Middle School Principal

The Middle School Principal has overall responsibility for curriculum and guidance, faculty support and supervision, and student and parent programs for the division, which comprises grades six through eight (198 students). The Principal is afforded a high degree of autonomy while functioning as a member of the core administrative team with the Head and Associate Head of School, and principals of the Lower and Upper Schools.

The Middle School Principal serves on the Admission Committee, the Senior Administration Team, and plays a key role in hiring. In addition, the Principal works directly with department chairs, the dean of students, a learning resource specialist, three school counselors, and a scheduler. Support personnel include two administrative assistants for the division.

Devoted to intellectual inquiry, a collaborative spirit of learning, and an appreciation for the diversity of human experience, The Park School of Baltimore is a community founded on positive expectations of our students and respect for individual differences.

We cultivate children’s innate curiosity by nurturing their interests and engaging them as active participants in their own education.

We suppor t young people in becoming confident questioners and responsible citizens of the world.

The Park School is a non-sectarian, independent, gender inclusive day school of 803 students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. Founded in 1912 as one of the early progressive schools, The Park School continues to practice a distinct educational philosophy. The core values today, as in 1912, are a belief in children’s capacity to love learning, to grow academically and emotionally when inspired by highly qualified, caring teachers, and to develop self-discipline, confidence, and creative problem-solving skills through deep exploration and constant challenge.

At every grade level, from Pre-Kindergarten through Upper School, Park actively encourages questioning and conversation as essential elements of the learning process. The school philosophy emphasizes a belief in positive expectations and expects that students, as they mature, will take increasing responsibility for their own learning.

Minimum qualifications include an advanced degree and significant teaching experience. Administrative experience in a school setting is highly preferred. Additional qualifications include:

• A leadership style that derives its authority from a passionate and energetic commitment to the school’s purposes and an ability to tap this energy in others
• Ability to provide latitude and scope for individual talents while coordinating individual strengths and encouraging collective purposes
• Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, presentational, and written communication skills
• A disciplined self-starter with the ability to plan, prioritize, and organize, while managing multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to sustain and participate in an intellectually lively, creative environment
• Ability to handle conflicts and to make difficult decisions when necessary
• Personal qualities of integrity, empathy, and humor

• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to principles of progressive philosophy as reflected in curricular programs and student life for Middle School students
• Ability to develop initiatives implied by these principles, to promote their understanding by faculty and students, and to interpret them to families
• Knowledge of curricular approaches, including experiential learning, emphasis on investigation and inquiry, and habits of mind, which are central to Park’s Middle School curriculum
• Knowledge of adolescent development, including an understanding of social, emotional, and ethical dimensions of children’s growth

• Clearly articulated approach to building and sustaining an inclusive community of faculty and families, and to further developing a curriculum that reflects diverse cultures and perspectives
• Enthusiastic willingness to collaborate with other administrators on school-wide efforts, as well as primary responsibility for divisional initiatives involving faculty, students, and…