THE STANLEY CLARK SCHOOLSouth Bend, Indiana

HEAD OF SCHOOLStart Date: July 2022

stanleyclark.org

OVERVIEW

Established in 1958, The Stanley Clark School is an independent, co-educational day school serving students in preschool through grade eight. Stanley Clark’s long-standing dedication to excellence in academics, arts, athletics, and character development has secured its reputation as the premiere pre-k through 8 school in the Michiana area.

Known as a place for those who love to learn, Stanley Clark has cultivated a community whose members support one another as they engage, explore, compose, and create each day. In doing so, students are engaged in critical thinking and creativity in an environment that nurtures accountability to self and others. During their time at SCS, students discover their strengths and passions, are encouraged to develop those gifts, and leave prepared to build on their strong foundation. Opportunities abound for educational adventures outside of the classroom: students regularly engage in experiential learning, from on-site laboratories and flipped classrooms to local and long-distance immersions and excursions. No matter what or where Stanley Clark students are learning, faculty and staff ensure that they’re also engaging in meaningful moments that develop their capacity for effective leadership and purposeful citizenship.

Stanley Clark now seeks a new Head of School committed to continuing to foster children’s natural curiosity and to ensuring students’ best interests remain at the heart of the SCS curriculum. Strong candidates will be well-versed in student-led inquiry coursework, cross-disciplinary programming, and robust character education. The new Head will champion Stanley Clark’s intentional work in whole-child schooling and further enhance the school’s ability to educate future local and global leaders.

MISSIONThe mission of The Stanley Clark School is to inspire and challenge students to achieve excellence in academics, the arts, athletics, and character in a nurturing environment that fosters critical thinking, creativity, accountability to self and others, and the discovery of each student’s strengths and passions.

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SCHOOL HISTORY

In 1958, Professor and Mrs. L. Leon and Mollie Bernard opened the Cleland School, an independent tuition-supported school in a “little brown house” on Eddy Street in South Bend, Indiana. The school was named in honor of Mrs. Bernard’s grandmother who was a teacher in North Carolina. In the first year, students were accepted for kindergarten and first grade.

As grades were added each year, Cleland moved into the Moose Lodge on Jefferson Boulevard and later onto the Fish Estate, also located on Jefferson. In 1963, the Board of Trustees purchased the Hoffman Estate at 3123 Miami Street and changed the name to The Stanley Clark School in honor of a prominent physician of the South Bend, Mishawaka, and Elkhart areas. After the capital funds were raised, the necessary construction was completed, converting the estate into a school. Faculty and students moved in on November 9, 1965.

Mrs. Mollie Bernard served as head of school until 1963. She served as a lifetime trustee until her death in July 2013. The main building is named Bernard Hall in honor of Mrs. Bernard and her husband, a University of Notre Dame faculty member, in recognition of their many years of devotion and service to the school.

THE SCHOOL

At Stanley Clark, arts and athletics are woven into students’ academic experiences, and all aspects of the SCS curriculum include character education. This empowering combination results in graduates who lead, volunteer, inspire, and excel. Notably, at SCS where you learn enhances what you learn.

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FAST FACTSFounded: 1958

Total students: 341

Students of color: 26%

Total faculty: 41

Faculty of color: 7%

Faculty with advanced degrees: 13

Annual financial aid awarded: $1.3M

Students receiving aid: 46%

Endowment: $6.2M

Campus size: 30 acres

Careful consideration is given to the design and organization of space, equipment, and materials reflecting the notion that the school’s physical environment is, in truth, another “teacher.”

To that end, learning at Stanley Clark is hands-on and student-centered. Because the curriculum for the youngest SCS learners explicitly embraces the Reggio Emilia approach, the entire school is anchored in the belief that children deserve both endless opportunities for self-expression and control over their own learning journey. Throughout the SCS campus, indoors and out, children are consistently given the chance to communicate what they know, wonder, feel, and imagine through a rich variety of materials and activities.

Additionally, students of all ages are invited to lead by example, express themselves clearly and authentically, and exhibit responsibility and respect for others. Leadership practices are introduced as young as preschool, and the opportunities to lead, grow, and expand in age-appropriate ways are encouraged as students progress through lower school and middle school. Presenting and sharing frequently in front of groups of varying sizes across disciplines and divisions facilitates self-expression and self-confidence. Moreover, all SCS students engage in service learning, on campus and off, as a core component of their education.

Stanley Clark is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Stanley Clark is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS).

