Teach Abroad: High School Principal (Grades 9 – 12) opening in China

The BCIS mission is to educate and empower students to be compassionate and inspired people, who act for the good of all and for the sustainable development of the world.

BCIS is a privately owned, not-for-profit, coeducational day school, founded in 2005 and governed by an appointed 7-member Board of Directors. The school provides an international education for the expatriate and local community of Beijing. We believe that Chinese language, history and culture are key components of the educational experience for students.

The school is comprised of three sections: an Elementary School (Nursery through Grade 5), the Middle School (Grade 6 through 8) and the High School (Grade 9 through 12). Each section is headed by a Principal who reports to the Head of School. There are 89 teachers representing 12 nationalities who are supported by 25 Teaching Assistants.

Enrollment across the school currently stands at over 550 students. There are over 50 nationalities enrolled, of which the major groups are China/Taiwan/Hong Kong, Korea and the United States. The school has an open admission policy for students who can benefit from its programme. Students must either be fluent in the English language or willing to develop fluency through the school’s ELL (English Language Learners) programme.

The school provides a welcoming, safe and supportive environment. Students develop a love of inquiry based learning and INSPIRE ACHIEVE, CREATE is our motto.

CURRICULUM, ACCREDITATION AND MEMBERSHIP.

BCIS is an IB World School. The school is authorized to teach the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP). The school was awarded accredited status with CIS and WASC in June 2009. BCIS is a member of the Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS) and the International Schools Athletic Conference Beijing/Tianjin (ISAC).

FACILITIES

The school campus was constructed to an exceptionally high standard, providing excellent purpose-built facilities that provide a stimulating learning environment for a maximum of 1100 students. The campus occupies a substantial site in the heart of the CBD and within one kilometer of the China World Trade Centre. The spacious classrooms (108 sq m) are fully air-conditioned and resourced to a high level. Supporting the rich classroom environment are specialist classroom suites for Science, Music, Drama, Art and Design Technology. Information Technology is used extensively throughout the school and a 1 to 1 Apple laptop programme is in place. A 300-seat auditorium, a large gymnasium, soccer field, running track, 25 metre-indoor heated swimming pool, two cafeterias with food services, two libraries and a number of play spaces complete the campus.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Our vision is that BCIS will be widely respected as an inclusive school offering a model cosmopolitan education.

The high school principal will play a key role in helping us attain that vision.

BCIS is a school that is out of the ordinary. Students develop a view of the world through an inquiry-based curriculum founded on the best of international educational practices.

We are a young school working towards excellence. Our position is unusual in China as we are able to admit international students as well as Chinese citizens. The position may not attract an educational leader who is comfortable with the conventions of a more traditional international school. Rather, we seek an extraordinary educator who will help us build a new kind of international school. We aim to create a synergy of thinking and culture from China and other countries to inspire our students. They in turn will inspire others to build a fair, connected and sustainable world.

The successful candidate will be a pedagogical leader. He or she will ensure that our curriculum, based on but not limited by the IB MYP and DP programs, will excite and challenge students and teachers alike. She or he will ensure that our curriculum, assessment and pedagogy, while based on the most current educational thinking, will also cause our students to aspire to those characteristics of an educated person put forward by Kǒng zǐ.

The person who will succeed in this position will have the expected leadership qualities of vision, wisdom, commitment and courage, and will be emotionally intelligent. She or he will love to work and learn with young people. She or he will be a hopeful, humble person but will have the strength of character to ensure a disciplined approach to learning by all in the high school. He or she may not be familiar with Chinese culture or language but will have an eagerness to learn about these.

The high school principal, together with his or her leadership colleagues, will hold herself or himself accountable for the school’s success in inspiring our students to become confident, curious young adults who fulfill their academic potential while demonstrating respect to others and to the environment.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Communicate the school's vision, mission and philosophy to the community.
• Work collaboratively with the Senior Management Team to ensure school growth and development.
• Be the educational leader, responsible for the day to day operation of the High School.
• Make professional, managerial and organisational decisions based on informed judgments and strategic planning.
• Ensure that an effective professional development programme is available to the faculty.
• Guide and develop the IBDP and MYP programmes in conjunction with the respective coordinators.
• Promote student welfare.

APPLICATIONS

Essential requirements are

• A university degree and a teaching qualification
• A minimum of 10 years teaching experience, preferably with some years in international education.
• A record of successful educational leadership, preferably in international education.
• Management experience with the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP).

Desirable requirements are

• A Masters Degree in a field of education

The attractive salary and benefits package will reflect the responsibilities of the position. Shortisted candidates will be provided with greater detail.

Please send a letter of application and CV, including the contact details of three referees to recruitment@bcis.cn

The closing date for applications is 23 November 2009. Interviews will be held in Beijing, China during the week of 7 December 2009.