Head of School
Opening Statement
The Head of School serves as the educational and administrative leader of the Hartsbrook School, responsible for guiding all aspects of school operations. This includes overseeing curriculum and faculty development, student programs, and fostering meaningful community engagement. This role requires a deep commitment to Waldorf education, strong leadership skills and organizational skills, and ensures support for and alignment with the mission and values of the Hartsbrook School, including contributing to an intentionally inclusive culture for a diverse community.
The Head of School works in close partnership with the Hartsbrook Board of Directors and directly oversees the Upper School Director, Lower School Director, Finance and Operations Director, and Advancement Director. This position reports directly to the Board of Directors and serves as an ex-officio member. The Head of School is evaluated by the Board after the first year and every two years thereafter, with input from faculty and community members included in the review process.
Serving as the key representative and face of the school, the Head of School communicates Hartsbrook’s vision, mission and policies to faculty, staff, students, caregivers, and the broader school community. A central responsibility of the role is to align the school’s goals and strategic plan with its fiscal and operational realities, create a transparent system of communication, supporting sustainable growth and development, while upholding the school’s mission and commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility.
This is a full-time, 100% onsite position, requiring participation in up to four evening meetings per month for Board and committee work.
About
The Hartsbrook School, a Waldorf School nestled on 54 acres of beautiful and fertile land in the Connecticut River Valley – ancestral homeland of many Indigenous Peoples, including the Nipmuc – is seeking a creative, collaborative and visionary leader to serve as Head of School.
Hartsbrook is a vibrant community where academics, fine and practical arts, experiential learning, and land stewardship come together with purpose and joy. Our approach is unhurried and intentional, meeting each child at their unique stage of development. Our graduates are known for integrated, flexible, and creative thinking, moral clarity, and the capacity to bring new ideas into the world with passion and excellence.
Essential Job Duties
Leadership & Governance
- Provides visionary leadership aligned with Waldorf pedagogy and the school’s mission.
- Works closely with the Board of Directors to implement strategic goals and ensure financial sustainability.
- Serves as a visionary leader – coalescing the community around a compelling common vision and mission – as well as a skilled manager, leading the administration to efficient and effective school operations.
- Promotes and advances inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility within the school community.
- Leverages financial literacy to collaborate with the Board and the Finance & Operations Director to develop and execute effective and sustainable budgets and financial and operational goals.
Board Relations
The Head of School advises the Board but is not responsible for governance matters, just as the Board advises the Head of School but is not responsible for management matters. Together, the Head of School and Board maintain a partnership in running the school, each in their respective spheres of management and governance. The Head of School is an ex-officio, non-voting, member of the Board and all board committees. The Head of School:
- Keeps the board regularly informed on all matters impacting the school, including comprehensive updates during board meetings and prompt communication following major school events and developments.
- Provides relevant data, reports, and context to support the Board in informed decision making.
- Develops and presents recommendations for operating and capital budgets on all income and expenditure categories for Board approval.
- Seeks guidance from the Board on the development and implementation of new strategic initiatives.
- Assists the Board chair and/or executive committee to plan board and committee meeting agendas and key discussion topics.
- Staffs the Board’s strategic planning process.
- Sets annual performance goals in collaboration with the Board and engages in regular performance review discussions.
Educational Oversight
- Upholds and nurtures Waldorf curriculum principles, ensuring a high standard of excellence in teaching and learning across all grades of the school.
- Supports and guides the Upper and Lower School Directors in ongoing curriculum development, faculty mentorship, and the implementation of strong pedagogical principles and practices.
- Fosters a culture of continuous learning and innovation while honoring and preserving the values and traditions of Waldorf education.
Human Resources
- Recruits, hires, supervises, evaluates, and, when necessary, dismisses administrators, faculty, and staff, with the support of school leadership as appropriate.
- Fosters a collaborative and supportive working environment that encourages professional growth.
- Conducts annual performance reviews of direct reports, offering constructive feedback to support their professional growth and effectiveness.
- Oversees a regular faculty and staff evaluation process.
- Ensures consistent accountability to all Hartsbrook School policies, procedures, protocols and contractual obligations among all faculty and staff.
- Notifies the Board of faculty or staff dismissals, as needed.
- Ensures faculty are supported in fulfilling both Waldorf teacher training and Commonwealth of Massachusetts requirements and standards through ongoing professional development opportunities.
Community Engagement & Communication
- Serves as the primary spokesperson for the school, maintaining open and transparent communication with caregivers, faculty, staff and community.
- Encourages family involvement and strengthens relationships among the staff, faculty, caregivers, local organizations, and the broader community.
Operations & Financial Management
- Oversees budgeting, financial planning, and fundraising efforts in collaboration with the Finance & Operations Director and Advancement Director.
- Ensures the school meets legal and accreditation requirements.
- Manages school policies, procedures, and facilities to maintain a respectful, functional and positive work environment.
Additional Areas of Responsibility:
- Provides leadership and vision for continued development of Hartsbrook’s Waldorf curriculum and related faculty resources, with a goal of providing innovative, inspiring, and relevant Waldorf education for our students.
- Builds a deeper understanding and appreciation for the value of Waldorf education within the entire community.
- Provides leadership and strategic direction for ongoing curriculum design and mapping, including the development of a cohesive and clearly defined scope and sequence across all grades.
- Supports the development of systematic policies and operational procedures in critical areas while honoring the school’s traditions and culture, while simultaneously encouraging innovation and emerging practices that avoid over-regimentation.
- Provides leadership around the reorganization and coordination of internal and external communications, with a goal of improving timeliness, clarity, and transparency.
Qualifications
- Energized and curious about shared leadership and collaborative work, with the ability to communicate a shared organizational vision.
- Deep commitment to make a meaningful impact on the lives of students and their families.
- A leader who brings previous experience from working in schools, not-for-profit organizations, and/or other settings ready to advance Hartsbrook’s goals.
- Highly organized, with demonstrated strengths in project management and personnel leadership skills.
- Administrative background with ability to implement, uphold and reassess current policies and procedures to ensure alignment with the values of the school.
- Strong understanding of financial operations, budget development, and related reporting practices.
- A strong and thoughtful communicator – interpersonally, orally and in writing – who listens to caregivers, students, faculty and staff and fosters open, clear and respectful dialogue.
- A problem-solver who can think strategically, act tactfully, and work collaboratively to address rapidly changing circumstances.
- A commitment to issues of identity, diversity, equity and inclusion and demonstrated experience creating an inclusive culture for a diverse community of students and colleagues
- Willing to understand, support and embrace Waldorf education.
- A person with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. A master’s degree in Education (or similar discipline) is preferred but not required.
- We understand that no individual person will hold all of these qualifications. We encourage people with various combinations of work and education experiences to apply.
Employment Details
- Salary range of $65,000 – $85,000
- Up to 75% employer contribution to the individual, double or family health and dental insurance plan offered by the school
- 75% tuition remission for eligible dependents attending Hartsbrook.
- Long-term disability and life insurance up to $50,000
- 20 days of paid vacation
To Apply
Please send your complete application to employment@hartsbrook.org which will include:
- A cover letter explaining your interest and suitability;
- Your most recent and up-to-date resume;
- A completed Employment Application including the names of at least three (3) references;
- All employees need to pass a background check, including fingerprinting, and must possess the legal right to work in the United States.
Please see application instructions and to learn more about Hartsbrook: https://www.hartsbrook.org/about/employment/