Head of School Search Update
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Dear Seattle Waldorf School Families and High School Students,
We are writing today to let you know that we are moving to the next phase in the Seattle Waldorf School Head of School search, beginning the advertising and outreach process. Last month it was wonderful for our search partner, Jane Armstrong, to hear from our families, faculty, staff, and students. Your input from the listening sessions and survey was instrumental in forming the Opportunity Statement which will officially open the SWS Head of School search to candidates. As we progress through the search there will be additional opportunities to be involved as we welcome candidates to our school. More on that in the weeks to come!
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The Opportunity Statement serves to:
- Introduce candidates to SWS
- Encourage qualified candidates to seek further information
- Provide the factual details about the school
- Outline the qualifications, characteristics, and attributes sought in a new Head of School
- Highlight the challenges and opportunities facing the school and a new head
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SWS Board Position Statement
The Board of Trustees is seeking the right next leader for SWS, who should be appropriately ambitious and determined to lead and inspire our school community. As a premier Waldorf preschool through grade 12 school in the United States, our next leader should continue our development as a model, modern Waldorf educational community that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. To prosper and flourish as an independent school in our competitive Seattle landscape, SWS also needs an experienced and visionary Head of School who is aligned with our guiding principles. Key qualities in our next Head of School include:
- A Waldorf educator committed to evolving Waldorf curricula and philosophies to meet the needs of today’s students. A leader with both Waldorf and additional non-Waldorf educational experience is preferred as it would bring a depth and breadth of perspective to inform the work ahead for SWS.
- Alignment with the SWS guiding tenet that “creating a strong community means prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion,” and is in possession of meaningful experience leading conversations and implementing initiatives to support school communities.
- Strategic and financial acumen to guide SWS into the future and ensure our financial sustainability.
- A community builder who will build positive cohesion between all SWS constituents and partner with faculty, staff, parents, and the Board effectively.
Next Steps
- Develop an applicant pool for the Head of School position.
- The Search Committee will select semi-finalist and finalist candidates.
- Finalist candidates will be invited to SWS for a multi-day visit and interview. This visit provides each candidate the opportunity to get a sense of SWS, and for our Community to get a sense of the candidates.
Our Head of School search is grounded in the mission and values of Seattle Waldorf School. Our next Head will lead SWS into the future of Waldorf education for the 21st century, while continuing our legacy of guiding students in an educational journey that cultivates imagination, healthy social and emotional development, reverence for the natural world, and a deep love of learning.
SWS Board of Trustees
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SWS 2021–22 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
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Eva Elliott, President
Nat Burgess, Vice President
Brigitte Bertschi, Secretary
Fred Ingham, Treasurer
Brett Calhoun, Trustee
Mitch Flatow, Trustee
Tanja Omeze, Trustee
Steve Roos, Trustee
Cathy Simon, Trustee
Raquel Scharf-Anderson, Head of School (Ex Officio)
Katherine Leggett (Ex Officio)
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Mission
Daily we strive to inspire learning, courage, and joy in the developing human being.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At Seattle Waldorf School we are committed to creating a community that is inclusive for all students, families, faculty, and staff, especially those who have been impacted by racism and oppression, and to create a culture that supports racial equity by changing our existing systems and practices.
Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that we reside on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish peoples who have stewarded this land for generations. We pay our respect to the Elders and their descendants, past, present, and future, and honor with gratitude the land, plants, and animals.
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Banner artwork by grade 11 student Maddy
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Seattle Waldorf School | 206.524.5320 | 2728 NE 100th Street, Seattle, WA 98125 | SEATTLEWALDORF.ORG
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