Hong Kong Academy - Head of School Announcement
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<strong>Hong</strong> <strong>Kong</strong> <strong>Academy</strong><br />
seeks its next <strong>Head</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>School</strong> to<br />
join the community in July 2024
Welcome to <strong>Hong</strong> <strong>Kong</strong> <strong>Academy</strong><br />
HISTORY AND ACCREDITATION<br />
Established in 2000, HKA is an independent, co-educational international school serving<br />
students aged 3-18 years old<br />
Authorised IB World <strong>School</strong> that <strong>of</strong>fers the Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP) and<br />
Diploma Programmes (IBDP)<br />
HKA is accredited by the Council <strong>of</strong> International <strong>School</strong>s (CIS) and the Western Association<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>School</strong>s & Colleges (WASC)<br />
Memberships include:<br />
Global Citizen Diploma Consortium (GCD)<br />
Association <strong>of</strong> China and Mongolia International <strong>School</strong>s (ACAMIS)<br />
International <strong>School</strong> Sports Federation <strong>of</strong> <strong>Hong</strong> <strong>Kong</strong> (ISSFHK)<br />
Next Frontier: Inclusion (NFI)<br />
Special Education Network and Inclusion Association (SENIA)<br />
STUDENT NATIONALITIES<br />
Our population reflects our commitment to<br />
internationalism, diversity and inclusion, with<br />
our 413 students representing 38 nationalities.<br />
<strong>Hong</strong> <strong>Kong</strong> SAR<br />
29%<br />
UK<br />
USA<br />
16%<br />
15%<br />
Canada<br />
Australia<br />
6%<br />
9%<br />
Other<br />
25%<br />
FACULTY AND SUPPORT STAFF<br />
112<br />
52%<br />
1:5<br />
41<br />
Teaching and Leadership Faculty<br />
Faculty hold a master’s degree or higher<br />
Teacher-to-student ratio<br />
Support Staff<br />
2
MISSION AND STRATEGY<br />
As we continue to evolve and grow as an organisation, we look to our mission as the driver <strong>of</strong> our<br />
shared purpose. Recently updated to reflect where the school is today and where it aspires to be<br />
in the future, the mission serves as a guidepost and foundation for all our efforts to provide<br />
exceptional educational opportunities to our students.<br />
Our core values anchor our strategic priorities, which have been developed in partnership with<br />
faculty, staff, students and parents. The strategy frames our dialogue and discussion both<br />
educationally and operationally, prioritising how we seek to move forward, providing a common<br />
language for setting schoolwide priorities and supporting our identification <strong>of</strong> evidence <strong>of</strong> success.<br />
Dynamic Learning<br />
Community<br />
Rigorous<br />
International<br />
Education<br />
Educational<br />
Leader<br />
Pathways to<br />
Individual<br />
Excellence<br />
CORE VALUES OF<br />
HONG KONG ACADEMY<br />
Engage in<br />
Responsible<br />
Action<br />
Captivating<br />
Learning<br />
Environment<br />
Sustainable<br />
Future<br />
3
WHAT MAKES HKA UNIQUE?<br />
Global Citizenship is at the heart <strong>of</strong> HKA’s mission and vision for learning. The school is<br />
pursuing the Pathway 2 deep dive on global citizenship and intercultural learning in its current<br />
CIS accreditation cycle, and global citizenship drives how learning, teaching and assessment<br />
take place. All graduates earn the Global Citizen Diploma (GCD) certificate, an externally<br />
recognised portfolio-based credential dedicated to nurturing intercultural communication,<br />
global understanding, community engagement and academic rigour.<br />
All HKA students are supported to pursue their pathways to individual excellence. Our<br />
inquiry-based curriculum provides a holistic education that is differentiated for our full range<br />
<strong>of</strong> learners. Students are given voice and agency at every grade level as they make and use<br />
personal connections to engage in meaningful learning experiences. As they approach<br />
graduation, students are supported to identify the best-fit pathway that will help them achieve<br />
their post-secondary aspirations.<br />
In our evolving educational landscape, we remain focussed on what students need to be<br />
successful learners now and in the future. Teachers are innovative, calling on research-based<br />
strategies and resources that invite students to be problem-seekers and changemakers both in<br />
and beyond the classroom.<br />
HKA <strong>of</strong>fers a robust co-curricular programme for learners <strong>of</strong> every age, with over 100<br />
<strong>of</strong>ferings available each year. There is a balance <strong>of</strong> learning opportunities in the fine and<br />
performing arts, STEM, sports, leadership, language studies and service learning for both<br />
Primary and Secondary <strong>School</strong> students.<br />
Our state-<strong>of</strong>-the-art campus is purpose-built, serving as a living learning lab. The Green<br />
Building Council has awarded the facility Gold BEAM Plus status for its sustainable operational<br />
procedures and environmentally-friendly design.<br />
4
WORKING AND LIVING IN SAI KUNG<br />
