E , nEw JErSEy MiDDlE S P J 2018 d-e · soccer, tennis, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, cross...

Dwight-EnglEwooD SchoolEnglEwooD, nEw JErSEyMiDDlE School PrinciPal

July 2018d-e.org

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Dwight-Englewood School (D-E) seeks a new Middle School Principal to lead its outstanding faculty and community, beginning July 2018. This is an exceptional opportunity for a warm and inclusive leader ready to join a vibrant school community thriving on established programs and exceptional teachers. Dwight-Englewood’s middle school is an innovative and lively place where students learn and live together with vigor. A close community feel and an openness to express feelings and thoughts contribute to its warmth. Teachers are happy and practice their trades with autonomy and purpose, and students benefit from close relationships with those teachers.

Ground has broken on the exciting new Middle School building. This $30M facility is due for completion in fall of 2019. Its location, right in the center of campus, will create an even closer connection to D-E’s lower and upper schools. The design, both teacher- and student-centric and complete with “garage doors” which open up to communal space, will support all of the impressive programs in the Middle School. Its location, right in the center of campus, will create an even closer connection to D-E’s lower and upper schools. The design, both teacher- and student-centric and complete with “garage doors” which open up to communal space, will support all of the impressive programs in the Middle School.

School hiStory

Dwight-Englewood School is the result of the merger of three independent institutions: the college-preparatory Dwight School and Englewood School for Boys, which came together in 1973, and the Bede School, the first accredited Montessori school in New Jersey, which joined with Dwight-Englewood in 1993 to create a full Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 program.

1The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com

Mission Statement

As a community of learners, Dwight-Englewood School strives to foster in each student a passion for life-long learning. We seek excellence, honor integrity, and embrace diversity in order to meet the challenges of a changing world and make it better.


Since celebrating its 125th anniversary during the 2014-2015 school year, Dwight-Englewood has continued to thrive as an institution. Recent developments at D-E include a host of green initiatives focused on creating a more environmentally-friendly school, enhanced diversity programming, and a more robust STEM curriculum grounded in the Hajjar STEM Center, which opened in the fall of 2015.

thE School

Today, Dwight-Englewood is a coeducational, independent school of approximately 1,000 students in preschool through Grade 12. As the most ethnically diverse school in Bergen County, D-E is characterized by its strong commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive learning environment. The student body represents more than 80 towns in Bergen, Hudson, and Rockland counties, as well as New York City.

Across D-E’s three divisions, students benefit from a seamless educational experience coupled with age-appropriate learning environments. Throughout, the school’s core values of respect, honesty, judgment, commitment, courage, and community provide guiding principles as students grow as learners and as people. D-E’s experienced, passionate, and dedicated faculty works tirelessly to ensure that each individual develops the capacity to think clearly, decide wisely, and live honestly, three hallmarks of a Dwight-Englewood graduate. In caring for students as independent learners, and as people, and truly knowing their students beyond their academic experience, D-E faculty endeavor to fulfill the promise and potential of the school’s profile of a teacher statement. The initial words of the D-E School mission, “As a community…,” engage the school in embracing diversity, with an ongoing commitment toward kindness and empathy.


acaDEMicS

D-E’s curriculum is based in the ideal of “Challenging Minds for a Changing World,” with students at each level growing as a result of a curriculum that both challenges and supports. Faculty engage and guide students in their efforts to “seek excellence,” not perfection. Hands-on learning is at the heart of academics at D-E, allowing students to engage deeply with material and cultivate independent thinking. In addition, a teacher-student ratio of eight-to-one ensures ample opportunities for personalized instruction and growth. As students grow emotionally, physically and intellectually, faculty and staff are there to guide them along the way, gently pushing and supporting them, and picking them up when they falter.

The Middle School academic program for grades 6-8 is an exceptional combination of vigorous curriculum and skill development. Each grade level is unified around a central theme which serves to connect the experiences in the core curriculum of Social Studies, English, Science, and Mathematics. The teaming of teachers in these four major disciplines has a positive impact on the delivery of instruction, and enhances the close coordination of curriculum, skills development, and response to individual student needs. The program is designed to help students develop the organizational, academic, and personal skills they will need to meet the challenges of D-E’s Middle and Upper School college preparatory course of study. The teaching of reading and writing skills, study skills, organizational skills, and note-taking skills, occur in a coordinated manner throughout the student’s school day and throughout the student’s Middle School experience.

The HomeBase program promotes the development of an intentional community and healthy relations among students and between students and teachers. Using an inter-grade, interdisciplinary curriculum that addresses the affective needs of our young adolescents, HomeBase is a safe haven


where students can explore issues of growing up. Included is the HomeBase Ethics program in which students learn to recognize important ethical questions. The issues raised are discussed in small groups and follow a clear framework.

Each student in the Middle School is provided a personalized iPad as the digital component of the school’s two-piece platform that also includes a paper, disc-bound notebook. These tools are used daily by students to collect, organize, and analyze information. In addition to daily preparation and organization of homework and course materials, students use the iPad to collaborate with others, creatively synthesize and demonstrate knowledge through the creation of multiple media types, and engage with the world through Internet resources and our library’s web-based reference materials.

artS, athlEticS, anD hEalth & wEllnESS PrograMS

Dwight-Englewood believes in the power of art to unleash creativity that affects a student’s learning experience. For that reason, a robust arts program is enjoyed by all students at D-E. At the Middle School level, theatre, music, and studio art challenge students to become confident and imaginative innovators. Performances and exhibits throughout the year showcase students’ talents and build a lifelong love for the arts. Instructors boast significant professional experience. Many are active on Broadway, play in musical ensembles, or pursue visual-arts careers. By sharing their real-world experience with students, teachers serve to inspire and to prepare a new guard made up both of people who make art and those who deeply appreciate it.

