Director
American School of Yaounde (Cameroon)

Dear Friends and Colleagues,                                                                        

On behalf of Search Associates and the Board of Directors of the American School of Yaounde (ASOY) in Yaounde, Cameroon, we are pleased to announce that after a worldwide search which produced a large number of highly qualified candidates, Mr. Brad Bell has been selected as the new Director for the 2017-18 academic year.

Mr. Bell is currently Secondary Principal at the International School of Dakar (ISD) in Dakar, Senegal, a position he has held since 2012. He was previously High School Assistant Principal at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona. He has also held teaching and administrative positions in Cairo, Egypt as well as other locations in the USA.

Mr. Bell earned his B.A. in Physics from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City Tennessee, and a MS in Physical Education from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA. 

Brad will be accompanied by his wife Wendy Welander who is currently the IB Coordinator at IS Dakar.

The American School of Yaounde Board of Directors and Search Associates would like to thank all candidates who expressed interest in the ASOY Director position, and to everyone who assisted and supported the search process.

Sincerely,
Ralph Jahr and David Cramer
Search Associates

American School of Yaounde

is seeking a 

Director

to begin July, 2017

The Position

The American School of Yaounde (ASOY) is seeking an exceptional educator for the position of Director to begin July 2017. The ASOY Director is the instructional and administrative leader for the school and will assume responsibility for all educational and operational management. She/he will report to the Board, and will be evaluated against both leadership standards and annual goals established jointly with the Board.

The School

The American School of Yaounde (ASOY) is a Pre-K3 – Grade 12, co-educational independent day school founded in 1964. Governed by a seven-member Board representing members of the ASOY Association, ASOY is supported by the Office of Overseas Schools, U.S. Department of State, and is fully accredited by the Council of International Schools and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. ASOY earned its IB Diploma Program Authorization in the spring of 2016 and is currently a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years and Middle Years Programs. ASOY is an active member of the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA).

ASOY is a mission driven learning community that strives to engage all students in achieving academic success, in the development of critical thinking skills, and in becoming compassionate, global citizens. While ASOY embraces American-style and progressive pedagogies, we are mindful of both the richness of our host-country and community demographics’ ability to provide a rich and stimulating learning environment. Our Five-Year Strategic Plan, informed by our Mission, Vision and Objectives, is crafted around five Strategic Domains (Academic Programs; Faculty and Professional Development; School Culture, Communication, and Marketing; Facilities and Technology; and Financial Planning and Allocation) and guides school-wide improvement efforts and annual goals.

Our Community

We are an intentionally diverse group coming from a truly global parentage. At ASOY we are proud of our diversity, with over 40 nationalities represented among our 202 students and 37 faculty. We serve the diplomatic, NGO, and business population of Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. Our parents are active in their children’s education and are highly supportive of the school and the faculty. The school’s core values speak not only of aspiring to academic excellence but also to the development of the whole child. We are proud of the fact that 98% of our students will go on to attend prestigious international universities and that our classes are academically stimulating, as evidenced by our strong external exam results. But we are equally proud of other metrics, such as the high participation rates in our frequent Fine and Performing Arts showcases, our popular house program, and a rich and vibrant after-school program. In our most recent annual survey, parents cited our after-school offerings, arts programs, and the “sense of community” as their most valued aspects of the school.

The current structure of educational leadership at the school consists of the director (who also serves as the middle and high school principal), the elementary principal, the dean of students, and the IB DP and MYP coordinators. Currently, the elementary principal also serves as PYP coordinator.  School culture has thrived under a distributed leadership model with many faculty members taking on various leadership roles in the organization.

Our Curriculum

Through our academic program we strive to help every student reach his or her potential, while promoting the acquisition of 21st century critical thinking and problem solving skills. ASOY is devoted to excellence in the classroom by providing a broad curriculum based on the AERO/Common Core Plus Standards, adapted to our school context by the faculty according to our program of inquiry and the IB frameworks. This includes ample opportunities for character education and life skills development. Philosophically we embrace constructivist approaches to teaching; fostering deep, conceptual understanding; encouraging creative and critical thinking; and providing rich feedback and descriptive assessment to enhance learning. We expect our teachers to embrace collaboration, student centered-approaches, and thoughtful integration of learning technologies.