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ACADEMICS

Early Childhood (Preschool-Kindergarten)Stanley Clark’s early childhood program is rooted in the Reggio Emilia approach. From the careful design and organization of space to the documentation of children’s work, conversation, and activities, Stanley Clark offers its youngest learners an intentionally child-centered education.

Early childhood teachers work with children to create an atmosphere that promotes open-ended, process-oriented discovery and exploration. Faculty members are life-long learners who accompany the children on this journey. They continue to study the Reggio approach, in order to interpret and apply their learnings to the Stanley Clark culture in fresh and dynamic ways. Early childhood students enter first grade as competent, capable young learners who produce wonderfully creative work and leverage sophisticated tools.

Lower School (Grades 1-4)The lower school offers an exceptional learning environment that seamlessly integrates academics, citizenship, the arts, physical education, and character development enabled by a devoted and adept faculty.

Lower school provides a nurturing environment with an emphasis on experiential and hands-on learning. Children’s work is honored, respected, and on display for the enjoyment and enrichment of others. As a complement to the dynamic academic programming at Stanley Clark, social skills, a strong work ethic, and empathy are modeled and reinforced at every turn. The student body is motivated, ambitious, eager, and embraces diversity through its learning and co-curricular activity.

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Building a strong relationship between teacher, child, and parent remains vital to the success of lower school students. Every effort is made to promote and maintain an environment of open communication and parental involvement.

Middle School (Grades 5-8)Middle school students graduate from Stanley Clark well prepared for success in high school and beyond. The rigorous curriculum allows students deep immersion in the academic areas of mathematics, English, foreign language (Spanish, French, and Latin), social studies, science, and technology. Students also explore drama, visual arts, and music as part of their regular curriculum. An extensive athletic program, built into the school day, promotes physical health and good sportsmanship.

To aid in their success, students also learn important study skills, engage in collaborative learning, participate in interdisciplinary projects, and are involved in an advisory program to cultivate social, ethical, and emotional skills.

THE ARTS

Stanley Clark’s extensive art program focuses on skill development, self-expression, innovation, perseverance, and art appreciation. From visual arts to performing arts, all students are encouraged to explore their creative sides, developing critical thinking skills and an aptitude for self-expression. Through the arts, students also develop the ability to present their work (and themselves) with confidence.

Students study music at every grade level, beginning with preschool. They learn the fundamentals of singing and rhythm before progressing into music history and composition. All students also study

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visual arts with a dedicated art teacher from preschool through 8th grade. They are introduced to a variety of techniques and mediums, including architectural design, drawing, three-dimensional artwork, ceramics, collage, mixed media, printmaking, painting, fiber arts, and glass fusing. Each division has a dedicated visual art studio with a wide variety of materials and resources for exploration and creativity, including five pottery wheels, a clay kiln, two glass kilns, a slab roller, and a clay extruder.

The SCS drama and theater program prepares students to be effective communicators and presenters. Through drama classes, theater productions, and additional performance opportunities, students develop the skills necessary to interact comfortably and confidently with an audience. Each year students have the opportunity to participate in the 7th and 8th grade fall play or the 5th and 6th grade winter play. Whether on stage or behind the scenes, every role is vital and student-led. Students gain experience in acting, assistant directing, stage management, set design, props, lighting, sound, costumes, hair and makeup, house management, and scenic art.

ATHLETICS

The Stanley Clark School’s dynamic athletics program weaves together physical health, teamwork, cooperation, and good sportsmanship. Physical education and athletics are an important part of each student’s overall experience, beginning with movement classes in preschool. In lower school the program emphasizes developing gross motor skills, while introducing team sports, sportsmanship, and cooperation.

By middle school, all students pursue athletics through interscholastic or lifetime sports. Practices are integrated into the school day, and students choose whether to participate competitively or not. The wide variety of sports and competition options ensures a range of athletic opportunities for all.

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SCHOOL LIFE

Student life at The Stanley Clark School reflects the belief that learning does not stop at the classroom door; rather, the classroom serves as a launching point for further exploration. Thus, through thoughtful co-curricular programming, service learning projects, and community traditions, SCS students grow and develop, and support one another and their larger community.

Character development underpins all facets of life at Stanley Clark. Primarily, students learn how to positively influence others, as well as to discern how others influence them, critical skills for their long-term success. Each year a school-wide theme is chosen to guide the community in thoughtful discussion, reflection, and interaction with each other. (Recent themes have included integrity, empathy, and leadership.) Each division chooses an age-appropriate book based around the theme that students read together as a class, and inspired artwork also reinforces reflection on the year’s topic.

