Director
The Anglo-American School of Moscow (Russia)

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

On behalf of the Board of Directors and Search Committee of the Anglo-American School of Moscow in Moscow, Russia, we are pleased to announce that Ms Rhonda Norris has been appointed as the new Director beginning in August 2018.

Ms Norris is currently Head of School at Carol Morgan School in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic where she has served since 2015. She has also held administrative positions at IS-Beijing, Canadian Academy, Singapore American School, AIS-Riyadh and in the USA.

Ms Norris earned her BBA at the University of Texas at Austin, an MEd at Texas State University, and Educational Leadership certification at Stephen F. Austin University in Texas.

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

Sincerely,
Ralph Jahr and David Cramer
Search Associates

The Anglo-American School of Moscow

Moscow, Russia

seeks a

Director

For 2018-19

Search Reopened

The School

The Director search for the Anglo-American School of Moscow has been reopened with a new deadline for applications of 7 July 2017.

    The Anglo-American School of Moscow, Russia (AAS) was established in 1949 in the pressrooms of the British Embassy and chartered by the American, British and Canadian Embassies for the dependents of the employees of those missions. It began with the vision that it would grow and eventually enroll students representing many nationalities. Currently, in addition to Americans, British and Canadians, the school serves expatriates from more than 68 different countries in two campuses located in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The school follows an international curriculum and takes account of the need to prepare students for schools in the countries of the governing Embassies. A requirement to equip students with new competences of the 21st Century is at the core of learning. The school offers many extracurricular activities found in other international schools. AAS is a private, non-profit coeducational day school which provides each student with a strong academic background and an environment where each student may experience intellectual growth, a respect for self and others, competence in extra-curricular areas, an appreciation for creativity and artistic expression and preparation to become a responsible global citizen.

School Mission Statement

AAS empowers each student to

• Respect self and others
• Love learning, and
• Contribute as a globally-aware citizen

in order to achieve individual, academic and holistic excellence.

                                                                                    (Board Policy 2.20)

School Vision

We inspire student learning

• Through a dynamic and caring environment
• With innovative and effective instructional strategies
• In collaborative relationship, and
• By using current, relevant technologies, and the rich resources of our diverse community.

School Core Values 
The School believes equally in the value of:

• Making decisions based on the students’ best interests;
• Developing the whole child;
• Supporting student success through community partnerships:
• Delivering a challenging and inquiry-based curriculum in an engaging manner;
• Reviewing curriculum via a reflective and dynamic process;
• Respecting self and others;
• Providing an emotionally and physically safe environment where people want to come each day; and
• Providing students with an international perspective in order to prepare them for future challenges and contributions.
  (Board Policy 2.10)

Strategic Plan 
The school adopted a rolling agile strategic plan that focuses on implementation of a personalized learning model aligned with the school mission of empowering students to achieve individual, academic and holistic excellence.

School Campuses and Facilities

AAS Moscow is composed of two campuses. The Moscow campus consists of a large purpose-built facility that opened in August 2000. It is located on a six-acre site next to a park in northwestern Moscow. Facilities include 85 classrooms, 4 computer laboratories, 8 science laboratories, 5 art rooms, 6 music rooms, 2 black box theaters, a well-resourced library, 2 large gymnasia, 3 playing fields (one covered with artificial turf), 3 tennis courts, 3 dining rooms, an aerobics/dance studio, two artificial turf play space for younger students. 2 ice rinks are set up in the winter. The campus also features a state-of-the-art 630-seat theater for theatrical productions, musical concerts, and assemblies, an aquatics complex with 2 swimming pools for learners and more advanced swimmers, and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

The AAS St. Petersburg campus opened in 1971. It is a smaller campus housed in a recently renovated 1920’s school building rented from the city government. In addition to 19 classrooms there is a gymnasium, library, computer lab, two music/multipurpose rooms, cafeteria and a playground. It is a dynamic vibrant developing school division functioning in direct contact with Moscow campus and benefits from exchange programs and visits to enhance student learning and faculty professional development.

