Shape young minds and make a difference
Wingra School is an independent school for ages five to fourteen centrally-located in Madison, Wisconsin, or Dejope, within the ancestral and contemporary sacred homeland of the Ho-Chunk People. We are currently searching for a Head of School to begin 1 July 2022. We recognize the inherent strengths that come from different viewpoints, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. As an organization, we are committed to examining our unconscious biases, working toward a just, equitable, and peaceful world. We seek a Head of School guided by principles of equity, inclusion, democratic processes, and anti-racist practices. The candidate is an excellent communicator who can work independently and as part of a team, is resourceful, responsive, organized, and able to navigate the educational terrain.
Wingra School, in service of social justice, strives for equity and fosters responsibility, advocacy, and compassion. As a historically white organization, we recognize the existence of institutional racism that has excluded Black, Indigenous, and other people of color from positions of power, and contributed to their discrimination, persecution, genocide, incarceration, and execution. We recognize that we live in an unjust society and are seeking people to be part of our transformation to uphold a core tenet of Wingra School’s progressive mission since its inception: to educate and to work for a more perfect union.
Opportunities and Challenges:
- Leading through the Covid pandemic
- Working with a Board of Trustees that is majority BIPOC
- Continuing to build a cohesive K-8 program that reflects our values and supports our mission
- Advancing seeded initiatives for a school garden and a food program as a precursor for environmental justice
- Engaging with community organizations to ensure that we are actively part of the solution to inequality both locally and beyond
- Launching a new tuition model based on ability to pay
Salary Range: minimum $125,000
Initial interviews will be conducted remotely by the Head of School Search Committee. Finalists will be invited to visit Wingra School for in-person conversations with staff, Board, and Community.
The Wingra Community–staff, families, Board, and others–have collectively compiled the following position description for our next Head of School:
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice
- Ability to actively confront racism and all forms of discrimination, in order to actualize Wingra School’s vision of a diverse, equitable, and anti-racist school
- Ability to recruit a wide spectrum of staff and students, that reflects the demographics of Madison
- Experience co-creating inclusive spaces
- Adept at weaving equity, sustainability, and democratic citizenship into an organization’s systems, culture, policies, practices, and programs
Alignment with Progressive Education
- Knowledge of, experience with, passion for, and a value system rooted in progressive and responsive education
- Emphasize developmentally appropriate, child-centered practice that prioritizes physical, social, emotional, and academic development
- Must love children and childhood
- Prioritize student learning, experience, and well-being
- Values environmental/nature-based education 6. Commitment to social justice education and service learning
General Teaching and Administrative Experience
- Strong background in education to include teaching, preferably 5-14 year olds
- Financial acumen to effectively prepare budgets
- Manage school finances in a way that reflects our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Collaboration with diverse stakeholders to successfully improve an organization
Leadership
- Skilled at practicing collaborative leadership
- Ability to approach an issue through multiple lenses and with integrity
- Ability to generate and articulate a clear vision and co-create a path forward to achieving that vision
- Infectious excitement and passion for the next step in Wingra history
- Treats staff, students, and families with respect and kindness, and compassion
- Proactively seeks feedback from community members and responds to opportunities for growth
Effective Communicator
- Ability to establish a good rapport with students, staff, and families
- High level of emotional intelligence
- Focus on building community both internally with staff, students, and families, as well as externally within the Madison and Dane County communities
- Imbued with a rich sense of humor
- Supportive of staff voice in decision-making
- Ability to hear, acknowledge, and act upon other points of view
To submit an application, please email the following documents to Patricia Finn at search@wingraschool.org:
• Cover letter
• Resume or professional profile
• Writing sample, can be a statement of educational philosophy • List of 3 references
Deadline for applications is March 11, 2022. Interview questions will be sent to candidates prior to the interview
Wingra School Mission Statement
In service of learning, we practice responsive and progressive education, and strive for equity. In service of the whole person, we embrace unique gifts, experiences, and relationships.
In service of social justice, we foster responsibility, advocacy, and compassion.
In service of democracy, we nurture individual and collective growth.
In service of the world, we cultivate curiosity, creativity, and innovation.
We value and respect all types of diversity and strongly encourage applicants from traditionally marginalized groups to apply. We prohibit discrimination and provide equal employment opportunity without regard to, and not limited to, ethnicity, religion, race, national origin, abilities, gender identity, age or genetic information.