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Director
Lincoln School Kathmandu (Nepal)

Lincoln School Kathmandu, Nepal

seeks a new

Director

- Effective August 2015 -

                                                                                                                                                           

Our Mission Statement

Lincoln School is a multicultural community in the foothills of the Himalaya that inspires in each student a passion for learning, the confidence and competence to pursue dreams, and the commitment to serve as compassionate global citizens and leaders, who are stewards of the environment.

 

Lincoln School seeks a Director to provide skilled, innovative, and humanistic leadership for this dynamic institution of primary and secondary education in Nepal.  Entering our seventh decade of operations and building on our rich traditions, we are continuing to enact our strategic plan that features progressive and integrated academic, social and environmental dimensions.

 

About the School

Lincoln School, founded in 1954, is an independent, non-sectarian, co-educational day school open to students of all nationalities from Preschool through Grade 12.  It is governed by a seven-member School Board.  The School was originally intended to serve children of U.S. government employees and continues to enjoy a close and cooperative relationship with the U.S. Embassy in Nepal.  Today the School exhibits a truly international character not only in terms of its student body, but also with regard to the important role it plays in the broader expatriate community of Kathmandu.  Lincoln School is fully accredited both by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and by the Council of International Schools.

 

Philosophy

Lincoln School, as a culturally diverse international American school, aims to provide a challenging yet supportive learning environment in which academic excellence is achieved through the recognition of each student’s learning style.  We are aware of and respond to our multi-cultural population by offering programs and activities which address their needs and which complement our essentially American curriculum.  We believe that the process of learning is as important as the end product.  We aim to create an environment that values freedom of expression in which ideas and opinions may be examined openly, objectively and with consideration for all.

 

Enrollment

Today Lincoln School has approximately 265 students.  There are 124 students in the elementary section (Grades PS-5), 72 in the middle school (Grades 6-8), and 70 in the high school (Grades 9-12).  The School’s student make-up by nationality is about 30% American, 31% Host country, 21% European, and 18% others.  There are over 30 nationalities represented in all.

 

 

Faculty and Staff

Lincoln School employs 30 full-time and 2 part-time professionally trained faculty members, most of whom are certified in the United States, Canada, Australia, or Europe.  Before joining Lincoln, many taught in other international or American schools and/or received awards recognizing the quality of their teaching.  Furthermore, Lincoln School has 17 Teaching Assistants who work with faculty members either in the classroom or by providing clerical support.  The School also employs two Principals - one Secondary School Principal and one Elementary School Principal - a Guidance Counselor, a Nurse, a Business Manager, three Administrative Officers (Finance, Transportation, and School Services), five Administrative Assistants, and 56 maintenance and transportation personnel.

 

The Curriculum

Lincoln School offers a college preparatory program with an American-style curriculum that reflects current educational theory and practice while including host country studies and field study opportunities.  The School actively cultivates a progressive approach to education, constantly seeking to incorporate best practices into its curriculum and teaching methodology based on contemporary pedagogical research.  The program also strives to meet the diverse learning needs of its students.  ESL is a critical component of the Lincoln School program since the majority of students speak English as a second or third language.  High school offerings currently include twelve Advanced Placement classes.

 

For its size, Lincoln School offers a large and varied set of co-curricular and extracurricular activities K-12.  Students have open access to academic enrichment and support, along with a wide range of opportunities for social, artistic, service learning and sports.  The School is an active member of the South Asia Inter-School Association (SAISA), a regional interscholastic league that provides opportunities for secondary students to participate in athletic, academic, and fine arts events in other South Asian countries.  To honor the rich cultural heritage of Nepal and the multi-national composition of its student body, Lincoln holds a variety of special events each year, most notably including an Explore Nepal program and a United Nations Day celebration.

 

Facilities

The Lincoln School complex includes bright, well-equipped classrooms, science and computer labs, portable Mac labs with campus-wide wireless, playing fields, a basketball court, a gymnasium, a 300-seat theatre with orchestra pit, multi-purpose recreation areas, an elementary rooftop play area, an outdoor amphitheater, an administration and fine arts building, and a health office building.  Our campus continues to grow with the planned addition of a new, state-of-the-art library (in progress, with expected completion in December 2014), administration/classroom building, and maintenance facilities.  Additional resources, such as a swimming pool and tennis courts, are available to students at a nearby facility managed by the U.S. Embassy.

The School is located in Rabi Bhawan, a residential area on the western edge of Kathmandu city.  Lincoln boasts a secure and relaxing campus that contains an abundance of picnic tables, a rooftop terrace, and open space that facilitates social interaction.  Lincoln operates a fleet of radio-vans for safe, efficient transportation to and from school, for both students and teachers, including for after-hours activities.