Our Campus, Life in Yaounde and the Region

During the 2014 – 2015 school year, we began an extensive facilities overhaul, with both new construction and renovation of existing buildings. The new facilities include enlarged classrooms, state-of-the-art science labs, and improved security features. Complementing the classroom facilities, our campus provides our community with a soccer field, swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, an elementary school playground, as well as two computer labs, a music room, an art room and a very popular canteen which serves an array of choices of a wide variety of cuisines at both snack and lunch time. International families come regularly after school and on the weekend to use our facilities giving ASOY a true “community school” feel.

Yaoundé, known as the city on 7 hills, is the capital city of Cameroon, and enjoys a humid and tropical climate. It is located 200 kilometers from the coast at an altitude of 700 meters. Douala is the business capital of Cameroon and the country’s major port on the Gulf of Guinea. French and English are the two official languages; however, French is more widely spoken and is the predominant language of Yaoundé and Douala. Travel opportunities within and around Cameroon abound. The country is often referred to as “Africa in Miniature” and boasts abundant opportunities to enjoy the verdant scenery and lovely, laid-back beaches. The Cameroonian people are gentle, warm and hospitable. But Cameroon is a developing nation, like many African countries. Candidates need to be aware that water, power, and internet outages are some of the challenges that are part of life here and while the school has reserve water tanks and generators both on campus and at school-provided housing, we all must be mindful of their use in order to conserve these precious resources.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate for this position will be someone who is a proven leader, who thrives on collaboration and community building, and who is a passionate and reflective educator. To be successful in our school context, the Director should be resilient, adaptable, and possess a keen sense of humor.

In addition to the above, we are looking for someone with:

• Proven track record of success as a previous administrator
• Prior experience working in an American curriculum-based international school, preferably in a developing country or challenging environment
• Graduate degree (Masters or PhD) in Education or Educational Administration
• Strong communication skills, including public speaking and written communication within and outside the school community
• Has an approachable interpersonal style and will be a visible presence on campus and in the community
• Highly effective management skills characterized by transparency and orientated towards process, results, and people, with experience in the implementation of a strategic plan
• Financial acumen and budgeting experience
• Experience working collaboratively with School Board(s)
• Experience working in all levels of education
• Deep knowledge of or experience with IB Diploma Program
• Evidence of ability to recruit and retain quality administrators and faculty
• High integrity and strong ethical values

Compensation and Benefits

ASOY offers an initial contract term of three years (renewable). The remuneration package is competitive within the region. Benefits include housing, utilities, use of a school vehicle, comprehensive medical insurance, retirement program, professional development allowance, annual home leave, transportation at the beginning and end of contract, and shipping allowance.

Application Procedures

ASOY has appointed Search Associates as its consultant in its search for a Director, with Ralph Jahr, Jim Ambrose and David Cramer as the lead consultants. The deadline for applications is December 1^st 2016. Candidates are asked to submit a letter of interest and the requested materials listed below as early as possible as the Search Committee reserves the right to close the selection process at any time if the right candidate is found. On-line interviews will be arranged with the intention to complete the final selection by February 1^st 2017 or earlier.

The review of candidates will begin as soon as applications are received. Finalists will be selected by the Search Committee and 2 or 3 finalists will be selected as early in the process as possible. The new Director will be selected after the conclusion of the site visit, final interviews, and reference checks. The new Director will begin in July 2017.

Candidates should send the information listed below as a single pdf file of 5MB or less in size attached to an email:

• A letter of application, explaining your strengths as a candidate and why you are interested in the ASOY position.
• A statement describing your management and educational philosophy, not to exceed two pages.
• A current résumé not to exceed two pages.
• A one-page list of references with current addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
• A maximum of three letters of reference that may already be in your possession.

Applications should be sent to rjahr@searchassociates.com and jambrose@searchassociates.com and dcramer@searchassociates.com .

Child Protection at ASOY

In addition to commitment to hiring dynamic and committed educators, ASOY is also mindful of the obligation to provide a safe and caring learning environment for our community and has fully implemented child protection policies and procedures.

Therefore, we require anyone wishing to join our professional community to provide requested up-to-date and accurate screening information.