Head of School at Grace Kittenning Grace Christian School (Kittanning, Pa.)

Description
Grace Christian School is seeking a Christian Head of School who is a strategic thinker that can lead us in
implementing actionable steps that will position us for future growth and development as we strive to
provide the best K-12 Christian education in the Armstrong County, PA area.

POSITION OBJECTIVE:
The Head of School is called to lead the strategic implementation of Grace Christian School’s mission to grow
Christ-like students who are career, college and Kingdom prepared.
He or she is to lead, guide and direct administrative, instructional, and support teams in establishing and
achieving the highest standards of distinction in all areas of school operations.

ADMINISTRATIVE SCOPE:
The Head of School is hired by and reports directly to the Grace Christian School Board of Directors and is to
work in concert with the Board in establishing a Christian based plan for the development, delivery, and
effectiveness of the educational program.
This person is to be the spiritual, academic, and administrative head of the school and is responsible for
building a leadership team that directs the rest of the school through mature Christian example and planning,
resulting in outstanding witness of Christ within GCS and its larger community.
Currently, the Head of School has 25 direct reports including the administrative team, full time and part time
faculty, and support staff.

Requirements
ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
He or she is expected to lead positively, develop and inspire a diverse team of educators, focusing first on the
core leadership team and working out into the rest of the school. He/she

  1. Has proven educational leadership ability and is committed to model the spiritual and professional
    qualities of Christ.
  2. Demonstrates appropriate team building and interpersonal relationship skills.
  3. Provides leadership in developing and implementing strategic plans.
  4. Possesses skills in recruiting and selecting professional employees.
  5. Able to hold to and communicate the purpose of Christian education with clarity and passion in all
    areas of leadership.
  6. Capable of maintaining an overall knowledge of GCS operations while holding the leadership team
    accountable for all operations that support the school’s central mission. He or she has the skills
    necessary to maintain the financial stability of the school, including working with the board and
    accounting professionals, developing and adhering to a yearly budget to maximize school
    resources, cultivate potential donors and sources of income, and work with the board to determine
    the financial needs for any strategic and/or long-term plans.
  7. Capable of leading a school through a future accreditation process.
  8. Able to lead the team to full understanding of technology use for effective use in the classroom as
    well as in daily school operations. Understand the student information system and be able to
    operate and help utilize it to its full potential. Be willing to oversee the implementation of
    development and curriculum planning software, as deemed necessary.
  9. Capable of interacting and representing the school and foster a good relationship with the
    surrounding communities as well as cultivate potential development relationships.

EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

  1. The Head of School is first to have an authentic and mature personal relationship with the Lord, exhibited
    publicly in his or her character, ethics, and relationships with others.
  2. Must have demonstrated evidence of effective ministry leadership.
  3. Hold a Master’s Degree or equivalent experience, preferably in an educational leadership related field (or be
    working on that degree). A candidate without a Master’s Degree or education degree may be considered but
    demonstrable experience in administration, education, and leadership roles will be strongly considered.
  4. He or she must complete the ACSI Philosophy of Education requirements by the end of their third year of
    employment plus at least one ACSI approved Bible CEU per calendar year starting with their second year of
    employment.
  5. It is preferred that the Head of School have both five years of teaching experience and previous
    administrative experience.

HOW TO APPLY
Please submit a resume, cover letter, and responses to the following question (250 words or less) to the Grace
Christian School Board, gcs-chair@gracecs.org.

  1. Describe your spiritual journey of faith in Jesus Christ. How has your relationship with Christ shaped your
    career and influenced your decision to apply for this Head of School position?