While I dont think I am the appropriate candidate for the job; it looks like an excellent opportunity for an American looking to work in Spain so I thought I would post it in the event anyone on the board is interested. Their website is
http://www.a-s-b.com/ American School of Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain
seeks a new
Director
--effective July 2009---
The School
The American School of Barcelona (ASB) is a private, non-profit, coeducational, day school serving students from 3-18 years old in the greater Barcelona metropolitan area. ASB offers a college preparatory curriculum which provides its graduates access to American, international, and Spanish universities by complying with the requirements of the Spanish Ministry of Education, the Generalitat de Catalunya, and the International Baccalaureate Organization. All graduates earn an American diploma, while some choose to also pursue the co-validation program, which prepares them for the national entrance exam, and others choose the IB diploma program, which grants them access to Spanish universities as well as to universities around the world.
In addition to its rigorous academics, ASB is well known for its personal approach that fosters a "family atmosphere," making visitors and stakeholders feel welcome. Since its beginnings in 1962, parents, students and staff have felt a strong sense of commitment to the school and community. ASB’s vision is to continue its legacy of being a friendly school with excellent academics while embracing international trends that will take the school into its next phase, including the implementation of a facilities improvement plan, a continued emphasis on the importance of lifelong learning, and a shared school-wide imperative that students be empowered to create a better world.
The school has recently completed a meaningful accreditation process, the final results of which are being used to guide the school for the next ten years. Out of the process, three objectives emerged: to increase student engagement, to improve mathematical and language literacy, and to create a more harmonious community of stakeholders.
Vision and Mission
Vision: The American School of Barcelona is an international community of learners dedicated to academic excellence, committed to lifelong learning, and empowered to create a better world. We engage and challenge students to become caring and educated citizens of the world through varied learning activities that emphasize critical thinking, inquiry-based knowledge, artistic appreciation, and multiple perspectives. ASB strives to be a leading international school in Europe, offering a premier education to internationally-minded families (expatriate and local) in Barcelona and serving as a resource for others in the global educational community.
The mission of the American School of Barcelona is to fully develop each student’s unique potential by providing a high quality American/Spanish curriculum in an English language-based, respectful and diverse environment.
We believe that:
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Optimal human development depends on balanced intellectual, emotional, social, and physical development.
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Each individual has the inherent right to develop his/her unique potential.
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Creativity and initiative enable an individual to promote and adapt to change.
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The family is an extremely important influence on an individual.
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Interacting in a diverse community enriches each individual.
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Lifelong learning is essential to succeed in a rapidly changing, global society.
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Every community needs the democratic participation and support of its members.
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People are individually and collectively responsible for their actions.
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Teamwork and collaboration promote excellence and foster a sense of belonging.
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Embracing human values is an essential ingredient in a responsible society.
International and Regional Identity
The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, is recognized in Spain as a Centro Extranjero (foreign school) by the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Spanish Ministry of Education. It also receives a small grant from the US Department of State's Office of Overseas Schools. It belongs to the MAIS and ECIS regional associations and maintains close contact with other American Schools in Spain as well as participating in a regional sports league, AMAC, made up of schools from around the region.
The Community
Current enrollment at the school is 680 students. About half of ASB families come from the international community living in Barcelona and half come from the local Spanish/Catalan population. Students come from 40 different countries, with the largest representations coming from Spain, the U.S., the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands. The school enjoys good parent support and has close ties with the local community through community service projects and activities.
Campus and Facilities
Since the 1986-1987 school year, ASB has been operating from the Esplugues de Llobregat site, a pleasant, open-air purpose built facility owned and governed by the Parents' Association. It was expanded several times to its present size and there is land for further expansion. A large scale facilities improvement plan is currently in its approval phase. The campus includes more than 50 modern, light classrooms (many equipped with interactive whiteboards and digital projection systems), art and music rooms, 225 computers, including two mobile laptop labs, three computer labs, wireless internet access, a fully equipped science laboratory, a lovely cafeteria with magnificent views, two outdoor sports courts, a regulation size soccer field, playgrounds, staff rooms and offices, a library with 18,000 volumes, and a separate Early Childhood Center with covered play space and multi-purpose room.
