Career Center

AKIBA YAVNEH ACADEMY

Dallas, Texas

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Start Date: July 1, 2023

OVERVIEW

Akiba Yavneh Academy (AYA) is a Modern Orthodox, coeducational school focused on providing a rigorous academic education of general studies and Jewish scholarship to students in early childhood through 12th grade.  Located on a beautiful 8.5 acre campus in North Dallas, Akiba Yavneh helps students develop into responsible, confident, independent thinkers, lifelong learners, and active participants in a democratic society.

Yavneh Academy of Dallas (9th-12th) and Akiba Academy (Pre-K-8th), long co-located on the same campus, merged in 2019. This merger timing was unfortunate. Before the post-merger integration could be accomplished, along came the pandemic and everything went virtual.

Now the process of full integration and the benefits to be had from a strong unified school are underway under the direction of an experienced Interim Head of School. The Head of School is the sole employee of the Board and leads all personnel. While the school is proudly and effectively a Modern Orthodox Jewish school, it has had a positive history with and is open to the best leadership candidates, whether they are Jewish or not.

With about 450 students in their infant, early childhood, lower/middle/high schools, AYA is a thriving institution. Known for its exceptional relationships between students and faculty, as well as its warm and welcoming culture, the school welcomes Jewish students of all levels of observance, and is proud of its graduates who are both college-ready and well versed in and proud of their Jewish heritage and culture.

AYA seeks an experienced leader to realize the benefits of the merger, to strengthen post-merger structures and systems, to tell the amazing AYA story of the high achieving students at every grade level, and to lead a team dedicated to excellence in both secular and Judaic studies. The position begins July 1, 2023.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Among the challenges and opportunities the new Head of School will be expected to address are:

• While the Board has a clear idea of the identity of the school, there is an opportunity to both sharpen the messages and proactively communicate the school’s identity both internally and in the broader Dallas community, in order that the perceptions of the school match the reality.
• It will be important to continue to set a high bar of academic excellence and strong college preparation in secular subjects, where the school sometimes does not get credit for its admirable record of college acceptances.
• Because Akiba and Yavneh had different cultures pre-merger, intentional plans to establish and communicate the one Akiba Yavneh post-merger culture would be very helpful.
• The program of the school is definitely Modern Orthodox; but Jews of all levels of observance are welcomed and find success at AYA, and that message needs to be emphasized.
• The school would benefit from the new Head of School, the “face of the school,” actively working to build personal and institutional connections with the other elements of the Dallas Jewish community.
• Informality and warmth are a positive feature of the school. However, there is an opportunity to operate more efficiently, to systematically address problems effectively, and to communicate promptly and clearly.
• Any merger is a significant event and change, and that can be destabilizing. It will be important to intentionally build trust and morale within the NEW school (ie, the combined AYA).
• The school has a highly effective program for students who need learning support. It is ongoing work to differentiate the school program to “meet each child where they are.”
• There is an opportunity to create more K-12 curricular alignment.
• As in all schools, there is a desire for greater choice of electives, languages etc. It would be good to investigate the applicability of online classes supported by the school, in subjects where the school lacks critical mass to offer those itself.
• The school would benefit from a constructive evaluation system for both faculty and administrators.
• While much of the above bullets are about solidifying the foundation of the school, the new Head will have the opportunity to build on that foundation and lead AYA to be a forward thinking, leading example of a 21st century Modern Orthodox school.

DESIRED QUALITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

• An experienced school leader with a demonstrated track record of assembling and holding accountable a cohesive, collaborative leadership team.
• Ability to make a compelling case for the importance and value of a Jewish education.
• A systems thinker capable of assuring that the administrative structures and systems of the school are efficient, consistent, high performance, transparent and coordinated.
• A high EQ “people person” who seeks out and builds relationships both within the school and in the broader Dallas community.
• Ability to build on the warmth of the school community so that AYA is the school of choice for Jewish students and families, and the place that faculty and staff want to remain to apply their craft.
• Appreciation for the value of diverse viewpoints and experiences in preparing students for the future; but also the ability to unite those diverse community members in commitment to a common vision and purpose.
• A commitment to differentiated education where the school meets and serves each student where they are.
• An entrepreneur with a growth mindset, eager to assure that the foundation is solid, but work collaboratively with the school community to move AYA forward as a leading example of a 21st century Modern Orthodox school.
• A highly organized self-starter with hands-on knowledge of what is going on at the school, but able to effectively delegate.
• Ability to set clear boundaries and expectations, and assure uniform enforcement and consequences for those who fail to live up to those expectations.
• A leader who is collaborative where possible, decisive when necessary, and can make wise and even sometimes tough decisions.
• A leader who sets a “tone at the top” of passion for the mission of the school, and the fun and joy of embracing Jewish values and culture.

The full position description can be found at https://www.carneysandoe.com/career/akiba-yavneh-academy.

TO APPLY

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to contact the consultant in confidence. Candidates will ultimately need to submit the following materials as separate PDF documents:

• A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;
• A current résumé;
• A one-page statement of Jewish educational philosophy and practice;
• A list of five professional references with name, relationship, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) to:

Skip Kotkins

Senior Consultant

skip.kotkins@carneysandoe.com