Service learning reinforces character development. With an emphasis on compassion, respect, and service to others, students from preschool through 8th grade experience service learning as a core component of their education. Service learning projects to offer ample hands-on experience occur both on and off campus and impact more than 25 non-profit agencies each year.

The Stanley Clark School builds community throughout the year by engaging in cherished traditions. For example, The Stanley Clark School builds a unified school spirit through a longstanding internal team rivalry (a tradition dating back to the 1960s). Students are assigned a “team” – either Miami or Iroquois – at the end of their 4th grade year, and teams earn points throughout the year in various athletic competitions and activities. The competition culminates with an annual Olympic Day, one of the

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most highly anticipated events of the year. While middle school students are the official participants in Olympic Day, lower school students also enjoy their own version of the field day events (ranging from the sack race and shoe toss to a full class tug of war) a week earlier at their own annual Olympic Day.

Another beloved tradition, SCS’s annual Arts Event, invites families to campus for an art exhibition, highlighting student work and showcasing their talents. Every student throughout the school has works of art on display, and families can participate in interactive art stations, including make-and-take art projects for all ages. During this event, 3rd grade students also present a special gallery opening of their year-long art project, built around a theme of their choosing.

Significant parts of SCS school life also happen outside of South Bend each year, including middle school student trips. Fifth graders enjoy an overnight team-building trip at the Michiana YMCA’s Camp Eberhardt. Activities are planned to help students face fears and conquer them, witness faculty and peers doing the same, and return to campus with a deeper appreciation for how each member contributes to the good of the group. Sixth graders travel to Chicago to experience and explore the Field Museum, the Art Institute, and the Chicago Symphony. Students also visit the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Seventh graders study acting and theatre history throughout the year, which culminates in an international class trip to Stratford, Canada for the Stratford Festival. There students learn about Shakespeare, view performances of The Bard’s work, try on period costumes, and learn more about the Globe Theatre. They end the week with a visit to nearby Niagara Falls. Eighth graders study U.S. history throughout the year, culminating in a trip to the nation’s capital. While in Washington, D.C., students visit Museum Campus, national landmarks, and Capitol Hill. During a recent year, the students were even permitted a private audience with the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

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FACULTY

The Stanley Clark School faculty embody the school’s mission and have a passion for igniting a love of learning in every student. The school conducts national searches for open positions and has a strong history of recruiting a diverse faculty with advanced degrees, outstanding personal character, and demonstrated exceptional expertise in the art of teaching. Faculty must have a willingness to collaborate, think creatively, innovate, and share expertise.

All faculty are expected to seek new ideas, new techniques, and demonstrate a level of professional development and commitment to continuous improvement that assures a student’s classroom experience is second to none each and every day.

CAMPUS

Stanley Clark’s beautiful 30-acre wooded campus, located on the south side of South Bend, Indiana, fills a city block. Just minutes from downtown South Bend and the University of Notre Dame, it is also only 90 miles from Chicago.

Bernard Hall, the original Hoffman estate, sits at the heart of campus and once housed the entire school. The campus has grown extensively through the years, including an addition to Fannin Hall in 2004 and most recently, Hiler Hall in 2015. This new space features state-of-the-art classrooms and facilities, including an art room with glass and clay kilns.

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Preschool and kindergarten classrooms are inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach – the only one of its kind in the region. Reggio classrooms are filled with items to explore, feature an abundance of natural light and materials, and include spaces designed for large and small group activities. Student classwork and artwork is thoughtfully displayed to demonstrate respect and inspire creativity.

The Big Sky Exploration Lab and Decio Media Center (main library), equipped with a 3D printer and maker’s space, provides up to date technology resources for students. Additional library spaces include the Tiger’s Den for middle school students and the Hammes Professional Library for faculty.Athletic facilities include two soccer fields, two regulation-size basketball courts, and a dance room. Two fully fenced playgrounds, with equipment designed for various age levels, allow for ample outdoor recreation space.

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA

Shaped by a bend in the St. Joseph River and near the Indiana-Michigan line, South Bend is part of the South Bend-Mishawaka-Elkhart metropolitan area, with a population of more than 300,000. South Bend is adjacent to University of Notre Dame, and South Bend has a special, long-standing relationship with the University and its 15,000+ students and faculty.

Like many Midwestern cities, South Bend’s history includes a period of heavy reliance on industry, most famously as the center of manufacturing for Studebaker automobiles. While the area still boasts notable industrial strengths (such as its tech ecosystem that is built in partnership with leading organizations and the booming recreational vehicle manufacturing found in neighboring Elkhart), the South Bend of today is characterized by smart growth and 21st-century innovation.