Students
Current enrollment is 680 students. The breakdown by grade levels is as follows: Early Childhood Center- 128; Elementary School- 274; Middle School- 132; High School- 146. Composition by nationality is North American 15%, Spanish 45%, other Europeans 33%, and others 7%. Virtually all ASB graduates attend university following their graduation, with many gaining acceptance into the top local programs such as
ESADE, UAB, UB, UPF, UIC, European University, La Salle and excellent colleges and universities abroad such as Oxford (UK), Rice, Clark, Georgia Tech, George Washington, SUNY Syracuse, RIT, Cornell, NYIT, Carnegie Mellon, Boston University, Brown, Bentley, Bryn Mawr, and Delft University (Netherlands).
Curriculum
The curriculum at ASB is similar to college-preparatory schools in the United States, often utilizing standards and benchmarks from the national associations in the States. However, the nature of the school is such that its students can follow the US curriculum from nursery to twelfth grade while at the same time becoming integrated in the culture and languages of the host country through Spanish and Catalan programs. Materials used for English-based classes at all grade levels are primarily purchased in the U.S, while high quality Spanish and Catalan materials are purchased locally for use in the Spanish and Catalan programs.
The ASB academic program provides a trilingual education, English, Spanish and Catalan, for more than half of its students (foreign students are exempt from Catalan, if desired). The school offers three graduate diplomas: the American Diploma, the International Baccalaureate Diploma, and the Diploma de Bachillerato Superior (Spanish Baccalaureate). Currently the school offers the following IB courses: English HL/SL A1 and A2, Spanish HL/SL A1 and B, History HL/SL, Economics HL/SL, Psychology HL/SL, Physics HL, Chemistry SL, Biology SL, Math HL/SL/Studies, and Visual Arts HL/SL. Preparation for the Spanish diploma program includes language, literature, math, science, and history classes in the Spanish language, as well as Catalan language classes. ELL classes are available for grades 1-10 and SFL for grades 1-12. ASB has a well-developed and well-integrated special education needs program (SEN), an emerging gifted and talented program (ALA) and a strong ELL and SFL program, all attempting to ensure that individual student needs are met as much as possible. The school does some testing for these programs as well as using testing information given by local specialists. The school’s academic testing program includes the International Schools’ Assessment (ISA), the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP), the SCAT test, and the PSAT. SAT and TOEFL tests are also available, as are SAT preparation classes. In addition to the academic curriculum, ASB has a strong service component, with students participating in projects at school, in the local community, and abroad. There are also opportunities for students to participate in student leadership, interschool sports competitions, activities and clubs, and performing arts, and the school is in the process of making this a more significant part of our program as new expanded facilities will allow. Currently many high school students participate in one of two regional Model United Nations programs, Close Up International, and student exchanges with a school in Florida. Finally, ASB is proud of its multi-age experiential learning program, SEED, an hour-long activity period held each week in which students come together in family groupings made up of one student from each grade level and led by a senior or junior.
Teachers are nearing the end of the first phase of updated curriculum mapping and planning using Atlas Rubicon. At the end of the 2008/09 school year all units will be mapped and teachers will begin more sophisticated analysis of their programs and alignment.
Faculty and Administration
The ASB staff includes 89 faculty members (teachers and assistants), 14 support staff, and 7 administrators. Approximately 45% are American, 25% are Spanish, 10% are Canadian, 10% are From the United Kingdom, and 10% come from twelve other countries. More than half of the staff members have advanced degrees and faculty turnover is relatively low.
Governance
The school is owned and operated by a Parents’ Association that elects a nine-member Board of Trustees from among its parent members. The current Board is in the final phase of preparing for a transformation
to a foundation model of governance. A vote within the Parents’ Association regarding this transformation in governance is scheduled to take place no later than January 2009.
Academic Calendar
The school year consists of 182 teacher contract days and 175 instructional days. Semester I is from August – December/January and Semester II runs from January/February – June.