In 2013, <strong>Hong</strong> <strong>Kong</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> moved into its current location in the seaside town <strong>of</strong> Sai Kung.<br />
Located in the New Territories, this exceptional location provides community members with the<br />
very best <strong>of</strong> what <strong>Hong</strong> <strong>Kong</strong> has to <strong>of</strong>fer. Surrounded by mountains, in proximity to a number <strong>of</strong><br />
country parks and with easy access to the sea, the Sai Kung area boasts a range <strong>of</strong> outdoor<br />
activities for both children and adults. Central <strong>Hong</strong> <strong>Kong</strong> is a 35-40 minute drive away and<br />
accessible by private car and public transport.<br />
The HKA campus is a short walk from Sai Kung town,<br />
where a wide range <strong>of</strong> restaurants, shops and local<br />
businesses are centred around the local waterfront<br />
promenade. The school works in partnership with the<br />
community, making use <strong>of</strong> the public swimming pool,<br />
running track and hardtop courts and opening its facilities<br />
to neighbourhood organisations and sports teams.<br />
5
About the Position<br />
General duties <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Head</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>School</strong> include oversight <strong>of</strong> and accountability for HKA’s:<br />
Purpose and Direction by:<br />
Embodying and promoting the Mission and core values with all stakeholder groups<br />
Ensuring that decision making is strategic and aligned with HKA’s guiding statements<br />
Generating and communicating evidence <strong>of</strong> mission integrity and strategic growth<br />
Governance and leadership by:<br />
Acting as a liaison between the Board and the wider HKA community<br />
Serving as an ex-<strong>of</strong>ficio member <strong>of</strong> all standing committees <strong>of</strong> the Board<br />
Coordinating the activities <strong>of</strong> the entire organisation, including its educational and operational<br />
departments<br />
Leading the school’s implementation <strong>of</strong> and accountability towards the Board policies and<br />
mission integrity<br />
Learning and Teaching by:<br />
Implementing the school’s definition <strong>of</strong> high quality learning<br />
Embedding the learning and teaching framework in curriculum development, assessment<br />
practices and pr<strong>of</strong>essional development<br />
Supporting and promoting the school’s approach to learning diversity, equity and inclusion<br />
Evaluating the effectiveness <strong>of</strong> the school’s rigorous international curriculum through the<br />
gathering and analysis <strong>of</strong> quantitative and qualitative data<br />
Promoting research-based practices that enable student agency and co-construction <strong>of</strong><br />
learning experiences<br />
6
Wellbeing by:<br />
Fostering a culture <strong>of</strong> safety for all stakeholders<br />
Ensuring that the child protection policy and<br />
safeguarding protocols are understood and<br />
implemented<br />
Connecting with external partners and<br />
resources to enhance curricular and cocurricular<br />
programmes<br />
Staffing by:<br />
Recruiting, nurturing and retaining highly qualified leadership team<br />
members, faculty and staff<br />
Implementing the appraisal model in support <strong>of</strong> effective<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional practice and ongoing growth for all employees<br />
Overseeing the school’s pr<strong>of</strong>essional learning framework and<br />
systems in collaboration with the educational leadership team<br />
Facilities and Operations by:<br />
Advocating for innovative and sustainable practices in all aspects <strong>of</strong> school operations<br />
Elevating operational leadership in implementing structures and systems in technology,<br />
finance, facility management and operational practices<br />
Maintaining a physical environment that serves as a learning lab<br />
View our campus on<br />
the 360° virtual map<br />
Community Engagement by:<br />
Elevating the presence and reputation <strong>of</strong> the<br />
school within the <strong>Hong</strong> <strong>Kong</strong> community and as<br />
an educational leader<br />
Promoting a through-school community that<br />
brings all stakeholders together in service to the<br />
school’s mission and core values<br />
Collaborating with the Parent Teacher Community<br />
Organisation to engage parents as partners within<br />
the school community<br />
Engaging in fundraising and community outreach<br />
in support <strong>of</strong> Institutional Advancement goals<br />
7
Required Skills/Qualifications:<br />
Graduate and/or post-graduate degree in Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership,<br />
or a related educational field<br />
Previous leadership experience as Principal/Divisional Leadership, Deputy <strong>Head</strong>, or <strong>Head</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong><br />
International experience and/or working in diverse and inclusive schools (learning access for all<br />
students)<br />
Preferred Skills/Qualifications:<br />
Administrative credential<br />
Chinese Language pr<strong>of</strong>iciency<br />