School Students
The Moscow campus has a total Pre-K through Grade 12 enrollment of 1160 students representing .68 countries. There is a waiting list in most grade levels. The St. Petersburg campus has an enrollment of 183 students (Pre-K – Grade 12) from 35 countries. The capacity of the building is 250 students

School Calendar
The academic year consists of 180 student contact days divided into two semesters. Classes run from approximately the third week of August through the third week of June. Teachers are contracted for 188 days.  

School Faculty and Administration
AAS administrators include the Director; Director of Finance and Operations; Director of Learning; Director of Admissions; Director of Communications and Development; and Director of Human Resources. The High School, Middle School and St. Petersburg Principals each have an Assistant Principal and the Elementary School Principal has two Assistant Principals.

The Moscow and St. Petersburg campuses employ approximately 180 teachers with the majority being US, UK or Canadian citizens. Both campuses are fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the Council of International Schools. AAS is recognized as an IBO (International Baccalaureate Organization) World School with PYP and IBDP programs.  It is a member of the Central and Eastern European School Association (CEESA) and the European Council of International Schools (ECIS).

School Curriculum
Students follow an international curriculum, which ensures a solid grounding in English/Language Arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Russian, French or Spanish, art, music, computer skills and physical education are also included. The high school provides a college-preparatory program leading to a High School Diploma that can be supplemented with International Baccalaureate certificates or a full IB Diploma. The elementary school offers the IBO Primary Years Program.  Class size ranges from 16-18 students.

The Special Education Needs (SEN) team is headed by the SEN Coordinator and includes an educational psychologist, a speech and language pathologist, two occupational therapy assistants, a gifted and talented coordinator, and divisional specialist teachers (Learning Support and English as an Additional Language) who provide support to students identified with unique learning needs not met by the standard AAS curriculum.

The school has a well-established EAL program and there is an afterschool Mother Language program for native speakers of Russian, French, Spanish and several other languages. Extensive extra-curricular activities include a variety of clubs for younger students, athletic and activities programs for students in the middle and high school divisions. The staff engages in ongoing professional development throughout the year.  

A Gifted and Talented program has been started this school year. 

School Governance
A nine-member Board of Directors governs the school. It consists of five embassy representatives appointed by the ambassadors of the three sponsoring embassies, the PTO President, three members from the AAS community appointed by the Board, and one non-voting faculty representative. In addition to the annual Board retreat the Board meets six times in open and executive sessions during the school year. Much of the Board’s work is done via Board committees: Executive, Finance & Facilities, Policy & Governance, and the Advisory Committee in St. Petersburg.

School Community 
Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia with a metropolitan population of over 14 million. It is the largest European city and one of the world’s largest urban areas. The country's political, economic, religious, financial, educational and transportation center, Moscow is located on the Moscow River in the Central Federal District of Russia. It is the site of the Moscow Kremlin, which serves as the ceremonial residence of the President of Russia. 

Moscow has a temperate climate with warm summers and cold winters. Typical high temperatures in the warm months of June, July and August are around 22 °C (72 °F); in the winter, temperatures normally drop to approximately -12 °C (10 °F). 

Moscow’s world-famous museums and galleries are some of the largest and most important in the world. Frequent art exhibitions offer both the new and classic and are derived from diverse branches of the visual arts - painting, photography, and sculpture.

With its large number of massive parks, Moscow is a very green city compared to other cities of comparable size in Western Europe and America. Biking, walking, roller blading and cross-country skiing are very common park activities. As a result of this and other factors the air quality is good for such a large city. The city also possesses a large number of various sport facilities.

There are three primary commercial airports serving Moscow: Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, and Vnukovo International Airports. Local transport includes the Moscow Metro, a metro system famous for its art, murals, mosaics, and ornate chandeliers serving more than nine million passengers daily.