The Position Description
The Director of the School provides academic, visionary, and administrative leadership to the school community. Responsibilities of the Director include the following:
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Develop programs and curriculum and ensure achievement of academic objectives;
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Promote an environment of academic excellence and standards of student behavior that will reinforce academic achievement and facilitate global citizenship;
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Recruit, retain and motivate a faculty of highly competent teaching professionals;
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Continue to encourage the professional development of faculty and staff;
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Execute and implement established policies;
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Report to and advise the Board of Trustees on all aspects of the school's educational program, as well as recommend policy;
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Develop, implement and enforce appropriate administrative procedures, rules and guidelines;
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Manage all financial operations of ASB;
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Increase and internationalize student enrollment as outlined in the school’s long-term strategic plan;
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Make decisions based on an understanding and survey of needs;
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Develop and recommend improvement of facilities according to the goals of the curriculum and the school’s long-term strategic plan;
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Coordinate the supervision and evaluation of all staff and faculty members in cooperation with the principals and division leaders;
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Encourage and maintain open communication among the faculty, staff, students, parents, Board of Trustees and the local community;
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Increase the resource base of the school through marketing and expansion, development and fundraising, and/or revenue generation activities;
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Serve as the educational and administrative leader of the school, demonstrating a commitment to excellence in all aspects of the director’s position;
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Earn the respect, confidence and cooperation of the ASB students, faculty, parents, Board of Trustees and wider community;
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Promote the school’s vision, mission, and core beliefs;
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Maintain the high profile that ASB has attained in the international, Barcelona and expatriate communities, such as by publishing articles, giving workshops, and participating in conferences;
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Work in a transparent manner and build consensus amongst the school's diverse constituent groups;
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Enable the school's strategic plan to be successfully implemented and to inspire all staff to commit to the strategic goals and objectives.
Focus for the Future
In the past few years, ASB has made significant progress: the school has moved from being a strong local and regional school to emerging as a competitive international school with a more global perspective. The ASB Board and community support this vision and therefore seek a leader who is committed to continuing down the path toward internationalism, teaching excellence, academic achievement, and updated facilities.
Required Qualifications
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A proven record of outstanding educational leadership in a senior level school position (a minimum of 15 years of successful experience as a teacher, principal, and school head at an American or an international school);
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An advanced graduate degree in education or a related field;
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Demonstrated success in recruiting and retaining an excellent faculty and staff;
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Experience with curriculum mapping, development, and implementation;
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Knowledge of and commitment to the IB Diploma Program and its underlying philosophy;
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An understanding of and commitment to international schools and their multinational student and teacher base;
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Demonstrated experience with strategic planning, budgeting, and finance.
Preferred Qualifications
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A strong leader capable of articulating the progressive educational vision for ASB and willing to work collaboratively with the school community and the Board of Trustees to achieve it;
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Experience with development, fund-raising, and marketing;
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Personal involvement in school and community activities;
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A keen understanding of cultural differences and sensitivity to ASB’s diverse student population;
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Experience with facilities development and renewal;
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Strong public relations skills and a willingness to work closely with related communities, including the local, governmental and diplomatic entities;
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Strong team-building skills;
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A commitment to academic excellence and accountability;
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Solid business and financial skills in managing a budget;
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U.S. citizenship or direct experience with North American education systems;
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Spanish language proficiency.
Personal Attributes/Characteristics
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Visionary leadership with excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
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Energy, resilience, and a strong work-ethic;
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Strong organizational and proven problem-solving skills;
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Ability to generate trust with all constituent groups;
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Good listening skills with a collaborative administrative style;
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Honesty, integrity, compassion, and a good sense of humor;
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Ability to balance the competing interests of different constituent groups;
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Cultural openness, sensitivity, and understanding;
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Long term interest, with a minimum three-year commitment.
Salary and Benefits
The salary will be competitive and will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.
Procedure for Filing Application
The American School of Barcelona has appointed International Schools Services (ISS) to assist in the search.
Candidates who wish to apply for the Director of Schools position at ASB must establish a professional file with ISS to facilitate the application process and ensure that credentials are provided to the Search Committee in a uniform and consistent manner.
Candidates may establish or reactivate their professional files with ISS through the ISS candidate application link:
https://princeton.iss.edu/ Candidates who currently have active professional files with ISS need only to submit a one to two page letter of interest in the position.
Application letters should be addressed to Dr. Ralph Jahr citing the strengths and experience the candidate feels qualify him/her for consideration for the Director’s position with the American School of Barcelona (ASB). Letters of interest should be forwarded by e-mail attachment to the address noted at the end of this announcement.
The deadline for receipt of applications is December 5, 2008.
Semifinalist candidates will be identified by ISS and the Search Committee. The Search Committee will select the finalists between December 2 and 19, 2008. Finalist candidates with their spouses, if applicable, will be interviewed by the Search Committee between January 12 and 23, 2009 at a mutually agreeable location.
The Search Committee will select the new Director of Schools soon after the conclusion of interviews.
Additional information about ASB can be found at
www.a-s-b.com Address applications to: Ralph H. Jahr, Ph.D. International Schools Services P.O. Box 5910 Princeton, NJ 08543-5910
Tel: (609) 452-0990 Fax: (609) 452-2690 E-mail: rjahr@iss.edu Web:
www.iss.edu
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