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High School Principal
American School of Doha (Qatar)

 

The American School of Doha High School Principal position – August 2016

The American School of Doha (ASD) is an English-language day school offering an American curriculum, pre-kindergarten to grade 12, for expatriate families and Qatari nationals who seek a strong college preparatory program. ASD is an independent, non-profit, coeducational day school operating under the policies and by-laws of a twelve-member Board of Directors and a nine-member Board of Trustees, which is chaired by the U.S. Ambassador.

 

The American School of Doha was founded in 1988 and opened in a villa to serve a small number of expatriate families. With increasing demand for high quality education in Qatar, a new campus was opened to house six hundred students in 1998-99, and with the explosive growth of Qatar in 2005, a new expansion project was undertaken that resulted in a new middle and high school on adjoining land and a complete renovation and expansion of the old campus for the elementary school. This project has increased the enrollment PK-12 to over 2,200 students.

 

The surge of growth in ASD has resulted in the creation of a progressive school with an impressive and varied program that serves students from over 75 countries, including approximately 50% from North America and 10% from the host country of Qatar. The academic program has been a forerunner in professional learning and curriculum development and now enjoys a worldwide reputation for excellence. High school students have the opportunity to choose from the Advanced Placement program and the IB Diploma program as part of their American high school diploma. ASD is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and a certified IB Diploma School.

 

 

Vision, Mission, and Core Values

The ASD community is constantly renewing and challenging itself through an active strategic planning process, which establishes the vision,  mission, and core values of the school. This is a community-wide process and involves parents, students, teachers, administrators, and board members.

 

 

Mission

The American School of Doha is committed to the intellectual and personal development of our students, inspiring and empowering them to become positive, active global citizens.

 

Vision  

• ASD is a vibrant learning community...
• Where learning is fun
• Where learning is creative
• Where learning is authentic
• Where learning is innovative
• Where learning is collaborative
• Where learning is data-informed
• Where learning is technology infused.
• ASD is where learning extends beyond walls...

 

Core Values

The core values of ASD set the guidelines for how we live and work together to create an ethos at ASD where everyone is valued. All of our disciplinary procedures are based on learning and helping students understand the importance of our core values in the life of the school. These values are:  honesty, respect, responsibility and compassion.

 

School Overview

The American School of Doha is characterized by a shared vision of learning that is supported by a strong practice of collaboration and a genuine commitment to professional growth and learning. This shared vision for student learning is supported by three key elements:

1. instructional strategies that are developed through research, collaboration, and evidence of student success;
2. skills in analysis of evidence of learning to ensure that we are achieving our learning targets and implementing differentiation where needed;
3. and a strong emphasis on developing positive, active global citizens through community service and learning social and environmental responsibility

 

Our students

Although over fifty percent of our students are North Americans (38% U.S. citizens & 13% Canadians), diversity is viewed as a strength of the school and is one of the experiences that our students refer to most when reflecting on their education at ASD. The majority of our students attend colleges and universities in North America and many of our Qatari students are opting to attend one of six prestigious American universities at Education City in Doha.  Ninety-eight percent of our students continue their education after high school in North America, Qatar and in more than 20 countries around the globe.

The Community

Qatar is a leading center for the development and production of LNG (liquefied natural gas). The expatriate community has grown rapidly over the past several years as a result of the many projects associated with the gas and oil industry in Qatar. However, other initiatives by the Qatar government, especially in the areas of education, sports, and health services have widened the array of expatriates moving to Qatar. This, along with ancillary services in banking and construction, has made Qatar one of the great stories of the early part of the 21st century. In recent years, Qatar has taken on a multitude of impressive construction projects, including a new skyline in the city as large-scale buildings are erected. The Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art on the Corniche, a new airport, and the sporting facilities erected for international competition are some of the best in the world.  In 2022, Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup.  Doha continues to invest heavily in infrastructure and cultural development to ensure its place on the world stage. Safe and modern, Doha is both an exciting and an easy place to live and work. 

 

The Faculty

The ASD faculty consists of 230 teachers who are primarily from North America. In recent years, the staff has become more diverse, with the addition of teachers from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the region. Over sixty percent of the faculty has advanced degrees. The high school is led by the principal, who, along with two associates, four counselors and one librarian, provide great experiences and guidance for our more than 700 high school students.

 

The faculty is housed in a state-of-the-art, purpose-built family compound with resort-like facilities, including pool, tennis courts, sauna, fitness center, restaurant and all the amenities needed to live comfortably.  The school provides busing to and from the compound for staff (and children of staff) as part of the compensation package. 

 

 

The Facility

The American School of Doha, with its contemporary glass design and geometric canopies, is a work of art in itself. The lush campus of twenty acres is one of the greenest and most enjoyable in all of Doha.  The school expanded from its former campus to include a separate middle and high school with additional facilities in 2008.  The campus currently boasts two gyms, two swimming pools (one outdoor and one indoor), a full-sized soccer pitch, a smaller soccer field for elementary, the only baseball diamond in Doha, a 400 meter track, an indoor climbing wall, a theater for 630 people, five music rooms, eight art rooms, three computer labs, two cafeterias, one elementary library and one middle/high school library, three presentation rooms, ten science labs, a central office complex, a drama room, two tennis courts, three covered playgrounds, and a fitness center.

