The Potomac School
Assistant Head of School for Academics
Start Date: July 1, 2025
Co-ed, K-12, Day School, 1,070 Students
1301 Potomac School Road, McLean, VA 22101
Assistant Head of School for Academics Search for Potomac School
Educators Collaborative is pleased to support the Assistant Head of School for Academics search for Potomac School. This retained search seeks an experienced administrator to begin July 1, 2025.
About the School
Founded in 1904 in Dupont Circle as a progressive elementary school for 48 children ages 4 to 12, Potomac has grown and evolved into today’s K-12 co-ed day school of 1,070 students on a more than 90-acre campus in McLean, Virginia. With four divisions, a K-3 Lower School, a 4-6 Middle School, a 7-8 Intermediate School, and a 9-12 Upper School, Potomac is uniquely structured to meet the developmental and intellectual needs of children at all ages. Potomac enjoys an extraordinary reputation as one of the top independent K-12 day schools in the nation. The school’s educational philosophy has defined the learning process as an exploratory endeavor driven by students’ natural curiosity and interests. From kindergarten through 12th grade, Potomac faculty seek to develop engaged learners who possess both the intellectual abilities and the character traits needed to thrive in a rapidly changing and demanding society
Overview
The next Assistant Head of School for Academics at Potomac School will join an environment steeped in academic excellence and a community that is inclusive, compassionate, and driven to celebrate each student’s individual strengths, passions, and identity. A forward-leaning, intellectually curious educator who finds great joy in the daily life of the school, the next Assistant Head will lead the academic program of this highly regarded K-12 school, with four distinct but coordinated divisions, to serve, with an inspiring vision for independent school education. Celebrated for its breadth of educational offerings across four divisions, Potomac is a community that has long held excellence as a key defining measure, and a school where community, core values and academic achievement will continue to be foundational.
The faculty and staff at Potomac School inspire young people to explore their interests—academic, athletic, artistic, personal—to find their voices and develop as leaders in a supportive and generous environment that rejects the notion of one defined version of success. With the commitment to ensuring that this vibrant intellectual energy continues and that the school prepares students for an increasingly complex world, the next Assistant Head of School for Academics will partner with the faculty and staff to look critically at the entire program, examining the curriculum, exploring new pedagogies, leveraging technologies, integrating learning support and identifying opportunities for enhancing life skills. They will focus on creating a culture that is supported by strong systems, accountability and recognition of excellence. A caring educator, inspiring and nuanced communicator, and visible leader, Potomac’s next Assistant Head of Academics will be energized by the opportunity to join this dynamic learning community and will work tirelessly to create an environment where all students, faculty, staff, and parents feel an understanding of the program’s current state and future direction. The results will then be the deeper cultivation of a school where everyone has a strong sense of belonging and the daily practice of its core values is evident.
Mission Statement
At The Potomac School, we believe that intellectual development, love of learning, and strength of character are complementary and equally essential educational goals. With a firm commitment to our core values and a rigorous academic program, we prepare students to lead lives of purpose, achievement, and generosity of spirit.
About the Position: Direct Reports and Committee Support
The next Assistant Head of School for Academics will have a broad portfolio of daily management of the academic program and mid-term deliverables towards the school’s strategic vision. Direct reports include those with K-12 academic responsibility, such as the divisional Academic Deans, Department Chairs, Learning Support team, the Director of Technology, and K-12 Service Learning and Environmental Sustainability coordinators. The Assistant Head works closely with the Division Heads to ensure K-12 alignment and advance curricular initiatives.
The work of DEI at Potomac is delivered through a “distributive leadership” model, and the Assistant Head oversees the advancement and coordination of those practices and the community’s growth towards a more inclusive community. Convening the individuals and groups who have shared responsibility for Potomac’s DEI work and advancing them towards broader institutional goals will be a primary responsibility of the Assistant Head of School for Academics.
This position will enjoy an administrative partnership with the Associate Head of School, the Associate Head for Finance and Strategic Initiatives, the Director of Community Engagement and the Director of Communications. This quintet makes up the group that the Head of School leans on heavily in order to ensure the smooth running of the school.
The Assistant Head of School for Academics will be an effective and organized manager, a compelling public speaker with a strong intellect, as well as a fair-minded, transparent, and engaged leader who values interpersonal relationships and genuinely enjoys working with faculty, students, and their parents.
The ideal candidate will have the following demonstrated experiences/abilities:
- Experience in K-12 curriculum support and development
- Tremendous EQ and notable interpersonal skills–a warm and visible leader
- Passion for remaining current with research on learning and the brain
- A deep understanding of the developmental range of students K-12
- The institutional eye and ability to be aware of the day-to-day while also being strategic
- A systems thinker and a coherence maker
- Effective at being the public face and voice of an institution
- Demonstrated cultural competence and effective at having done integrative DEI work
- The ability to be a coach and/or leader of leaders
- A sense of humor
The ideal candidate will have as part of their professional portfolio:
- An advanced degree
- 5-7 years of direct experience with curriculum design
- 3-5 years of senior administrative experience
- Proven track record in professional development and continuous learning
- Meaningful classroom experience(s)
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit the following materials in a single merged document, in the following order:
- Letter of interest addressed to the Search Committee
- Current resume
- Statement of educational leadership philosophy
- A list of five or more professional references, with contact information (including phone, email, and relationship to candidate)
- EC Candidate Summary Sheet (contact the consultants below for this document)
Please send any inquiries, nominations, referrals, or expressions of interest electronically and in confidence to:
Nat Conard, Partner, Educators Collaborative
André Withers, Educators Collaborative
Listing Date: September 27, 2024
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