Whole School Principal at Khartoum American School in Sudan
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Whole School Principal
Khartoum American School (Sudan)

Appointed - Mr. Bruce Doig
Feb 8, 2022
Mar 4, 2022

 

 

Khartoum American School (Sudan)

seeks a new

Whole School Principal

For school year commencing August 2022 OR August 2023

Candidates interested in a one-year interim position will also be considered.

 

Khartoum American School (KAS) provides an exceptional international education for expatriates, as well as Sudanese families looking for an American style education.  Khartoum American School seeks an educator with the creativity, resilience and commitment to assist the Superintendent in leading the school in continued academic excellence, offering a student-centred, inclusive program and strong community involvement.

 

Mission Statement: The Khartoum American School provides an outstanding learning environment to promote an open, inclusive, and student centered program. We are devoted to fostering educational growth and development for our internationally diverse student body.

The Mission is supported through the KAS Vision of building the 4 Cs of:

CharacterBy helping students develop self-discipline and a positive self-image, Khartoum American School encourages students to explore their potential and to develop a rich and broad understanding of todays world. Khartoum American School fosters in student a strong sense of personal commitment and dedication to their own learning.

CurriculumKhartoum American School follows an American Curriculum based around internationally recognized standards. Our student-centered program offers a technology-rich and inquiry-based approach. Khartoum American School offers a program of study that allows all students to reach their potential.

CommunityKhartoum American School actively pursues a sense of community characterized by students who are cooperative, communicative, productive and responsible. Students are encouraged to view themselves and their school as integral parts of the global community. Our community is a partnership of stakeholders who are actively engaged in the school and collectively shape its direction and ethos.

CitizenshipWe promote global citizenship and the expectation of our students is to reflect upon their own world and the world around them and to develop the skills required to make positive changes worldwide. We encourage students to embrace the diversity present at Khartoum American School and to celebrate the fact that it makes us a richer school community.

The School & Curriculum

Khartoum American School (KAS) was founded in 1957 under the auspices of the US Department of State in order to provide education for the children of US diplomats serving in Khartoum. KAS has continued in its mission to offer a US-style education to expatriates and Sudanese students.  Today, the school serves 220 students from around 30 different countries.  Some of these students come from the diplomatic community; others come from the many developmental and non-governmental organizations currently operating in Sudan, while others come from the business sector.  

 

KAS is committed to being an inclusive school. Faculty have been engaged in professional development to develop their skills in this area. With such a highly diverse ethnic and national profile, KAS serves a vast number of English as Additional Language learners. 

 

The Early Childhood division (Pre School-PreK) carefully reflects a strong developmental emphasis.  The Elementary division (K-5) employs Readers and Writers Workshop, a conceptual mathematics program and an inquiry driven approach to Social Studies and Science.  The Middle School division (6-8) is based on a strong philosophy that understands and recognizes the unique needs of early adolescents in the learning process.  All students have the opportunity to engage with The Arts, World Languages and Physical Education.

 

The High School curriculum has been standardized around a traditional US model and Advanced Placement (AP) courses currently offers seven AP classes. KAS offers the AP Capstone Program, including AP Seminar and Research. KAS graduates have been accepted into excellent colleges and universities in the USA, Canada, and the UK as well as in the Middle East and Asia. 

 

KAS has a reputation as a community oriented school that fosters a shared responsibility for learning. 

 

Governance and Administration

By constitution and throughout its history, KAS has encouraged active parental involvement in the work of the school.  The KAS board is comprised of eight parents and one US Embassy representative.  These parents are elected for 2-year terms at the Annual General Meeting of the parents each spring.  The school receives support from the Office of Overseas Schools of the US Department of State.

 

Faculty

The faculty is currently comprised of 34 teachers, 12 teaching assistants, 6 administration and many support personnel.  Most of the teachers are recruited from the USA and Canada as well as from the UK, South Africa, France, Namibia, Philippines, Egypt, and Sudan.  

 

Professional development opportunities for the faculty focus on helping faculty achieve professional goals while furthering specific school initiatives. Faculty have been supported to attend seminars and training opportunities; outside experts have been funded to present workshops and training sessions on campus; summer courses or graduate level courses and professional coaching have also received support. 

 

In addition to the Superintendent and the Whole School Principal, the school has a Student Support Services Coordinator, a Technology Coordinator, two Counsellors and a part-time Curriculum Coordinator.

