BALBOA ACADEMY

Seeks an Director

For 2019-2020

Balboa Academy is located in the City of Knowledge, Ciudad del Saber, Clayton, Building #100, Panama City, Republic of Panama.

Starting day position: August 1, 2019

The School

Balboa Academy is an international, coeducational, college preparatory school that offers a US curriculum education for Pre-Kindergarten through the 12^thgrade. All courses are taught in English.

Balboa Academy was established in Panama City, Panama, in August 1999 and graduated its first senior class of 16 in June 2000.

The majority of Balboa graduates enroll in four-year universities in the United States or Panama. Balboa Academy students represent a diversity of economic, social, and cultural backgrounds.

Balboa Academy is guided by a Board of Directors comprised of the founding members and advised by an Advisory Board. The Academy is administered by a Director. The teachers are highly skilled English-speakers.

Our Mission

Balboa Academy provides a U.S. standards-based curriculum in which English is our language of instruction. Our comprehensive and engaging educational program is dedicated to fostering innovative, intellectual growth. We honor individual differences and diversity, while focusing on the development of the whole child. Our nurturing community inspires students to become responsible global citizens with integrity and compassion.

Our Vision

Together we cultivate a caring community of lifelong learners, independent thinkers, and builders of a promising future.

Core Values

Core Values reflect the essence of the character of the school, and are to be lived out in the present and future operation of the school. These Core Values define and provide a clear and unwavering context within which governance and management of the school is to be exercised. The Values of Balboa Academy are expressed through the Core Belief:

Core Beliefs

We believe in the extraordinary capacity of children to learn and reach their maximum potential in an educational institution that strives for excellence, is staffed with experienced teachers dedicated to education specialized in their respective fields, and implements a broad and sequential plan of study that emphasizes the development of critical analytical skills. Discrimination based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, gender or ancestry is not tolerated.

Curriculum

Some of our Course Offerings and Electives beyond required courses include Art, Music, Computers, Language, Debate, Digital Photography, Video Production, Philosophy, Studio Art, Psychology, Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Graphic Design/Animation, Honor Classes, AP Art History.

Accreditation

Our school is fully accredited by SACS through AdvancED Accreditation Agency. AdvancED reviews our improvement and growth every five years with a thorough on site review and follow up recommendations. Our partnership with AdvancED has been beneficial and mutually appreciated.

Faculty and Staff

Balboa Academy faculty and staff currently consist of 168 employees.

Student Body

Balboa Academy has 953 students from Pre-K3 through 12.   English is the language of instruction for our multicultural population of students with 39% Panamanian, 26% U.S., and 35% International from different countries.

Campus

The school is comprised of five air-conditioned buildings, one each for our Pre-school, Elementary School, Middle School, and High School. The fifth building is our Athletics Building which includes our gymnasium, Physical Education facilities, and Dragon’s Den. Additionally, our campus has athletic fields and recreational areas with playground equipment.

We have over 70 classrooms and our campus includes media centers, computer labs, science labs, and multipurpose rooms.

In addition to our facilities, we also have access to the Kiwanis Sports Complex which includes baseball, football and soccer fields, tennis courts, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, gymnasium, auditorium, and physical fitness areas adjacent to our campus.

School governance structure

A Board of Directors composed of the school’s founding educators govern the school. An Advisory Board consisting of parents and school stakeholders serves to advise the Board and the School Director.

Three (3) governing committees composed of three (3) founders and an external advisor:   Educational, Operational and Financial.

Required qualifications

 Minimum Education:

•  Master’s Degree in Education

 Minimum Experience:

•  Five years’ experience in administrative roles

 Special Knowledge Skills:

•  Working knowledge of curriculum, instruction, and assessment
• Ability to evaluate instructional program and teaching effectiveness
• Effective oral and written communications
• Use of appropriate interpersonal skills
• Spanish – able to read and understand Spanish

Director Job Description

The Director will assure that all organizational circumstances are lawful, prudent, culturally sensitive, and in accordance with commonly-held ethics and the Core Values of Balboa Academy. In accordance with this general requirement, the Board establishes the following expectations for the management of Balboa Academy, in fulfillment of all management functions and activities.

The Director is the Chief Executive Officer, selected and employed by the BOD, and is the connection between the Educational BOD and the management of the school’s operation. The Director is responsible for implementation of Educational Committee and BOD-level decisions, achieving institutional purposes, and operating the school within the policy parameters established by the BOD. The Director should not have any direct organizational linkage with Ownership. The BOD delegates the operation and management of all educational activities to the Director, within the constraints and under the direction of policy and official BOD action. The Director will advocate and provide leadership for attainment of the school’s vision and improvement efforts toward attaining the Institutional Purposes and Ends.

The Director may delegate authority and responsibility to assistants and others at his/her discretion but in every instance, the Director is responsible for the proper conduct of the school and its program. All school staff shall be accountable to the Director for their operational achievements and conduct.

All Financial & Operational duties not related to educational are overseen by the Board Chairman through the Operational and Financial Committees.

Salary and Benefits

The salary and benefits for the Director are competitive and will dependent upon the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.

Application Procedure

The Board of Directors has appointed Search Associates as its partner in its search for a Director, with Dr. Brent Mutsch serving as the lead consultant. The deadline for applications for the position is June 12, 2019. Candidates should submit the requested materials listed below as early as possible as the Board of Trustees reserves the right to close the selection process at any time if the right candidate is identified.