Avery Coonley School

Head of School

The Avery Coonley School (ACS) is a nationally recognized leader in gifted education, serving academically bright and motivated students from preschool through eighth grade. Founded in 1906 on progressive ideals, ACS has spent more than a century championing intellectual curiosity, creativity, and community.

Today, ACS is home to more than 330 students from over 40 Chicagoland communities, with more than half identifying as students of color. The school is intentionally inclusive, welcoming gifted learners from diverse backgrounds into an environment that challenges and supports them in equal measure. With a student–teacher ratio of 9:1, ACS provides personalized, rigorous learning that empowers students to thrive.

The campus in Downers Grove, a 13-acre wooded property listed on the National Register of Historic Places, reflects the school’s philosophy of education in harmony with nature. Modern facilities—including a makerspace, art studios, athletic spaces, and the recently opened Student Support Services Center— support whole-child development and innovation.

ACS graduates are known for their confidence, intellectual agility, and compassion. They go on to excel at top secondary schools, universities, and careers in fields ranging from science and law to the arts, policy, and entrepreneurship. Their success reflects not only strong academic preparation but also the enduring values of integrity, curiosity, and community instilled during their years at ACS.

With an inspiring new five-year strategic plan and a campus master plan underway, Avery Coonley stands poised for its next chapter of growth and innovation. The Board of Trustees now seeks a Head of School who will honor our proud history while leading the community into the future—advancing ACS’s mission, amplifying its impact, and ensuring its continued place as a model for gifted education nationwide.

The Avery Coonley School seeks a visionary and strategic Head of School to begin in July 2026. The next Head will honor ACS’s progressive history while leading the school into its next chapter of growth, innovation, and national influence.

Nominations, inquiries, and expressions of interest should be sent to: averycoonleyschool@russellreynolds.com

Employment decisions at The Avery Coonley School are based on merit, qualifications, and skills. The School is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and equal opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to an individual’s actual or perceived age, race (including traits associated with race, which include, but are not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation (including transgender status, gender identity or expression), pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), marital status, order of protection status, citizenship status, employment status, arrest or conviction record (unless otherwise authorized by law), credit history, crime victim status, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), veteran status, uniformed service member status, unfavorable discharge from military service, work authorization status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

The School makes reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities or pregnancy-related conditions, in accordance with applicable law. Qualified individuals with disabilities or pregnancy-related conditions may make requests for reasonable accommodations by engaging in dialogue with Maribeth Valek, Human Resources Coordinator at mvalek@averycoonley.org. The School asks employees seeking an accommodation to submit a letter noting the request; medical documentation substantiating the request should accompany this letter. The School is dedicated to the fulfillment of this Policy in regard to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

All employees are responsible for complying with the School’s Equal Opportunity Statement.