Head of School

Founded in 1976, Mount Paran Christian School (MPCS) is a leading independent college preparatory

school serving more than 1,100 students in PK through grade 12, in Marietta, Georgia and the

surrounding communities of Northwest Atlanta. The school is passionate about uniting with the home

and the church to develop enthusiastic and confident life-long learners who strive to achieve their

personal best in everything they do. The student culture is one that displays a genuine thirst for

knowledge, which ultimately cultivates success at the college level and in life, and is reflected in the

100% acceptance rate of MPCS graduates into one or more of their college and university choices.

Mount Paran Christian School provides students with a journey. . .a journey to maximize and then

exceed their potential in a safe environment. Students are thus encouraged to take risks. Sometimes

they fall short, but they are always learning and developing their own ideas, while exploring diverse

perspectives and embracing their Christianity.

As a nondenominational, covenantal Christian school, MPCS helps mold well-rounded students who

are growing in their faith by fostering the kind of environment that develops a passion to both serve

and learn. MPCS is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools

(SAIS/AdvancED) and is also a member of the Council on Educational Standards & Accountability

(CESA).

Providing academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment, Mount Paran Christian School unites with home

and church to prepare servant-leaders to honor God, love

others, and walk in Truth.

About Mount Paran Christian School

“Where Faith and Intellect Grow as One.”

Campus

The Mount Paran Christian School campus is nestled

in the shadow of historic Kennesaw Mountain.

Walking paths and a 6-acre lake complement the

picturesque 68-acre wooded campus that the school

has called home since 2003. The campus began with

the Mulkey Building (housing the Lower School, Middle

School, gyms, media centers, dining hall), Dozier Hall

(High School), and the Sewell Cottage (Preschool).

Athletic facilities quickly developed with tennis courts

and multiple sports fields.

In 2007, the school purchased the state-of-the-art Murray Arts Center at Mount Paran Christian School.

Equipped with technology that would rival even the most elaborate performing arts complexes in the

world, the possibilities for growth in all areas of the arts are endless. With its 577-seat main theater, a

black box theater, dance studios, exquisite grand lobby, state-of-the-art recording studios (The LeFevre

SoundLab), band and choral rehearsal spaces, practice rooms, classrooms, and numerous amenities,

the purchase was a welcome addition to the growing campus.

The athletic facilities of MPCS have continued to expand over the past few years as well. Batting cages,

a baseball complex, and a fitness center and weight room are a few of the additions. In 2015, MPCS

completed the construction of the brand-new, 2,500 seat, Catherine Steele Sewell Stadium, which is

home to their football, soccer, track, and lacrosse teams.

The next project in line for MPCS is the construction of a high school innovation center, forecasted

to be built in 2019/20, designed to create a collaborative instructional space for science, technology,

arts, math, and engineering, and other design-based learning experiences.”

Mission

The mission of Mount Paran Christian School is as

follows: Providing academic excellence in a Christ-

centered environment, Mount Paran Christian School

unites with home and church to prepare servant-

leaders to honor God, love others, and walk in Truth.

This is achieved through well-developed experiences

within a framework of a Christian worldview. MPCS

stands as a “place where faith and intellect grow as

one.”

Vision

Mount Paran Christian School will become

the exemplary Christian school in the

Atlanta area as defined by the

development of Christ-centered servant-

leaders and quality academic preparation.

Statement of Faith

Mount Paran Christian School is a nondenominational, covenantal school that is unapologetically

Christian in its mission, vision, and programs. All staff, students, and parents sign the following

Statement of Faith identifying their shared commitment to the Christ-centered purpose of MPCS.

• We believe that the Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative source of Christian

doctrine and precept.

• We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy

Spirit.

• We believe that man was created in the image of God, but as a result of sin is lost and

powerless to save himself.

• We believe that the only hope for man is to

believe in Jesus Christ, the virgin-born Son of

God, who died to take upon himself the

punishment for the sin of mankind and who rose

from the dead, so that by receiving him as Savior

and Lord, man is redeemed by His blood.

• We believe that Jesus Christ, in person, will

return to earth in power and glory.

• We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells those

who have received Christ for the purpose of

enabling them to live righteous and godly lives.

• We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ

and is comprised of all who, through belief in

Christ, have been spiritually regenerated by the

indwelling Holy Spirit. It is the responsibility of

the church to nurture Christians and to spread

the Word of Jesus Christ worldwide.

Visit https://vimeo.com/202941476 and

http://blog.mtparanschool.com/why-independent-school

to learn more about Mount Paran Christian School.

