Challenges & Opportunities
After five years as GFA’s Head of Lower School, Aléwa Cooper, was named the Head of School at Foote School in New Haven. During her tenure, she cultivated a cohesive, caring, and highly professional environment amongst the Lower School faculty, staff, and students. Parents view the Lower School program and its teachers with great respect, and they demonstrate their commitment by volunteering whenever needed. The next Head of the Lower School will be asked to sustain the strong sense of community and a collegial environment in which teachers support each other professionally and personally. The next Head of Lower School will seek to pursue these objectives:
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Continue to foster the Lower School’s commitment to high academic standards within a caring, joyful community.
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Ensure that the Lower School program remains informed by best practices while avoiding fads that would distract from its excellence.
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Ensure that all aspects of the Lower School program reflect a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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Continue supporting teacher professional development and the empowerment of teacher leadership, particularly in the areas of curriculum review and refinement.
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Maintain and strengthen the strong parent-teacher partnerships that support student growth and development.
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Continue the strong connections among the Lower School and the Middle and Upper Schools, supporting GFA as one unified school.
Professional Qualities Desired
Greens Farms Academy is interested in all candidates who possess the proven leadership and interpersonal skills to help the school maintain the excellence and vibrancy of its program and community. The most promising candidates will be educational leaders who deeply understand child development within the context of a larger PreK–12 school. The school is most interested in candidates who possess or are able to demonstrate most, if not all, of the following qualities and qualifications:
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An educator who communicates a love of working with children and has a sense of play.
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Someone with heart and a strong sense of humor.
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A leader with the confidence and wisdom that comes from experience and reflection.
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Someone who is deeply immersed in educational best practices.
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An approachable leader who is transparent in communication and has an open-door policy.
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A collaborative and team-oriented leader who will work alongside the faculty and the PreK-12 senior administrative team to further strengthen the Lower School and GFA.
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A leader who will embrace the family atmosphere of the division.
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Someone who is forward-thinking and will enjoy partnering with the faculty to explore new ideas, but who has the judgment to resist unnecessary or counter-productive changes.
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A leader who encourages risk-taking and rejoices in the lessons that can be learned from making mistakes.
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Appreciation for student-centered, place-based, interdisciplinary, and project-based approaches to teaching and learning.
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Demonstrated ability to create and foster a culture of innovation.
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Experience working with and connecting to a large and diverse community.
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Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate.
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
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Excellent listening skills, a growth mindset, warmth, and good humor.
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A confident, caring and approachable presence.
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A commitment to fostering an inclusive community.
To Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit the following materials:
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Cover letter expressing interest in the Greens Farms Academy Lower School Head position. The cover letter should connect the candidate’s skills and experience with GFA’s specific needs and aspirations.
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Current résumé.
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Statement of educational philosophy and practice.
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List of five references with name, phone number, and email address of each. References will not be contacted until later in the search.
Please submit the materials electronically in one e-mail and as separate PDF documents to John Faubert, jfaubert@carneysandoe.com, or Sloane Meyer, sloane.meyer@carneysandoe.com. Please do not contact the school directly.
Click here for the job description from Carney Sandoe.
More about the Lower School:
A strong sense of community, an intellectually stimulating environment, and close attention to the social, emotional, and physical needs of young children are hallmarks of the Lower School. The richness of the education is enhanced by its unique setting along Long Island Sound, which includes a rich and diverse salt marsh, Audubon trails, and Burying Hill Beach, all of which provide students with a sprawling “outdoor classroom” for hands-on, active learning. The Lower School’s facilities, built and renovated in 2002, provide spacious, light-filled classrooms, a community assembly hall, a dedicated science lab, a library, music and art rooms, a full gymnasium, and four wireless traveling computer labs.
In support of academic excellence and achievement, the Lower School provides a nurturing environment in which children grow intellectually, realize personal creativity and competency, develop self-confidence, and gain respect for the diversity of the world around them. Small group work, hands-on learning, personal challenges and responsibilities, and an appreciation for the connections among all disciplines are integral components of the program.
The Lower School is an inspiring teaching community of perpetual learners, where teachers regularly collaborate to share the most up-to-date research and best practices. With a team of motivated and innovative teachers, the Lower School continuously strives to improve the quality of education for every student.
Through daily class meetings, family-style lunch, community service, and weekly assemblies, the Lower School emphasizes the joy that can come from working together and being part of a learning community.
To learn more, click here.