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The most salient symbol of this growth may be the aptly named Renaissance District on the south side of South Bend’s downtown, billed as the Midwest’s largest mixed-use technology campus. Here, tech start-ups are filling the buildings once used by Studebaker before it closed in the 1960s. It’s part of a broader pattern of change brought on in part by exponential growth in private investment, which has revitalized vast swaths of South Bend with hotels, restaurants, and luxury housing.

Notre Dame, notably, has played a role in these developments, as its investments in research and commercialization have helped to create a growth-friendly environment. The University has partnered with South Bend and the community in other ways as well, such as the groundbreaking Smart Sewer systems that use technology developed at Notre Dame and are now in use in dozens of cities worldwide. In 2015, the University helped secure a $42 million grant from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation for St. Joseph, Elkhart, and Marshall counties. In addition, studies show the University contributes $2.46 billion to the local economy each year.

The region has always been home to outstanding arts, entertainment, and recreation. The Morris Performing Arts Center downtown and Notre Dame’s own DeBartolo Performing Arts Center draw top national acts throughout the year. Near the Renaissance District sits Four Winds Field, home to the South Bend Cubs, the AAA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. The city also hosts the South Bend Roller Girls, a nonprofit flat-track roller derby league, and the East Race Waterway, which was the nation’s first artificial whitewater center. Golf enthusiasts love South Bend-area courses, which are both championship-caliber and accessible. Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame hosted the 2019 U.S. Senior Open and is considered one of the top public courses in the Midwest. Blackthorn Golf Club hosted a Symetra Tour event for about a decade, and Elbel Golf Course consistently shows off some of Indiana’s most stunning natural landscapes. In addition, South Bend is an easy drive from the metropolitan city of Chicago and the beaches of Lake Michigan, where charming coastal communities offer shopping and relaxation.

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OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Opportunity awaits the next Head of Stanley Clark as they are welcomed onto the impressive 30-acre campus. The facilities are both first-rate and well-maintained. A new state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center is scheduled to break ground in the near future. Engaged and committed teachers work in genuine partnership with one another to ensure that each child is recognized and honored. The school’s history is robust and its reputation for excellence and innovation has been well-earned since its founding. The Stanley Clark School retains both a strong educational and financial foundation and is poised to enhance its mission and vision with confidence and joy.

With the support of the school community, the next Head will:

• Be a strategic and visionary leader who is an inclusive, transparent, and decisive decision-maker.• Embody a positive, spirited voice in the broader community to preserve and strengthen the visibility

of the quality program the school offers.• Exhibit a thorough knowledge of current trends in pedagogy and personalized learning in order to

oversee the continual assessment and enhancement of Stanley Clark’s curricular offerings.• Continue to encourage the commitment and professional growth of its teachers and intensify efforts

to diversify and hire teachers who will bring rich experiences to the school.• Demonstrate an ability to connect and communicate effectively and transparently with faculty

members, administration, parents, students, community members, and the Board. • Collaborate with the Board to address how Stanley Clark can best adjust to region-wide demographic

trends; determine where the school can play to its strengths and where it can enhance its program.• Enjoy being an active and visible presence in the life of the school promoting strong, supportive

relationships with faculty, staff, and the administrative team, and fostering a sense of community.

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• Play an active role in a comprehensive outreach program that includes enrollment management, fundraising, secondary school placement, and broader community involvement to support the school’s aspirations.

DESIRED QUALITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

The next Head will be an advocate for the school – both internally and across the greater South Bend community – and an engaged and authentic presence at school and in the community. The successful candidate will possess positive energy, optimism, superb communication skills, and a long-term strategic perspective.

The successful Head will be a leader who:

• Actively solicits input and builds relationships, communicates with inspiration and clarity, and effectively delegates and empowers other team members.

• Exhibits a leadership style that is collaborative, invites and respects the perspectives and views of others, and is decisive when necessary.

• Embodies the spirit of kindness, warmth, and acceptance that permeates the school.• Demonstrates proven leadership and decision-making experience.• Has experience in education and evidence of a commitment to lifelong learning.• Possesses a sophisticated understanding of independent school business models and finances.• Authentically embodies the joy of learning in an early childhood to grade 8 setting.

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TO APPLY

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to contact the consultants 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 educational philosophy and practice or a writing sample.• 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:

Marguerite LloydSenior Consultantmarguerite.lloyd@carneysandoe.com

Burke ZaloshSearch Consultantburke.zalosh@carneysandoe.com