Preschool

The three and four-year-old preschool

programs at Mount Paran Christian

School are all about learning through

creativity and play, challenging young

minds, and molding spirits while

having fun in a loving, safe

environment. From the two-story play

village inside the Sewell Cottage

Preschool common area to the

Connections Room filled with SMART

Tables, Osmo gaming systems and

iPads, learning means hands-on

exploration. Always developmentally

on-target, always engaging, always

Christ-centered.

The program also includes an Advanced Pre-Kindergarten (APK) class for young students who have

completed the four-year class, but are not quite ready for Kindergarten. All MPCS preschool teachers

are certified.

Academics at MPCS

Visit

https://www.mtparanschool.com/page/academics/preschool

and

http://blog.mtparanschool.com/daycare_vs._mpcs_preschool

to learn more about the Preschool Program.

Visit http://blog.mtparanschool.com/why_why_matters

to learn more about Academics at Mount Paran Christian School.

Lower School

Lower school teachers focus on the development of a growth mindset within our students and

specifically emphasize the importance of student-centered inquiry. Our students learn to ask questions

that clarify understanding and application. Teachers concentrate on critical thinking and

communication skills, engaging students in collaborative experiences that will promote the expression

of personal creativity. Teachers also recognize the importance of developing responsible digital

citizens who use technology as one tool for learning.

All teachers in the MPCS lower school are state-certified and are Orton Gillingham-trained and many

are gifted-certified.

The lower school unites with parents to develop students who are life-long learners and demonstrate

growth in each area of their lives. Students exhibit growth in each area by:

Maturing in a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and gaining an

understanding of and applying biblical principles,

Being a collaborative learner who is

able to creatively and critically think

through problems by taking risks and

adopting a growth mindset,

Demonstrating respectful

behavior and manners while being

kind and compassionate toward

others, and embracing one's unique

identity in Christ, which enables a

student to confidently go through life

with humility while developing a sound

ethical foundation.

Visit https://www.mtparanschool.com/page/academics/lower-school--k-5th

and

http://blog.mtparanschool.com/student_mentoring_made_meaningful

to learn more about the Lower School Program.

M

Middle School | 6th-8th

The philosophy behind the middle school curriculum is the belief that learning occurs best through

authentic, hands-on activities. When lessons are presented with creativity and relevance, adolescent

minds are fully engaged. MPCS students experience this through fully equipped science labs, math

manipulatives, classroom debates, and technology integration including the use of student devices as

a part of the 1:1 program. Questions are encouraged. Conversation is promoted. Critical thinking is

fostered. Through the continuum of both advanced coursework and our Directed Studies instructional

support program, MPCS serves all learners.

Collaboration and accountability are key components of the middle school. Real-world experiences

and authentic scenarios undergird the core curriculum, promoting problem-solving and lending

relevancy. These experiences include an annual student forum, hands-on experiments in science, and

overnight academic travel such as the eighth grade week-long trip to Washington D.C.

High School | 9th-12th

Enabling students to maximize their God-given gifts and talents in a Christ-centered environment is

the driving purpose of everything MPCS does in the high school. Knowing each individual is gifted

uniquely, the high school provides excellent learning opportunities in academics, arts, athletics, and

co-curricular activities, all built upon a firm commitment to Jesus Christ. Regardless of individual

interest level or academic strength, each student has the opportunity to cultivate gifts and talents to

the fullest potential.

Academically, the high school offers a wide range of curricular offerings challenging students to

develop analytical abilities and problem-solving skills. With 24 Advanced Placement (AP) course

offerings spanning the curriculum, students are challenged to pursue course content normally

reserved for college. Honors courses, which are offered in every content area except Bible, provide

additional academic challenges for students who wish to delve more deeply into a specific content

area. The growing engineering program introduces students to the design and creation process in high

demand throughout the modern business world. The Directed Studies program provides additional

support for students with diagnosed learning needs. With the imminent construction of the innovation

center and the rapidly growing engineering program, students are introduced to the design and

creation processes through STEM and STEAM classes, developing the hard and soft-skills that are in

high demand in the modern economy.

Arts at MPCS

Visit https://www.mtparanschool.com/page/academics/middle-school--6th-8th

to learn more about the Middle School Program.

Visit https://www.mtparanschool.com/page/academics/high-school--9th-12th

to learn more about the High School Program.

MPCS supports curricular programming that leverages the arts as a viable vehicle for the training of

academic minds. Arts education trains creative thinkers and provides experiences that open the

neuropathways that are used for math, science, and language arts. From lower school through high school,

students are exposed to opportunities in the arts that can yield significant results for how a student can

be a more powerful thinker in the academic classroom and beyond. There is no doubt or mystery why

universities and corporations seek individuals who have arts backgrounds because creative thinking skills

are transferred into academic and professional success.

