September 2022 | Volume 2, Issue 1
Welcome
Thank you for your interest in Grow with Great Hearts in this new academic season. Each month of this academic year, we will highlight opportunities, while also providing a space for reflection on growth and leadership, beginning with this issue's article on the concept of courage, authored by Great Hearts Texas Superintendent Brendan Miniter.
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Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
- Walt Whitman
Building the Capacity for Courage
by Brendan Miniter
Superintendent, Great Hearts Texas
In thinking of courageous acts, we tend to focus on a big moment when everything is on the line and a leader is willing to risk it all for a moral cause. What we often overlook, however, is that long before such a moment, that leader learned how to marshal his or her courage. He or she honed the crucial ability to act courageously in the moment. It usually starts small. He or she will take a stand when there is little to lose and thereby grow more comfortable with the risks required to act with courage. 

Over time, a person who acts with courage will find that their capacity grows, and that many of the risks that seemed impossible to endure are in fact smaller feats to overcome than previously assumed. What’s more, such a person often finds that courage brings its own rewards.   
Reflections from New Leaders
Our newest Great Hearts academy leaders share some reflections as they begin their year, about the nature of leadership and its intersection with their own growth.
Kyla Absher came to Great Hearts after many years of experience working in public schools in Texas. She remarks of her call to leadership, “Leadership opportunities within Great Hearts actually found me!” She began her leadership journey as Assistant Headmaster at Western Hills, and her perspective as a parent was invaluable in inspiring her commitment to guide the everyday aspects of the academy. In this new role as Headmaster, Mrs. Absher finds great joy in bringing small dreams and larger goals to fruition, as well as developing rich relationships with the community.

Headmaster Absher credits the headmasters and leadership team at Western Hills as vital to her own growth, and she believes that a Great Hearts school leader must possess a personal love and affinity for the curriculum and way of teaching. She strives to balance the practical pieces of leading students and faculty with the academic goals we hold for our campuses, and her goal for the year is to grow in her knowledge of the classical liberal arts and how it is delivered through the curriculum. Her greatest challenge? “Making decisions that affect large populations. Not everyone agrees with certain decisions, and taking feedback in stride, slowing down to listen – that has been so important as I’ve transitioned into this role.”
Luke Ayers, Dean of Students
Mr. Ayers was drawn to the role of Dean of Students through his love for positively impacting students in the classroom as a teacher, but now he finds that “being able to make that impact at the school level has been wonderful – both in interactions with students and in support of teachers.” He also credits his inspiration to lead from the APEX Program for School Leadership and Proseminar courses through Great Hearts, as well as the ideal of leading with a servant’s heart.

He endeavors in this first year to remove obstacles for teachers and help them in their important work -- through dealing with escalated disciplinary issues to supporting difficult conversations, or even helping them with grading. He also aspires to more deeply understand the “why” behind what we do at Great Hearts. Most importantly, he appreciates the mentorship of his headmaster and leadership team, as “their wealth of experience and probing questions has already helped me become much more reflective of myself and the actions I consider taking throughout the day.” Welcome Mr. Ayers to his new role at Great Hearts Forest Heights!
Maximilian Greve, Assistant Headmaster
New to his role as Assistant Headmaster, Mr. Greve attributes his journey to the school leaders who helped him grow and flourish as a teacher, including Leanne Fawcett and Julia Gillingham. He holds up the virtue of humility as most important in leadership, sharing that “leaders need to be able to listen to their community, understand their needs, and put these needs before their own.” He found the Great Hearts Virtue Leadership program (now APEX) and the new APEX courses powerful and beneficial to his craft as an educator and leader, and he also earned the master’s degree in humanities and classical education at University of Dallas through the Great Hearts Graduate Program partnership.
 
His goal for this new year in leadership? He humbly shares, “There is a plethora to learn in my new role as assistant headmaster. Over the next few months and years, I look forward to growing my skills as a leader, developing staff, and partnering with parents. I enjoy sharing my true excitement for the liberal arts and classical education with the entire school community. “
Highlighted Opportunities
Each month, we share this listing of highlighted opportunities to provide you with new avenues for growth available across our network. Feel free to share these opportunities with colleagues outside of Great Hearts, and receive a faculty/staff referral bonus!

Academy Positions:


Lead Office/Support Services Positions:


Visit the Great Hearts Leadership Careers page for information on Academy Leadership opportunities.

Bookmark our Internal Job Board for up-to-date information on internal opportunities.
Personal and Professional Growth
What Courageous Leaders Do Differently
In his article, "What Courageous Leaders Do Differently," Dr. James Detert discusses the components of active courage for those aspiring to great leadership.

Have a Question or Suggestion?
GREAT HEARTS ACADEMIES | w.GreatHeartsCareers.org