Upper School Director

Background

The Latin School of Chicago is a nationally recognized community known for the excellence of its programs and for providing an incredibly wide range of opportunities for its students. Its program is as vibrant as the city of Chicago. Its ambition and sense of purpose stand out among the nation’s schools.  

The School began in 1888 when a group of parents in Chicago enlisted Mabel Slade Vickery, a teacher from the East Coast, to take charge of a new parent-owned school. The first class consisted of 10 boys approximately 10 years old.

From the start, the goal was to provide students with a rigorous college-preparatory education in the classical tradition, with a curriculum that was heavily influenced by Classical studies and the study of Greek and Latin languages, hence the name “Latin School.” Latin language is still taught in the middle and upper school today, and the phrase “Latin Learners” is used to capture the teaching and learning mindset of the community. These traditions persist in spirit, but the school is innovative and forward looking, with projects underway that are at the forefront of independent education.  

Basic tenets of the school are found in these vision and mission statements:

Vision Statement

To achieve our vision for educational excellence, our strategy is to LEAD by creating an inclusive, equitable and healthy culture for challenging and engaging learning.

Mission Statement

Latin School of Chicago provides its students with a rigorous and innovative educational program in a community that embraces diversity of people, cultures and ideas. Latin inspires its students to pursue their passions and lead lives of purpose and excellence.

Latin School achieves its mission by:

• Encouraging excellence in all academic and personal pursuits.
• Creating an educational environment in which the pursuit of academic excellence and intellectual growth is complemented by a concern for the moral, physical, psychological and aesthetic development of each student.
• Developing and retaining excellence faculty and staff.
• Recognizing the fundamental important of honesty, civility, public service and respect for others and the environment.
• Cultivating resilience, independence leadership and moral courage.
• Sustaining a diverse, inclusive and multicultural community that affirms and values each individual.
• Attracting dedicated families committed to the mission of the school.
• Promoting programs in all divisions that integrate our students with the community.
• Developing the financial and physical resources to support the school’s needs.

Latin is an equal opportunity employer, and the search committee for this position will participate in specific anti-bias training before evaluating candidates.

The Latin School of Chicago at a Glance

Enrollment

Overall: 1189

Upper School: 497 (39% identify as students of color)

Middle School: 307 (32% identify as students of color)

Lower School: 385 (45% identify as students of color)

Latin is home to students from 75 Chicago neighborhoods and 12 suburbs. $5.9 million+ is allocated to financial aid, which 16% of upper school students receive.

Students

Latin students are diverse, highly capable learners in the classroom while also deeply involved in activities beyond their studies. Eighty percent of them participate on Latin’s 65+ athletic teams (45 have gone on to college athletics in the past four years), and they actively engage with the arts, service projects, publications, academic extracurriculars, affinity and social action groups.

100% of Latin students matriculate to colleges and universities, though 28 have taken thoughtful gap years over the past five years.

Faculty

The Latin faculty is filled with talented, hard-working educators. 87% of them have advanced degrees, 23% identify as faculty of color, and 40% have worked at the school for at least ten years. A glance at their educational backgrounds demonstrates deep academic knowledge, a knowledge matched by the attention they pay to their pedagogical practice. Reading the surveys used to launch this search, one finds across-the-board praise for faculty work.

Program

It isn’t easy to quickly describe the excellence and breadth of opportunity available to students at Latin. It all starts with strong student-teacher connectedness and personalization, expressed throughout an extraordinary breadth of student opportunities. In fact, a recent inventory of student journeys through the Upper School revealed that over the past decade no two students had constructed identical programs of study. With 174 available Upper School courses, a 9:1 student-teacher ratio, and 40 performing arts productions in the Middle and Upper School each year, the school allows curious and purposeful students to discover their passions while strengthening their skills. Beyond class offerings, Latin offers an extensive global program, with numerous international partner schools, membership in the Global Online Academy and School Year Aboard availability. Students can also construct a year-long Capstone Studies program, and all US students participate in Project Week each year. Service Learning is a vital component of the division, with over 8000 hours or service performed by students each year. The Upper School library, the learning commons, with its ample programming, supports students and the overall program.

Students are supported in their academic and personal lives through extensive commitments to learning resources, counseling, and health services, including two full-time nurses. College counseling is steadily provided to students through the Upper School, and students attend an impressive and broad list of leading colleges and universities.

Head of School

Head of School Randall Dunn was appointed in 2011 after serving as head of school at The Roeper School. He currently serves on the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) board of trustees, soon as chair, along with the boards of the National Network of Schools in Partnership, the Mastery Transcript Consortium, and Milton Academy. 

Organizational Responsibilities  

• The Upper School Director leads the assistant upper school director, upper school administrative assistant, registrar, department chairs, grade level deans, dean of community learning, diversity, equity, and inclusion curriculum coordinator, upper school counselors, learning resources specialists, two nurses, advocate for students and families of color, athletic director, director of student life, and director of college counseling. Working with these groups and the senior administrative team, the Upper School Director is responsible for:
  • Leading the Upper School community.
  • The academic program and the evaluation and support of faculty.
  • Student support and all curricular and extracurricular programs.
  • The college counseling program.