While the high school offers a full-fledged arts education program

common to other schools, MPCS also offers the Dozier School of the

Arts, an arts magnet program that enables students to triangulate

arts, academics, and Christian life in a way that creates

practitioners of the arts trained to transform the arts for Christ.

MPCS offers training in audio engineering in The LeFevre SoundLab,

an industry-standard recording studio that is gaining recognition on

a national scale. Students are afforded the opportunity to work in a

studio that records music from local hobby musicians to Grammy

award-winning artists. High school arts also includes co-curricular

activities such as jazz band, marching band, drumline, winterguard,

musical, technical, and dramatic theater, dance, and show choir.

Through the breadth of arts training opportunities the school provides, MPCS is committed to training

students to be educated consumers and performers of the arts, with the hopes that current arts culture

might be changed through the efforts of the school and the inspiration of God’s Word.

Additional Sources:

• The LeFevre SoundLab: http://LeFevre SoundLab

• The Murray Arts Center: https://www.mtparanschool.com/page/arts/murray-arts-center

• Performing Arts: https://www.mtparanschool.com/page/arts/performing-arts

• Visual Arts: https://www.mtparanschool.com/page/arts/visual-arts

• Dozier School of the Arts: https://www.mtparanschool.com/page/arts/dozier-school-of-the-arts

• Murray Arts Academy: https://www.mtparanschool.com/page/arts/murray-arts-academy

• The Creative Thinker: http://blog.mtparanschool.com/the_creative_thinker

• High School Arts Curriculum: https://vimeo.com/200836938

The Murray Arts Center of Mount Paran Christian School

exists to enable students to pursue Truth through the exemplary

expression of the arts, thus

transforming the culture for Christ.

Arts at MPCS

At MPCS, athletics are a school-wide affair, uniting the preschool, lower, middle, and high schools with

a common sense of belonging. Even the three-year-olds know they are Eagles from day one.

Beyond school unity, sports bring an opportunity for students to excel physically and discover God-given

abilities. That's why MPCS offers such a wide array of opportunities through 54 teams. Every student

can find an area to connect athletically. Even fifth-graders have the opportunity to participate in no-cut

sports, including cross country, football, swimming, track and field, and wrestling.

From multiple ball fields, two gymnasiums, and

tennis courts to the on-campus batting cages and

indoor athletic training facilities, student-athletes

are equipped for excellence.

High school teams compete in the Georgia High

School Association (GHSA). MPCS teams have

excelled, earning region and state championship

titles in a variety of sports. Leaders and coaches

are strongly committed to competing for state

championships in every sport. More importantly,

the athletic teams are led by men and women who

are committed to the mission of the school and

serve to disciple young student-athletes for Jesus

Christ. Character and faith are never left on the

bench.

MPCS also has ranked in the top 20 out of more than 100 class A high schools in the Georgia Athletic

Directors Association (GADA) Regions' Directors Cup. The program has been repeatedly honored with

the North Atlanta Metro League Cup (NAML) for the highest achievement in middle school sports. During

the 2016-17 school year, MPCS helped initiate the Metro 10 middle school league to provide enhanced

sports competition.”

At MPCS, athletic opportunities abound and student-athletes excel in a Christ-centered environment.

Athletics at MPCS

Visit https://www.mtparanschool.com/page/athletics to learn more about athletics.

A solid foundation has been established at Mount Paran Christian School. The new Head of School will

have the opportunity to continue building upon it by providing strong and consistent servant leadership,

by articulating the school’s guiding principles, promoting its vision and value proposition, and by inspiring,

encouraging, and caring for the students, faculty, staff, families and friends that encompass the entire

MPCS community. Together, this accomplishes the mission of the school, which is all about producing

servant-leader graduates who will become salt and light on university campuses and throughout the world.

With oversight from the MPCS Board of Trustees, and operating as the chief academic, spiritual, social,

and executive officer of the school, the Head of School will hold overall management responsibilities and

oversight of enrollment, personnel, compensation, spiritual development, academic pedagogy, athletics,

arts, strategic fund development, budgets and campus facilities. This leader will nurture and perpetuate

MPCS’s intentional culture, steward the school and its resources with excellence, and will know the

priorities of the school when faced with difficult decisions.

Additionally, the new Head of School will be expected to:

· Create and foster a culture among faculty, staff, students, and families that perpetuates the values

of MPCS being unashamedly Christian, committed to academic excellence, and relationally focused

to support all students in realizing their greatest spiritual and academic potential while guiding their

development.