Experience with accreditation<br />
Experience with IB and the re-authorisation process<br />
Experienced with strategic planning aligned with mission and vision<br />
Experienced with increasing enrolment<br />
Experienced with school marketing<br />
Experienced with school fundraising<br />
Community Engagement:<br />
Keeps students at the centre and shows great commitment to all learners<br />
Has mission integrity, embracing and communicating the school’s mission and vision and<br />
actively fostering the identity <strong>of</strong> HKA<br />
Commits to building relationships and nurturing community involvement<br />
Provides effective direction and leads the community<br />
Is enthusiastic and can motivate stakeholders<br />
Is a strong decision maker<br />
Is visionary, transformative, future thinking and a progressive leader<br />
Is interculturally minded and has international perspective<br />
Has worked in international schools with diverse learning communities and will elevate<br />
diversity as a key feature <strong>of</strong> HKA<br />
Collaborative and supports the culture <strong>of</strong> collaboration at HKA<br />
Excellent networker and great opportunist who can communicate and implement robust ideas<br />
as a leader<br />
Personal Qualities:<br />
Is kind, caring, and empathetic<br />
Exhibits integrity, openness, honesty and transparency<br />
Has a growth mindset, is open-minded, outward looking and curious<br />
Is energised by making change and trying new things<br />
Is a strong communicator and keeps the community informed<br />
Is present and visible both in and outside <strong>of</strong> school<br />
Has strong interpersonal skills, is approachable and has an open door policy<br />
Models a life-long learner pr<strong>of</strong>ile and values pr<strong>of</strong>essional learning<br />
Has an understanding <strong>of</strong> and commitment to inclusion and shares HKA’s philosophy <strong>of</strong><br />
inclusion<br />
Compensation (Salary & Benefits):<br />
HKA <strong>of</strong>fers a competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with position expectations<br />
and market benchmarks. The initial contract is for three years. A longer tenure is envisaged.<br />
8
Application Process<br />
In the interest <strong>of</strong> identifying the best candidate for this position, HKA has partnered with Search<br />
Associates to assist in this process with Dr. Lana Al-Aghbar and Dr. Eric Sands serving as the<br />
Search consultants. Please note, the consultants will not recommend candidates for further<br />
consideration by the school if the candidate is under contract or otherwise encumbered in such a<br />
way that would preclude them from freely entering a new employment contract and being<br />
available for the start date stipulated by HKA. The Search consultants will contact the current<br />
employer/supervisor to request completion <strong>of</strong> a Search Associates Confidential Leadership<br />
Reference Form for all applicants who emerge in the search as semi-finalists.<br />
The application deadline is 1st May 2023, with interviews starting in late March and early April<br />
2023. The new <strong>Head</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>School</strong> will commence their duties in August 2024. Candidates are asked<br />
to submit the required materials outlined below as early as possible, as HKA reserves the right to<br />
close the selection process at any time if the right candidate is found. For this reason, it is essential<br />
that candidates submit an application at the earliest time possible. The review <strong>of</strong> applications<br />
begins as applications are received.<br />
Interested candidates should submit an application to include the following components:<br />
A letter <strong>of</strong> interest, addressed to the HKA <strong>Head</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>School</strong> Search Committee no longer than<br />
two pages, explaining your strengths and why you are interested in the <strong>Head</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
position.<br />
A current resume not to exceed two pages.<br />
A one to two page statement outlining educational beliefs and leadership style.<br />
A one-page list <strong>of</strong> four references with phone numbers and email addresses. Two references<br />
should be current direct supervisor references.<br />
A minimum <strong>of</strong> two and a maximum <strong>of</strong> four recent letters <strong>of</strong> reference (scanned at low<br />
resolution) that may already be in your possession is not a requirement but may be included in<br />
the application.<br />
Candidates should email this information as a single PDF attachment to Dr. Lana Al-Aghbar<br />
(lalaghbar@searchassociates.com) and Dr. Eric Sands (esands@searchassociates.com).<br />
Candidates wishing to learn more about <strong>Hong</strong> <strong>Kong</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> should visit the website at<br />
www.hkacademy.edu.hk.
33 Wai Man Road, Sai Kung,<br />
New Territories, <strong>Hong</strong> <strong>Kong</strong> SAR<br />
<br />
+852 2655 1111<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice@hkacademy.edu.hk<br />
www.hkacademy.edu.hk<br />
<br />
Accreditations & Authorisation<br />
Memberships