“Our founders believed that a more ‘egalitarian, democratic, and participatory’ approach would nurture students' inherent curiosity and creativity, animating them to work to make a better world. Today, we remain committed to that same endeavor so that our students can engage with the world as it is and then develop the skills, knowledge, and habits of mind to bring about the world we envision ought to be.” - Steve McManus, Head of School

Edmund Burke School, a progressive independent school serving students in grades 6–12 in Washington, DC, seeks a relational, collaborative, and mission-aligned educator to serve as its next Head of High School. Since its founding in 1968, Burke has been defined by its commitment to student voice, dynamic learning, and the belief that education is most meaningful when young people are engaged contributors to their own growth and to the life of the community. Families are drawn to Burke not only for the strength of its program, but for its culture of authenticity, intellectual curiosity, and deep respect for adolescents as thinkers, creators, and citizens.

As Burke looks toward the future, the High School stands at an important moment of reflection and opportunity. In alignment with the priorities articulated in the school’s Strategic Plan, the division is engaged in ongoing work to buttress program coherence, clarify expectations for teaching and learning, and ensure alignment between mission, pedagogy, and student experience. The High School plays a vital role in bringing Burke’s academic vision to life, particularly as students prepare for the intellectual, civic, and personal demands of life beyond graduation. Within this context, the next Head of High School will serve as a key steward of divisional leadership, supporting faculty and helping to sustain a High School experience that is both challenging and deeply relational.

Reporting to the Head of School, Steve McManus, and serving as a member of the Administrative Team, the Head of High School oversees all aspects of the Upper School experience, including academic programming, faculty leadership, student life, and divisional culture. The role calls for a leader who can steward the holistic student life and scholastic program of the High School while holding both long-range vision and day-to-day divisional leadership with clarity and purpose.

In partnership with faculty, students, and families, the Head of High School will help shape the direction of the division in the years ahead, guiding curricular evolution, supporting faculty growth, and strengthening the systems that sustain a rigorous and inclusive learning environment. This is a role for a leader energized by the opportunity to nurture community, champion progressive education in practice, and build confidence in the High School experience for all who learn and lead within it.

We are dedicated to hiring people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and we honor the dignity and worth of all people. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, physical or mental disability or handicap, veteran status, marital status or any other classification protected by law.

If interested CLICK HERE to submit the following materials confidentially as a single PDF file: 

• A cover letter indicating the candidate’s particular interest in and qualifications for the position
• A current resume
• A statement of educational philosophy
• The names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of five references, including at least two recent supervisors. References should speak to your ability to be an effective educator and administrator, to work successfully with children, and to work collaboratively and collegially with adults (references will be contacted only with the candidate’s permission). Please indicate your relationship with each reference (i.e. supervisor, colleague, or direct report).

Download the opportunity statement below. 

Opportunity Statement

Please address any questions by email to ara@strategenius.org. 

About Edmund Burke School

Edmund Burke School Founded in 1968, Edmund Burke School is a co-ed independent college preparatory school enrolling just over 300 students in grades 6-12 (approximately 73 in the Middle School and 213 in the High School) on a city campus in Van Ness, Washington, DC. With a student / teacher ratio of 6:1 and average class size of 14, Burke is a place where each individual is known and engaged.Burke consciously brings together students who are different from one another in many ways, actively engages them in their own education, holds them to high expectations, gives them power and responsibility, and supports and advances their growth as skilled and independent thinkers who step forward to make positive contributions to the world in which they live.As progressive educators, we are committed to creating a safe, equitable and inclusive learning environment and to teaching in ways that cultivate integrity, moral reasoning, and social responsibility. We help students become advocates for themselves and others. We provide students with developmentally appropriate opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills to make our community—and the wider world—a more just place.

Connections working at Edmund Burke School