| Rye Country Day School is seeking a Director of Health and Wellness to join the administration beginning in August of 2019. Rye Country Day School is a coeducational, PreK-12, college preparatory school located in Westchester County, New York dedicated to providing students with an excellent education using both traditional and innovative approaches. We are actively committed to creating and sustaining a school community that is nurturing, supportive, diverse, and inclusive, one in which all students can participate fully and achieve their maximum potential through academic, athletic, creative, and social endeavors. We expect and promote moral responsibility and strive to develop strength of character within a respectful school community. The Director of Health and Wellness is a senior administrator who reports to the Assistant Head of School. The Director of Health and Wellness will be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive, multifaceted program that empowers students to understand and implement safe, healthy, and effective strategies to care for themselves, others, and the world around them. The primary focus of the Director will be to implement programming that increases student capacity to identify life challenges, formulate responses to those challenges, judge the efficacy of their responses, and persevere in repeating this process as a crucial life skill. Specific responsibilities include: - Assist in the development of policy regarding the health and wellness of all school constituencies. Collaborate with senior administrators and the Board of Trustees to develop goals and assess programs.
- Advocate for and advise on healthy, sustainable practices and policies throughout all areas of the school community. Utilize research, including emerging national and international standards, to deliver and evaluate programs and services in health and wellness subject areas.
- Oversee a team of faculty in the creation and delivery of a dynamic and relevant K-12 health curriculum.
- Develop flexible programs and interventions that educate students about what is safe, healthy, and effective in terms of care for self, others, and the world around them. Ensure that the programs and interventions are interdisciplinary and cross-divisional, and are consistently, logically, and thoughtfully implemented to promote the health and wellness of all school constituencies.
- Coordinate regularly with the Student Support Services Department and Division Principals to proactively create programs that address students' on- and off-campus social lives, with a particular focus on critical, ethical, and harm-reduction oriented decision-making.
- Communicate with and engage parents as partners in supporting school health and wellness initiatives. Conduct parent and campus-wide programs that are relevant to community needs and norms. Provide information via the Family Portal and campus-wide E-notes.
- Collaborate with other initiative directors to integrate health and wellness into the various strategic priorities of the school.
- Teach health and wellness classes. Oversee and assist with the coordination, sequencing, and delivery of Life Skills classes in the Upper School. Collaborate with the Director of Peer Leaders as needed.
- Support professional development for advisors and faculty in the area of health and wellness.
- Serve on the Academic Affairs Committee and the Curriculum Council.
Desired qualifications and skills: - Bachelor's degree in Health/Public Health, Counseling, Physical Education, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred
- Five (5) or more years of experience working in school settings
- An understanding of the developmental stages of K-12 students and proven leadership skills to promote and move forward a school wide health and wellness initiative
- A deep and broad knowledge of health and wellness education across the developmental stages
- Proven ability to connect joyfully with K-12 students and faculty, along with demonstrated capacity for developing innovative programming and teaching around health and wellness
- Strong interpersonal and leadership skills; a positive attitude, energy, and an inspiring and entrepreneurial leadership style
- Strong written and oral communication skills, including use of technology
- Strong organizational, management, and execution skills with attention to detail
- A well-developed sensitivity, knowledge, and understanding of the diverse backgrounds of community members allowing for the ability to connect with the many constituencies of the RCDS community
- A commitment to lifetime learning and professional and personal integrity
- Strong coordination, evaluation, and assessment skills to promote best practices in the ever-changing landscape of mental and physical health
- Knowledge of key social/emotional elements of health and wellness, including media literacy, healthy relationships and consent, alcohol and other drugs, body image, nutrition, mental health, human sexuality, and stress management
- An understanding of and facility with the ubiquitous nature of digital/social media in the lives of adolescents
RCDS seeks faculty and staff who support our mission to foster a lifelong passion for learning, understanding, and service in an ever-changing world, and who share our commitment to creating and sustaining a vibrant, thriving, and inclusive multicultural learning community. The school is committed to providing invigorating and supportive work experiences for its diverse community of employees. Faculty and staff are offered meaningful opportunities for professional development, growth, and leadership; highly competitive salaries; and extensive benefits. RCDS is committed to diversity and inclusion throughout the community and curriculum. Please visit our website - http://www.ryecountryday.org - to learn more about the school's rigorous curriculum, values, and strategic initiatives. Rye Country Day School is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all federal, state, and local laws which prohibit discrimination in employment because of race, color, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, and veteran status. To apply, please visit https://rcds.workable.com. |
