ambassadors and Parent Council to welcome new families to the SFWHS community
● Co-host Welcome BBQ in the summer before high school classes begin; includes recruiting and supporting parent and student volunteer
Data analysis and communication
● Collect, analyze, track, update and convey data and trends to Board of Directors
● Provide ongoing data and analysis to the Administrative Director throughout the admission season
● Maintain regular communication with business office regarding current and potential students
Qualifications
● Outstanding communication skills including writing, listening, responding, public speaking, and generating marketing content
● Strong organizational and computer skills, including knowledge of databases (School Admin and Blackbaud preferred) and spreadsheets
● Collaborative and uplifting management and work style
● Familiarity with basic statistical and data analysis
● BA or BS degree
● Familiarity with local professional Admission professional networks and willingness to participate in local and national organizations
● Knowledge of Waldorf education preferred
● Proactive commitment to personal improvement and service to the SFWS mission bringing energy and excitement to serving the students and faculty of our school
Physical Requirements and Work Environment
● May work at a desk and computer for extended periods of time
● Be able to occasionally lift to 30 lbs.
● Work intermittently in outside weather conditions, including heat and cold
Benefits and Compensation
This is a full-time, exempt staff position, working throughout the calendar year. Benefits include medical, dental, and life insurance, flexible spending plans, retirement plan (employer contributions after one year), and tuition remission (after one year) for up to two eligible dependents enrolled in our N-12 program. Five weeks of paid vacation during the calendar year. Salaries are paid on a 12-month schedule.
FLSA Classification: Staff; Exempt from overtime
Reports to: Administrative Director
Hired by: Administrative Director
Date Modified: May 2021
San Francisco Waldorf School is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, or any protected class. We recognize that the range of ethnicities, nationalities, languages, socio-economic backgrounds, sexual orientation, learning differences, and life experiences within our community enhance the school’s learning environment, and we are committed to fostering equity and inclusion.
Please send resume and letter of interest.