 

 

Campus and Facilities 

The school’s campus is on the south side of Khartoum.  The school’s thirteen-building campus is built to US standards.  There are 33 air-conditioned classrooms, a science laboratory, art room, music room, full size soccer field, basketball court, volleyball court, a covered area for PE classes, weight-training room, and an Olympic-size swimming pool. Classroom areas are also provided for special programs in EAL (English as an Additional Language), student support services, Arabic, and French. There is a well-resourced library.  There is high-speed Internet throughout the campus.  There is a small playing field as well as a regulation-sized soccer pitch. All around the campus, there are many grassy, tree-shaded areas with tables and benches, which families use on weekends and evenings.  See images of the campus here.

 

 

 

Accreditation and Affiliations 

KAS is accredited by the Middle States Association and the Council of International Schools (CIS). KAS is also a member of the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA). 

 

Living in Khartoum

Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, is located on the confluence of the Blue Nile and the White Nile. Sudan is an Islamic country and this is reflected in the laws and expectations within the country. People dress modestly and there is a ban on the consumption of alcohol.

 

There has been political instability in Sudan in recent years. There is ongoing tension between military and civilian leaders and political protests have become quite common. These protests are scheduled and are not targeted at foreigners, but expats need to avoid being caught up in these. KAS has a close relationship with the US embassy Regional Security Officer and also security personnel working for a variety of UN agencies who give security advice and support to the school.

 

 

 

Faculty in Khartoum tend to get together to make their own fun. There are also opportunities to meet expats from other organizations and socialize with them. Teachers can run, walk, play ultimate frisbee and swim in their spare time. The community is close and supportive of each other.

 

While the cost of living has been increasing in Khartoum in recent times, it is still relatively low and there is a good savings potential with the school covering most expenses. This cost of living comparator tool may be helpful to compare the cost of living to your current location. 

 

There are some travel opportunities within Sudan. In particular, the ancient Meroe Pyramids and Port Sudan to go diving in the Red Sea. There are travel opportunities in the region with direct flights to and from Khartoum to Cairo, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Dubai, Istanbul and Doha.

 


    

 

The Position

The Whole School Principal reports to the Superintendent. His/her role is to assist the Superintendent in enabling the school to meet its mission and vision. The Principal’s responsibilities include assisting with the recruitment and evaluation of faculty, overseeing teaching and learning in the school, scheduling and student wellbeing. 

 

The Whole School Principal is a member of the leadership team which is comprised of the Superintendent, the Principal, the Business Manager and the Student Support Services Coordinator.

 

KAS is looking for an experienced educator with strong leadership and managerial skills.  Experience in a leadership role in an international school in Africa would be a significant advantage. 

 

Required Qualifications and Experience

  • An advanced degree with emphasis on education and leadership
  • Previous experience of school leadership in an international setting
  • Leadership in teaching and learning
  • Experience in a US-style school
  • Experience across PreK -12 grade levels
  • Experience with the CIS and MSA accreditation processes

Required Qualities

  • Dynamic, creative thinking with the ability to make decisions that reflect the best interests of all concerned parties
  • Ability to solve problems with determination, creativity and in good humor
  • Excellent team-building skills
  • The ability to inspire confidence and trust
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Flexibility
  • A high level of cultural competency
  • Well organized
  • Visible around the school and the community
  • An inclusive mindset and commitment to providing an inclusive education.

Terms of contract

The initial contract is for two years.  The salary is comparable to similar international schools. Benefits include furnished housing, all utilities, excellent international medical insurance, retirement allowance, annual home leave, tuition for school-aged children, shipping, an interest free car loan and an annual excess baggage allowance.

 

Application procedure

Interested candidates should send an application at the earliest possible time but no later than March 4th, 2022.

 

Interested candidates are asked to send all application materials in a single PDF file, of 4 MB or less, to cjacoby@searchassociates.com

 

Applications should include the following:

  • Cover letter including the start date you are interested in and contractually available for – August 2022, August 2023 or an interim position for the 2022-2023 school year.
  • Resume, not more than two pages long.
  • Statement of educational leadership philosophy - not more than two pages long.
  • Names and positions of at least three references, with current email addresses.

 

Please note that we will not forward-on candidates for further consideration by the school if a candidate is under contract or otherwise encumbered in such a way that would preclude them from freely entering into a new employment contract, if offered, and being available for the start date stipulated by the hiring organization.  Search Associates will contact the current employer/supervisor to request completion of a Search Associates Confidential Leadership Reference Form for all applicants who emerge in the search as a semi-finalist. 

Candidates should note that, in the event an outstanding applicant is identified early in the search process, KAS reserves the right to bring the search to an early close. For this reason, it is very important that interested candidates apply at the earliest possible time. 

 

Please refer to the school’s website: www.krtams.org for further information about KAS.

 

Did You Know…?

CEO of Search Associates, Jessica Magagna, was born in Morocco and attended the American Community School in Iran while her father was headmaster.