School Achievements and Challenges 

• Continue to focus and develop Personalized Learning 
• Political landscape becoming more challenging 
• Continue professional development of faculty regarding new initiatives 
• Maintain inclusiveness of school and its highly-respected reputation
• Develop more shared relationships among elementary, middle and high schools.

Director Position

The Director is responsible to the Board of Directors and for providing a direction of the school reflective of the academic requirements of the state and independent primary and secondary schools in the countries of the chartering Embassies. He/she exercises general supervision over the faculty and administrative staff of the School; implements Board policy and has direct responsibility for the management, organization and supervision of all school activities. The Director also works with the Board to develop and implement the AAS Strategic Plan. 

Required Qualifications

• US citizenship 
• Previous successful high-level administrative experience, preferably in a large international school 
• A graduate degree in education or a related field
• Outstanding Leadership qualities
• Demonstrated success in recruiting and retaining excellent faculty and staff
• Mobility and readiness to take regular trips to the St. Petersburg campus
• Illustrated involvement with security/student welfare/child protection
• Successful completion of a criminal background check

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of and experience with IB and AP programs
• Open to considering a commitment beyond the initial three-year contract
• Administrative credential
• Successful experience as a teacher and principal

Desired Personal Characteristic

• Passion for educational excellence, embrace Personalized Learning
• Able to create and implement grounded, shared vision and a long-term strategic view
• Appreciates and celebrates ethnic/cultural diversity
• Well-developed organizational skills and both written and verbal communication skills
• Willingness to delegate authority and the ability to recognize good ideas from others
• Recognizes expertise among members of the parent community and welcomes parental participation in school activities and events
• Well-developed interpersonal skills and a sense of humor
• Dynamic instructional leader of learning and quality teaching
• High energy level and high visibility around the school
• Collaborative and relationship-based leadership style
• Strong, consistent leadership – approachable but able to make tough decisions
• Good listening skills. Confident and open enough to hear what is being said.
• Knowledgeable in and a proponent of technology

Director Salary and Benefits
Salary for the Director’s position is highly competitive and will be commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience. Benefits include an annual travel allowance, an automobile for personal and professional use, furnished housing with all utilities paid, health insurance, tuition for school-age dependents, retirement contribution, shipping allowance for household goods and an allowance for professional development.

Procedures for Filing an Application
The Anglo-American School of Moscow (AAS) has appointed Search Associates as consultant in the Director search with Ralph Jahr and David Cramer being the lead consultants. The new deadline for applications is July 31, 2017. Candidates are asked to submit a letter of interest and the requested materials as early as possible as the Search Committee/Board of Directors reserves the right to close the selection process at any time if the right candidate is found. The review of files will begin as soon as applications are received. Skype video interviews of selected candidates will take place on a rolling basis and can be scheduled at any time after applications have been received. Site visits will be arranged for finalist candidates in mid-September, during the week of 11th or 18th of September 2017. The new Director will be selected immediately after interviews of the finalist candidates have been completed. Current plans are to have the new Director identified prior to the end of September 2017.

Candidates should send the information listed below as a single pdf file attached to an email:

• A letter of application describing your interest in the Director position at the Anglo-American School of Moscow, listing your strengths as a candidate and how your qualifications and experience align with the profile of the desired candidate.
• A current resumé not to exceed two pages
• A one-page list of at least 4 referees with current phone numbers and email addresses
• A maximum of three letters of reference (scanned at low resolution) that may already be in your possession

Total document size should be kept to less than four (4) MB if possible. 

Applications should be sent to:  

RJahr@searchassociates.com and to DCramer@searchassociates.com

Additional information about the Anglo-American School of Moscow can be found at the school’s website at www.aas.ru.

Ralph Jahr Tel: 609-759-0431 USA – Pacific Time Zone
Skype – ralph.h.jahr Email: RJahr@searchassociates.com 

David Cramer Tel – 412-656-0456 USA - Eastern Time Zone 
Skype – dcphelix Email – DCramer@searchassociates.com