 

The Position

The Director is the senior administrative officer of the School; he or she is ultimately accountable to the School Board.  Lincoln seeks a Director for an initial three-year contract with options for renewal based on the mutual agreement of the Director and the School Board and subject to policy-mandated performance evaluations.  The Director’s main responsibilities, which are to be executed consistent with the School’s Mission Statement, are as follows:

• Lead and facilitate the continued implementation of the Strategic Plan;
• Report to and advise the School Board on all aspects of the School’s educational program, as well as recommend policy;
• Foster an environment of academic and co-curricular excellence and standards of student behavior that encourage academic achievement;
• Develop programs and curricula and ensure achievement of academic and co-curricular objectives;
• Assess impact of enrollment fluctuations on instructional and managerial staffing levels and make recommendations as appropriate to respond to emerging needs;
• Recruit, retain, and motivate a faculty of highly competent teaching professionals;
• Encourage and facilitate the professional development of the faculty and staff;
• Use an understanding of the teaching-learning process and pedagogy to improve instruction continuously;
• Encourage and maintain open communication among faculty, staff, students, parents, Board members, and the community at large;
• Foster a network of supportive relationships with host government agencies, embassies, and the international community;
• Promote the School, its achievements, programs, and reputation within the Kathmandu community and abroad for such purposes as attracting students, recruiting faculty and administrators, and elevating job and college placement rates for School graduates;
• Develop, implement, and enforce appropriate administrative procedures, rules, and guidelines consistent with School Board policies;
• Prepare and submit for School Board approval preliminary budgets for the following fiscal year;
• Handle safety and security issues calmly and effectively;
• Oversee the maintenance and improvement of the School’s buildings and grounds; and
• Oversee the evaluation of all School employees.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate degree from a U.S. or other recognized university;

• Training in and familiarity with the American educational system;

• Successful and progressive experience as a teacher and an administrator;

• U.S. citizenship;

• Proven abilities in management, budgeting finance and administration; and

• Successful record in recruitment, motivation and retention of faculty and staff.

   

Preferred Qualifications

• Credentials in educational administration and curriculum development;

• Experience as a Director or its equivalent at an American or international school abroad;

• Experience with curriculum development, implementation, and articulation generally and in particular with the AP program;

• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and implementation;

• Experience as a teacher or administrator at an American or international school abroad;

• Experience working in a developing country.

 

Desired Personal Characteristics

• Strong leadership capable of collaboratively leading the School community with the ability to work by building consensus in a participatory manner with the Lincoln School Board and all stakeholders in the Lincoln School community;

• Well-developed and demonstrable organizational skills;

• Ability to effectively represent the school in various school community and public forums;

• A team builder committed to fostering a collegial environment among faculty and staff;

• Balanced interest in the elementary and secondary schools;

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with students, faculty, parents, and members of the Nepali community;

• Friendly, visible, approachable, open, compassionate, flexible, and a good sense of humor;

• Ability to work well with the diplomatic corps, NGOs, and international organizations;

• Multicultural sensitivity, with respect and appreciation for Nepali culture and a diverse expatriate community.

Salary and Benefits

The Director’s salary, which is determined by the Lincoln School Board, has been and will remain competitive but may vary depending on the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate.  The benefits package includes housing and the use of a School vehicle, health insurance, a shipping allowance, retirement contributions, and other perquisites including full tuition waivers for any children the Director may have.

 

Procedures for Filing Application

The Lincoln School Board has appointed Search Associates as consultant in its search for a new Director with Ralph Jahr and Jim Ambrose being the lead consultants.  The deadline for applications for the position is August 1, 2014.  Candidates are asked to submit a letter of interest and the requested materials listed below as early as possible as the Search Committee reserves the right to close the selection process at any time if the right candidate is found.

 

The review of files will begin as soon as applications are received.  Finalists will be selected by the Search Committee and 2 or 3 finalists will be selected as early in the process as possible.  Finalist candidates together with their spouse (if applicable) will be invited to Kathmandu to meet with the Search Committee and the Board for final interviews and to visit the school campus and meet with faculty, parents, students, and non-teaching staff.  The new Director will be selected immediately after the conclusion of the site visits and final interviews.  The new Director will begin in August 2015.

 

Candidates should send the information listed below as a single pdf file attached to an email:

• A letter of application, explaining your strengths as a candidate and why you are interested in the Director position of Lincoln School.

• A statement describing your management and educational philosophy, not to exceed two pages.

• A current résumé not to exceed two pages.

• A one-page list of references with current addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.

• A maximum of three letters of reference (scanned at low resolution) that may already be in your possession.

Total document size should be kept to less than three (3) MB if possible. Applications should be sent to rjahr@searchassociates.com and jambrose@searchassociates.com  Additional information about Lincoln School can be found on the school’s web site at  www.lsnepal.com.

 

Ralph Jahr                                                                        Tel: 609-759-0431 USA – Eastern Time Zone

Skype – ralph.h.jahr                                                          Email: RJahr@searchassociates.com

                                                                                         

James Ambrose                                                               Tel: 775-267-3122 – USA - Pacific Time Zone

Skype – jimambrose                                                         Email: JAmbrose@searchassociates.com