Job Description
Ambleside School Rocky Mountains at a Glance
- Enrollment: 40-60
- Faculty and Staff: 10-12
- Average Class Size: 10 (16 max)
- Tuition: $8,000 to $9,000 annually
- Financial Aid: Approximately $80,000 annually
- Budget: Approximately $0.5 million
- Website: https://amblesideschoolrockymountains.org/
School Profile: We are a K-8, private, Christian school located in New Castle, Colorado. Founded in 2014 as The Skylark School, the school originally operated out of Mountain View Church in Glenwood Springs. In 2021, we changed our name to Ambleside School Rocky Mountains (ASRM) and relocated to the newly-renovated historic schoolhouse on Main Street in downtown New Castle, Colorado. ASRM is an accredited K-8 private school organized as a Colorado non-profit corporation. We partner with Ambleside Schools International (ASI) and educate students based on Charlotte Mason’s philosophy and practice. ASI has schools all around the globe that provide this living education and strive to make it accessible to all. A living education empowers students to author lives that are full and free - rich in relationship to God, self, others, ideas, work, and the created world. It provides the tools needed to live well in all aspects of life - personal and professional, present and future. Our students grow in relationship with the knowledge of God, humankind, and the universe. They become people who give back to society, care for their kin, love their neighbors, and cultivate rich intellectual and spiritual lives. ASRM educates students from all across the Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valleys including the towns of Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, New Castle, Silt, Rifle, and Parachute, Colorado. ASRM has plans to expand in the future into a full pre-K through 12th grade school with the introduction of Grade 9 for our 2023-2024 school year. Please learn more about us by visiting our website (above) and that of ASI: https://amblesideschools.org/.
Position Overview:
- An Ambleside®school Principal is an inspirational leader who is first and foremost a lover of Jesus Christ, children and knowledge. Within this relational context, the Principal is responsible to set and maintain a positive (high-joy), inspirational, and peacefully authoritative atmosphere throughout the school. The Principal is to train, support and shepherd teachers in providing a “living education.” Through ASI-provided mentoring and resources, school observation visits and feedback, personal study and practice, the Principal is to become highly competent in leading and promulgating the Ambleside®method and to acquaint him/herself thoroughly with the ASI Principal’s Manual and curriculum for all grades, holding all teachers, staff and students to ASI’s rigorous standards. In a broad sense, the Principal is the school’s primary spokesperson and represents the school on and off campus and acts on behalf of the school by professionally and warmly interacting with all students, parents, teachers, staff, visitors and the community at large. The Principal reports to the School Board.
Personal Qualities
- A successful candidate will have many of the following qualities: Inspirational in leadership, spiritually mature in Christ, psychologically strong, service and others-oriented, teachable, loving towards all persons (children, teachers, parents), joyful, peaceful in and under authority, growth-oriented, administratively excellent, patient, hungry to know and share knowledge and ideas, intelligent, thorough, punctual, flexible, collegial, articulate, and enthusiastic.
Overarching Responsibilities
- Implementing and overseeing an entire school program that conforms to the policy and budgetary guidelines established by the School Board and is carried out in a manner consistent with the Ambleside® ethos.
- Being mentored in Ambleside®school leadership through regular contact with ASI, attentive participation in Principals’ conference calls and retreats, collaborating in the ongoing movement of Ambleside Schools International by hosting training events, contributing to the broader work when reasonable, helpful and appropriate.
- Promoting and inspiring a community of existing and potential parents, teachers, and students founded upon the Ambleside®educational vision, leading by informed, enthusiastic and genuine example in word and deed.
- Developing teachers in the philosophy and practice of an Ambleside®education through regular observation and feedback, mentoring, modeling, training, and evaluation; ensuring teachers faithfully follow ASI curriculum and uphold standards for life-giving atmosphere, habit training, lessons and student work; recognizing teacher contributions, making suggestions for growth, identifying areas of critical concern, and/or firing teachers as necessary.
- Supporting teacher’s professional growth as they seek academic and relational growth in their students. At times, supporting students directly when warranted by a significant degree of student and/or teacher weakness.
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree, (Master’s preferred)
- Introductory knowledge of Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
- Strong public speaking skills
- Solid business acumen, management, and problem-solving skills
- Basic computer literacy, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Apps
- Strong interpersonal, time management and organizational skills
- Participation in ASI’s Head of School training and mentoring program (provided by school, travel required)
- CPR and first aid certification (provided by school)
- Free and clear results on federal and state background check
Hours
- School Hours: August 1 through June 30 (off during July except as needed for back to school preparations), 7:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Thursday and some Fridays as scheduled, occasional Saturdays, early morning and/or evening hours according to meetings or required school events and per the current year Instructional Calendar.
- Summer Hours: July as needed for back to school preparations.
Salary: Commensurate with experience, 50k-65k
Position will begin in the summer of 2023 ahead of the 2023-2024 school year.
Please visit www.amblesideschoolrockymountains.org for more information.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $55,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Employee discount
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
Schedule:
Supplemental pay types:
COVID-19 considerations:
n/a
Ability to commute/relocate:
- New Castle, CO 81647: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
Application Question(s):
- Why do you want to be an Ambleside Principal? What are your career goals?
Describe your reading interests. What books have most influenced you? What books have you read in the last year?
Education:
Experience:
- leadership or teaching/pastoral: 3 years (Required)
Work Location: In person