· Recruit and hire outstanding, Christ-honoring educational professionals who are passionate about

inspiring students to excel with their gifts and talents for God’s glory.

· Support exceptional professional and leadership development for faculty, while encouraging ongoing

learning of the art and science of teaching.

· Advance the mission of MPCS through a high-performing team that achieves key priorities and goals.

· Support best practices and provide thought leadership for innovative instructional enhancement and

institutional sustainability.

· Promote proficiency in technology as a tool for learning and leverage it to train Christ-centered digital

citizens for lifelong learning in an ever-changing world.

· Cast a vision and set the pace of change. This leader must have the willingness to do it, the skill and

sensitivity to achieve it, and the passion to embrace it.

· Support admission and academic efforts to grow enrollment to reach current full capacity of 1290

students.

· Work closely with the various councils of MPCS and demonstrate initiative, competence, and comfort

in soliciting contributions to support, enhance, and grow the school’s financial foundation; provide for

increases in financial aid and student diversity; lead efforts for the maintenance and further

development of facilities; initiate and support effective admission, branding, and marketing

strategies; and champion essential growth initiatives in academics, Christian life, arts, and athletics.

· Be a relational servant-leader, who loves children and understands the importance of truly knowing

the students who make up the MPCS community along with the academic, social, emotional and

spiritual challenges they face.

· Provide frequency, predictability, and clarity of communication, both internally and externally, to the

MPCS community that fosters continual alignment and clear understanding of mission while building

an environment of collaboration, trust and respect.

· Ensure all school regulatory mandates and accreditation requirements are met with excellence and

communicated to the Board, administration, faculty and staff.

The Opportunity

The new Head of School will be a strong, collaborative servant leader, who is a dedicated disciple of

Jesus Christ and God’s Truth with a high level of personal integrity and professionalism. This leader

must be willing to provide spiritual leadership to the students and their parents as well as the faculty,

staff, coaches and volunteers. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to Mount

Paran Christian School and its mission, core values, philosophy, policies, procedures and practices

along with an unwavering dedication to live the mission and to inspire high achievement.

In addition, the new Head of School will be:

· An experienced administrator with successful leadership in a large K-12 school.

· A highly skilled collaborative leader.

· A recruiter and developer of quality faculty and leaders.

· Capable of initiating or substantially expanding donor bases

and the dollars raised through fund development.

· Adept at engaging the Board of Trustees to be an effective,

generative, and strategic ally.

· Able to mobilize various stakeholders to achieve challenging

goals.

· A strategic leader who can guide the school to think and

execute beyond day-to-day and towards key priorities.

· Outstanding, wise, and relentless in communicating effectively

with all constituencies of the school, including faculty, staff,

students, families, alumni, donors, the Board of Trustees and

community, etc.

· Commitment to brand: Uses the brand to attract new families,

faculty, and staff.

· A skilled marketer of the school’s value proposition with

internal and external constituencies.

· Adept at operational execution:

· Efficient: Moves people and priorities quickly to conclusion.

· Follow-through: Gets it done right on time; no excuses.

· Attention to detail: Ensures very high professionalism and

excellence.

· A well-cultivated critical thinker, who comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions and can

effectively communicate with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.

The ideal candidate will be someone who embodies the following core values and character traits:

· Impeccable integrity.

· Highly relational.

· Values exceptional and collaborative teamwork.

· Models and demands high standards of

excellence.

· Inspires enthusiasm.

· Models and values intellectual pursuits.

· Adaptable and encourages adaptability in others.

· Proactive – leads rather than reacts.

Qualifications and Desired Attributes

Mount Paran Christian School has embarked on a national effort to select a new Head of School,

following Dr. David Tilley’s announcement that he will retire at the end of the 2017-18 school year.

MPCS, a school of national recognition that is unabashedly Christian, is seeking a dynamic, spiritually

and intellectually mature Head to lead and represent the school locally, regionally, and nationally.

The MPCS Board of Trustees invites you to consider this unique opportunity to build upon the School’s

strong fiscal, academic, extracurricular, and community foundations in order to continue the growth

and sustainability of a compelling organization that perpetuates the core values of MPCS, equips

faculty and administration to develop professionally, and advances the Christian mission through the

passionate and unified efforts of a results-oriented team.

The Process of Candidacy

Mount Paran Christian School is currently inviting applications. Although applications are welcome

until a Head of School is selected, candidates should submit materials by May 10, 2017, to ensure

full consideration.

Bill Peterson

Partner

678.448.0013

bpeterson@carterbaldwin.com

Chris Hornsby

Consultant

678.448.0003

chornsby@carterbaldwin.com

Invitation