Jonesboro, Arkansas
Vienna, Virginia
Posted: 22-Nov-24
Location: Andover, Massachusetts
Type: Full Time
Salary Details:
Additional Information:
Phillips Academy (Andover) seeks a dynamic, relational, and community- and systems-oriented leader to serve as its next Dean of Faculty. This individual will support and empower a diverse and inclusive world-class faculty. The Dean of Faculty will support all faculty and will oversee and develop the processes for recruiting, retaining, and mentoring an outstanding and diverse faculty who thrive in a school environment characterized by academic excellence and rich and rewarding residential and co-curricular experiences.
Led by its 16th Head of School, Dr. Raynard Kington, who joined in 2020, Andover is a highly selective, co-educational boarding school located in Andover, Massachusetts. With 1,150 students, 232 faculty members (90 percent of whom live on campus), and more than 20,000 alumni worldwide, Andover is renowned for its enduring legacy of academic excellence and the commitment to social responsibility that permeates campus life. Its core values remain as potent and relevant as ever: non sibi (not for oneself), knowledge and goodness, youth from every quarter, academic excellence, and being a private school with a public purpose. Andover’s innovative leadership has enabled continued success, with strong enrollment and a robust financial outlook.
Reporting to the Deputy Head of School, the Dean of Faculty is primarily responsible for overseeing all matters relating to faculty including recruitment and retention efforts, campus housing, and professional development initiatives. The Dean of Faculty is a member of the Senior Administrative Council and oversees a team that includes two associate deans, a department coordinator, and a faculty-focused member of the human resources team.
Historically, the Dean of Faculty role has been a six-year rotating position among the faculty. Moving forward, this role will be non-rotating, allowing for greater depth of engagement and impact. The Dean of Faculty joins Andover at a time when approximately 50 percent of the faculty are new to the school since 2020. The successful candidate will be creative, empowering, resourceful, transparent, and able to inspire trust. They will have a deep love of teaching and understanding of and respect for the profession, proven experience in education administration and leadership, a desire and ability to innovate, excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, a track record of building deep relationships, and a resonance with Andover’s mission.
Phillips Academy Andover has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this recruitment. Please direct all inquiries, nominations, and applications to the search firm, as indicated at the end of this document.
ABOUT PHILLIPS ACADEMY
Overview
Founded in 1778, Phillips Academy is the oldest incorporated boarding school in the United States. In its founding document, Phillips Academy committed to educating “youth from every quarter,” and lives that mission today with a need-blind admission process. The student population of 1,150 students, (849 boarders and 298 day students), arrives at Andover from 43 states and territories, 49 countries, the town of Andover, and its surrounding communities. Forty-five percent of students receive financial aid (all grants, no loans), and the annual budget for tuition assistance is $26.3 million. Nearly 60 percent of the student body and 35 percent of Andover’s 232 faculty identify as people of color.
In its intentionally diverse and inclusive community, Andover invites students to aspire equally to knowledge and goodness, and seeks to promote a balance of intellectual curiosity, engagement, leadership, and service in pursuit of excellence: academic, civic, and moral. Andover offers over 300 core courses, eight world languages, 150 electives, 69 interscholastic teams in 21 sports, community engagement opportunities that draw over one-third of the student body in any given term, and a 7:1 student-faculty ratio and average class size of 13.
Academics
The hallmarks of teaching and learning at Andover are found both in the curriculum and the community. Andover students are self-motivated and curious, and learning is an active pursuit that takes many shapes and forms. There is no singular track for students and instead, a vast array of opportunities. Comprehensive systems of support amplifying the classroom experience for Juniors (9th grade), Lowers (10th grade), Uppers (11th grade), Seniors (12th grade), and PGs (Post-Graduates). The college counseling program deeply engages students and their families, always focusing on each student’s personal development and intellectual growth as a guidepost of the college admissions process.
Numerous learning communities and spaces at Andover connect students to new discoveries, passions, and the world beyond campus. The Oliver Wendell Holmes Library, is a dynamic hub for learning and action, research and practice, resources, and ideas. The Gelb Science Center has three floors of contemporary laboratories, including a molecular biology research lab, an observatory, and flexible learning spaces. Environmental sustainability at Andover is guided by the Climate Action Plan and its three pillars: education, infrastructure, and energy. The student body and faculty engage in shared efforts to reduce energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and waste on campus in a financially sustainable way, thereby caring for each other, the campus, and the world.
The Tang Institute inspires students and faculty to seek interconnectedness in course offerings and to extend learning into local and global communities. Andover is the only high school in the country with a world class art museum on its campus. The Addison Gallery of American Art is one of the most comprehensive in the world, including nearly 22,000 works of art spanning the 18th century to the present. The Addison works with a variety of teachers from history, art to physics and English to make sure that its exhibitions and primary source materials are integrated in the academic program. Similarly, The Peabody Institute of Archaeology employs collaborative learning to actively engage students, teachers, scientists, and Native Americans with the Institute’s significant archeology and anthropology collections while also encouraging and enlivening cultural discourse on race and gender.