The athletics program at D-E instills concepts of good sportsmanship and teamwork. Middle School


introduces interscholastic competition in addition to the sports and skills learned in health and wellness education classes. The major objectives of the program are to provide wholesome opportunities for student-athletes to develop positive attitudes and habits. For some students, the Middle School athletic program may be their first experience with a specific sport and with competitive athletics; for others, it may represent a move from a club or town recreation league. With this in mind, D-E strives to provide a safe learning environment for students to acquire the skills and concepts for the sport in which they are participating. The School aims for as many “no-cut” sports as possible, taking into consideration field space, playing time, and level of competition. Sports offered include soccer, tennis, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, cross country, field hockey, basketball, baseball, softball, and lacrosse.

Courses offered through the Health and Wellness Program are an important part of educating the whole child and are required for all students at D-E. The coeducational program develops awareness of the personal fulfillment that can be found in exercise, play, and sport. Students learn skills for team sports, as well as for lifetime leisure activities such as yoga, fitness and exercise, tennis, basketball, volleyball, strength and conditioning, ultimate Frisbee, and basketball. Through required courses in health and wellness, each student discovers the joy of his or her physical being, its interrelationship with the wellbeing of others, and the importance of concern for issues of health and human sexuality. Content of all courses is taught in a sequential and age-appropriate manner.

School lifE

At D-E, academics, arts, and athletics are complemented by a robust extra-curricular program, in which students of all ages may grow personally, develop critical leadership skills, and pursue areas


of curiosity and interest. In Middle School, a select roster of clubs becomes a part of the school day, and students get involved with stage crew, fantasy basketball, or animal awareness. Clubs provide opportunities for students to discover and pursue their particular abilities, talents, and interests. They also encourage students to find their voice, make choices, and take leadership roles in areas of interest to them. Because clubs are open to all grades within each division, students learn to work with the D-E community.

EnglEwooD, nEw JErSEy

Englewood is a quiet suburb with a vibrant downtown located just 10 minutes from New York City. Though conveniently close to Manhattan, Englewood feels like it is worlds away from the bustling metropolis. Lush suburban countryside lends a traditional New England feel to the town, and the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, a 150-acre preserve and education center, provides environmental education programs to all ages. Residents can explore this portion of the Palisades Forest through a network of self-guided trails that provide access to a bubbling brook, wetlands, a pond, wildflower meadows, quarry cliffs, and woodlands.

Downtown Englewood hosts a busy foodie culture and shopping center. Four-star restaurants, casual pizza parlors, and various boutiques surround the Bergen Performing Arts Center, downtown Englewood’s focal point. Residents and visitors can view plays, concerts, and other events at the Center or enroll in classes at its affiliated Performing Arts School. Englewood is eminently family-friendly, offering over 50 houses of worship, an award-winning hospital, and recreational facilities that include basketball and tennis courts, baseball, football, and soccer fields. The town’s MacKay Park features a skating rink, and two swimming pools provide relief in the summer.


StrEngthS of thE MiDDlE School

The next Middle School Principal will benefit from the division’s many strengths, such as:

• A well-established and effective “teaming” program wherein grade-level, subject area, and Dean teams govern the Middle School along with the Principal;

• A one-to-one iPad program at all three Middle School grades, integrated throughout the curriculum;• Project Based Learning (PBL) curriculum, established three years ago in all Middle School grades;• An organized approach to service learning programs rooted in public purpose;• A vested advisory program, called “HomeBase,” designed to support the changing lives of

adolescents in their middle school years.

oPPortunitiES anD challEngES

The new Middle School Principal at Dwight-Englewood will have the opportunity to join an outstanding school and partner with an established, dedicated, and collaborative faculty. The community is eager to find a Principal who shares the love of working with Middle School aged students that is evident amongst the current faculty and staff, and who intends to lead the division for years to come.

The ideal candidate will have extensive teaching experience at the Middle School level, a proven track record as a leader, and background in progressive educational philosophy. S/he will have the opportunity to support the excellent programs already established within the Middle School while also contributing to the curriculum with vision, especially as that relates to the new Middle School building under construction.


Further, the School is looking for someone in possession of character and presence who can connect with students, parents, and faculty alike and help to deepen and strengthen the division’s identity as a Middle School. S/he will also be someone who leads by example, demonstrating commitment to the well-being of students and the entire Dwight-Englewood community and working to build consensus through collaboration with many different constituencies.

QualificationS anD QualitiES of thE MiDDlE School PrinciPal

• A seasoned educator and administrator with experience in both teaching and leadership at the Middle School (grades 6-8) level;

• A background in Project Based Learning (PBL) and “teaming;”• Someone who can help the division further establish its identity as a Middle School division, while

keeping in step with the broader, K-12 institution;• Someone with a proven record of working effectively and collaboratively with a team/with Lower

and Upper School Principals;• Someone with character and presence, who is approachable to all constituents and is a visible

member of the community;• Someone with a depth of understanding regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion; • A good listener who can build consensus from the input of faculty and students;• A thoughtful, reflective, and decisive leader;• Someone with a sense of humor;• An exceptional communicator, both orally and written word.

to aPPly

Interested candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials (all inquiries are confidential):

• A cover letter stating their interest and qualifications for this position• A résumé detailing work experience and education• A list of five (5) professional references with name, phone number, and email address of each to:

Rice BryanSenior [email protected]

Sherry Coleman, Ed.D.Senior [email protected]

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