 

The Campus Improvement Project was begun more than 18 months ago to enhance facilities and provide great education for an additional 150 students in the middle and high schools at ASD.   Phases one and two created the teaching spaces with additional classrooms and labs in the high school.  The third and fourth phases of the project, to be completed in 2016, include two gymnasiums (one elementary and one middle school), an enlarged elementary library, an elementary learner pool, middle and high school science labs, a middle/high school greenhouse and internal courtyards.

Position Overview

The High School Principal is the learning leader in the high school and a member of the school’s Leadership Team, reporting directly to the Director, Dr. Tom Hawkins.  Collaborating with the High School Principal and Director on the leadership team are the Deputy Director for Finance and Operations, divisional Principals and Associate Principals, an IT Director, a Director of Teaching and Learning, a Director of Human Resources, a Director of Activities and Athletics, and a Director of Admissions. 

 

The High School Principal is charged with managing the daily operations of the high school division, providing leadership in assessment, and development of the instructional program.  The High School Principal is responsible for developing a collaborative, risk-taking, and nurturing environment for staff and students; promoting respect among staff, students and parents; assigning, scheduling, supervising, and evaluating high school faculty and staff; and representing the school positively within the broader school community.  The successful candidate must be energetic, well versed in educational pedagogy, experienced with and supportive of both AP and IB Diploma programs, able to inspire confidence in his or her faculty, and fulfilled by working closely with students in their activities and day-to-day life at ASD.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Leadership for Learning

• Champions the implementation of the strategic plan and high school initiatives
• Directs the high school curricular objectives and professional learning goals
• Establishes and assesses yearly high school goals
• Represents the high school on the administrative team along with two associates
• Understands and knows standard based curricula and is able to assist in the implementation of the curriculum
• Manages change and is not afraid of risk taking or encouraging others to take risks

2. Staff Development

• Collaborates with teachers on individual goals and provides timely and thorough analysis of teacher performance through implementation of the school’s evaluation process
• Recruits, hires, retains and develops high quality, committed faculty and staff
• Establishes high school professional development needs within the strategic plan and high school goals

3. Communication

• Communicates effectively with the divisional staff to ensure alignment and collaborative decision making
• Liaises between Board of Directors, Director, Leadership Team, parents, staff and students
• Maintains regular written communication with faculty, parents, and students
• Articulates the high school program and initiatives through open houses, Parent Advisory Forum, parent conferences and other venues as needed
• Understands and effectively articulates the school’s values, strategic plan, board policy, and established procedures
• Oversees procedures for reporting student progress to students and parents on a regular basis

4. Management

• Plans and implements a master schedule that ensures that each student receives the full benefit of the program
• Responsible for effective procedures for transcripts and college applications
• Oversees the high school co-curricular program with the assistance of the Athletic Director
• Plans, organizes, and oversees the development and implementation of high school emergency procedures in coordination with the other divisions
• Develops and oversees the high school budget and participates in the annual school-wide budgeting process

Skills and Attributes Desired

1. A collaborative, dynamic, and self-motivated individual with a passion for providing the best possible educational experience to high school students
2. Proven multicultural awareness and sensitivity in meeting the needs of a diverse student body
3. Collegial, open, forward looking and proactive, and an advocate for high school students, faculty, staff, and families
4. An individual who enjoys interacting with students and playing a vital part in their lives
5. Communicates effectively in written and oral formats
6. Well versed in technology and its use within the classroom for effective student learning
7. Models a collaborative and supportive approach to problem solving
8. Innovative and creative, models the values and direction of the school
9. Demonstrates success in people development, team building and leadership
10. Unquestionable personal integrity and professional ethics

 

Qualifications

• Minimum of MA or MED or equivalent in Educational Administration/Policy, Educational Leadership,  or similar field
• Proven experience as successful Principal or Associate Principal in a high school setting with the Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate Diploma programs
• Demonstrated excellence in leading people, managing processes, and improving learning
• Exceptional knowledge of best practices in curriculum, assessment, high school pedagogy, and data driven decision-making
• Five or more years of successful teaching at the high school level
• Experience in curriculum development, college placement, and co-curricular programs
• Experience in an international and/or multi-cultural environment

 

ASD offers a highly competitive compensation package for this position in a country with no income tax.  This position will begin August, 2016. Retained as consultant for this search is Search Associates…

 

Application Process: 

Interested candidates should send an application no later than October 15th. The review of files will begin as soon as applications are received).

Candidates should note that, in the event an outstanding applicant is identified early in the search process, ASD reserves the right to make an appointment before the deadlines mentioned above and to bring the search to a close. For this reason interested candidates are encouraged to apply at the earliest possible time.

Applicants should send the following in single pdf file. Total document size should not exceed 3 mb, if possible:

•  Letter of interest in the position (no more than 1 page)
•  Curriculum Vitae (no more than 2 pages)
• Statement of educational philosophy (no more than 1 page)
• List of 3-5 recent supervisory contacts for reference

Applications should be emailed to:

David Cramer- dcramer@searchassociates.com and

Bridget McNamer –bmcnamer@searchassociates.com