Co-Curricular Programs
The experience of living in community at Andover is an essential component of student and faculty life. Every student, day and boarding, is a member of the Big Blue Family and of one of five residential neighborhoods or clusters. The Dean’s Team – led by the Dean of Students, also a direct report to the Deputy Head of School – is composed of the five cluster deans. Home to 855 students in residence, the dormitories are staffed by House Counselors who serve as faculty in addition to their residential life responsibilities. Andover fosters bold, thoughtful, and engaged student leadership and subscribes to the belief that anyone can be a leader. Weekend life includes student-led events and student-produced performances by any of Andover’s 125-plus student-run clubs on campus, as well as regular visits by offcampus scholars, artists, and public personalities.
Community Engagement nurtures the non sibi spirit in Andover students, overseeing dozens of ongoing initiatives on campus and with partner organizations in the town of Andover and neighboring communities. The Office of Spiritual and Religious Life is an interfaith ministry with chaplaincies supporting an array of faiths and faith clubs for students. The centrally located Cochran Chapel houses the ministry.
Andover’s 67 interscholastic teams in 21 different sports embrace teamwork, a non sibi mindset, and dedication. These tenets define Andover athletics. Student-athletes work diligently to develop strong technical and tactical skills with a fierce competitive edge, and they also approach the playing field as yet another “classroom” for learning – about themselves and others, about humility and accountability, and about camaraderie and fair play. In addition to dance, there are intramural teams, LIFE Sports, and Outdoor Pursuits to round out the offerings, ensuring that all students can participate in physical exercise as required for the Andover diploma.
Students and faculty embrace and practice empathy and balance to experience wellness mentally, emotionally, physically, and interpersonally. The Rebecca M. Sykes Wellness Center houses counseling and medical services and is a hub on the Andover campus. In addition, all students are enrolled in the Empathy, Balance & Inclusion (EBI) program. The EBI curriculum is a comprehensive, multi-year program focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion; social-emotional learning; and health and wellness.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are not just abstract concepts at Andover. They are representative of the daily actions and intentions that support, honor, encourage, and celebrate every single person on campus. The Associate Head of School for Equity, Inclusion, and Wellness works with the various constituents across Andover to ensure DEI is examined in every area. In the classroom, the residential life experience, and community life, equity, and inclusion are topics of inquiry and lenses through which dilemmas are addressed. Equity and inclusion are embodied in Andover’s commitment to educating youth from every quarter and in the faculty’s efforts to enrich their own competencies through training and professional development. Each department has developed guiding principles of academic excellence that include anti-racist and multicultural views and inclusive classroom practices.
A living, breathing embodiment of the spirit of DEI, the Community and Multicultural Development (CAMD) office is located in the center of campus and sponsors fascinating speakers and programs, funds intensive student research, and serves as a second home for many. CAMD also hosts numerous events throughout the year, and its faculty advisors create programming to support student clubs and affinity groups. The CAMD Scholars program focuses on projects investigating equity, diversity, multiculturalism, and social justice. The Brace Center for Gender Studies – a resource unique to Andover – sponsors lectures, films, and forums and funds student and faculty research that sheds light on a broad range of issues related to gender, sexuality, race, and ethnicity.
In 2020, the Board of Trustees formed the Anti-Racism Task Force (AATF) to execute a comprehensive review of the status of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Task Force is exploring many dimensions of school functioning, including formal and informal traditions and cultural practices, that may be particularly rooted in anti-Black sentiment and actions that adversely affect the student and adult experience. The Task Force is also examining how racist behavior and racism have unjustly affected Latinx, Indigenous, and Asian racial groups in the Andover community, as well as the intersections of race and ethnicity with other foundational identities. In 2022, the AATF released a report with recommendations and actions that are informing Andover’s aspiration to become an anti-racist institution and community. The report includes a dashboard that transparently tracks Andover’s progress toward these goals.
Leadership
In July 2020, Dr. Raynard Kington became the 16th Head of School at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. Before Andover, he served for ten years as President of Grinnell College (2010-2020) and in a range of positions at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including NIH Principal Deputy Director and NIH Acting Director, NIH Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, and Acting Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Before NIH, Dr. Kington served as a division director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as Director of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). He has also been a Senior Scientist at the RAND Corporation and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at UCLA. In 2006, he was elected to the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine).
Dr. Kington attended the University of Michigan, where he received his BS with distinction and his MD, and he completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Michael Reese Medical Center in Chicago. He was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar and Fontaine Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, completing his MBA with distinction and his PhD with a concentration in Health Policy and Economics at the Wharton School. He received his board certification in Internal Medicine, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and Geriatric Medicine. His research has focused on the social determinants of health and, more recently, on diversity in the scientific workforce. He currently serves on the boards of Beth Israel Lahey Health, RAND, and The Pew Charitable Trusts.
In February 2023, Dr. Merrilee Mardon joined Andover as the new Deputy Head of School. A graduate of Smith College, Dr. Mardon earned her PhD in economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and taught economics and gender and women’s studies at Connecticut College before joining the Hotchkiss faculty in 2008. She was appointed Dean of Academic Life in 2014 and served as Dean of Faculty and Associate Head of School from 2017-2023. Bringing her love for teaching to Andover, Dr. Mardon also serves as an instructor in the history and social science department.
Location
The town of Andover was incorporated in the mid-17th century. A center of manufacturing for much of its history, it was also home to numerous farms. Located 20 miles north of Boston on the banks of the Merrimack River, Andover is easily accessible from major highways, railways, and airports. The once-small town boasts a population of 37,000 and has over 10,000 workers in major corporations such as Raytheon, Philips North America, Pfizer, Vicor, and Putnam Investments. The downtown area is quaint and quintessentially New England, complete with independent retailers, essential goods and services, access to regional rail and bus service, and historic homes, all just a ten-minute walk from the Andover campus.
For more information on Phillips Academy, please visit https://www.andover.edu/.
THE ROLE OF THE DEAN OF FACULTY
Reporting to the Deputy Head of School and working closely with the Dean of Studies and Dean of Students as well as other members of the Senior Administrative Council, the Dean of Faculty will be responsible for addressing the following key priorities.
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Develop collaborative and trusting relationships with the faculty.
The successful Dean of Faculty will respect, appreciate, support, and lead a deeply experienced 232-member faculty and understand how to effectively gain their support and trust. They will need to invest time and attention in forming relationships and establishing collaborative partnerships. The Dean of Faculty’s success will also depend on their appreciation for and knowledge of varying teacher perspectives across campus.
Recruit, hire, and onboard a diverse and talented faculty.
The Dean of Faculty will work closely with department chairs to determine hiring needs and lead the processes to recruit, hire, and onboard new faculty members. The Dean of Faculty will have the opportunity to partner with colleagues to continually examine and refine practices to attract talented, diverse, and mission-aligned teachers, building upon Andover’s reputation as one of the finest schools in the nation.
Retain and develop a diverse, experienced, and accomplished faculty.
The Dean of Faculty will lead and organize systems to support their colleagues’ ongoing professional development, including oversight of a faculty evaluation process that prioritizes a culture of growth and continuous improvement. The Dean of Faculty will oversee a substantial internal and external professional development budget and programs to help facilitate the development and growth of the Andover faculty. As a piece of this work, the Dean of Faculty will be a leader and active participant in national conversations across the field of independent school education about best practices in and innovative approaches to the professional development and mentorship of faculty. Key to the retention work will be an equitable approach to and nuanced understanding of the various policies and protocols that inform the faculty experience at Andover. Transparency and clear communication around these issues, including housing and course load, will be critical to building credibility.
Balance the relational and the functional.
The Dean of Faculty will be a highly relational leader who listens for understanding and who provides pastoral care for their colleagues. The Dean of Faculty will also be a highly organized and efficient builder of systems that can facilitate complex processes (such as hiring and staffing plans and faculty housing) and support the work of others. The successful Dean of Faculty will be able to balance and attend to current and immediate needs as well as longer-term strategic priorities and goals.
QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS
- Demonstrated record of being highly collegial and collaborative, with the ability to unite and inspire faculty while also holding colleagues accountable; experience creating a culture in which faculty feel supported and motivated to continually develop excellent teaching and service to the school.
- Experience recruiting, hiring, supporting, retaining, and leading talented, diverse, and missionaligned faculty.
- A demonstrated commitment to creating and supporting diverse and inclusive school communities.
- A culturally competent leader with demonstrated experience fostering a diverse community in which all may thrive and contribute to the institution.
- Ability to formulate and articulate sound policies and demonstrated ability to identify, resolve, and consult on a wide variety of administrative and personnel issues with a clear sense of institutional needs and priorities.
- A strong track record as an educator, preferably in a secondary school environment.
- An advanced degree in an academic discipline or the equivalent.
- A spirit of curiosity that fuels the pursuit of evolving best practices and current research.
- The flexibility and collaborative spirit necessary to partner with other members of the senior administrative team, department heads, deans, and faculty members.
- Humble and authentic leader with a relational leadership style built on approachability, transparency, and responsiveness.
- An orientation toward listening to and inviting varied points of view in an effort to establish a culture of trust, transparency, and candor.
- Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills while using discretion to maintain confidentiality.
APPLICATIONS, INQUIRIES, AND NOMINATIONS
Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website for the search: https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/phillips-academy/dean-faculty
Katie Rockman, Partner
Becky Piper, Managing Associate
Harley Bartles, Senior Search Coordinator
Phillips Academy is an equal-opportunity employer. Phillips Academy is an intentionally diverse and inclusive residential community “committed to creating an equitable and inclusive school in which students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences—including race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and ability—learn and grow together.” The ideal candidate supports the inclusive and diverse nature of the community. Any offers of employment will be contingent upon successful CORI/SORI and fingerprinting background checks as well as unrestricted authorization to work in the United States. The Academy will require, subject to disability and religious accommodation exceptions under federal and state law, that all new employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.