Headmaster

Thomas More is seeking a passionate and industrious chief executive with an entrepreneurial spirit to oversee the foundation and operation of a K–6 school at the start, with plans for expansion to K–12. As the leader of the school, he or she will be entrusted with the education and well-being of its students and the academic reputation of that community. The Headmaster must undertake the responsibilities of prudently stewarding substantial private funds and ultimately impart to posterity students willing and capable of sustaining America as a unique beacon of freedom and liberty.

The Headmaster must know that he or she is shaping young men and women for lives of character, faithful to how a classical education trains both the mind and the heart. The leader must be equally attentive to the school's curriculum, pedagogy, and culture because he or she knows that ethical and intellectual living is practiced in and outside of the classroom. The school leader must model virtuous living and the love of learning for its own sake to the students and his or her community. He or she will understand the value of a liberal arts education and be able to articulate that clearly and effectively. As a proponent of American classical education informed by the Western tradition, the Headmaster must build a culture focused on principled self-government and civic responsibility.

As a school leader in Alaska, the “Last Frontier,” this role offers a unique opportunity to lead a school in a region unlike any other, with a rugged, entrepreneurial culture that values resourcefulness and an appreciation for the physical majesty of God’s creation. The ideal candidate will embrace these aspects of Alaskan life while guiding a school that nurtures intellectual and spiritual growth.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversees the leadership, management, and accountability of the school’s leadership team and overall operations;

• Coaches and observes teachers regularly, documenting results and providing feedback and mentoring to improve their instruction for the benefit of students;

• Takes full responsibility for everything within the school, promoting growth through delegation while maintaining accountability, which requires a strong sense of ownership and deep commitment to leading with empathy and humility;

• Regularly communicates with the Board of Directors, reports on school operations, and contributes to the board-approved budget;

• Represents the school in external affairs, including interactions with the public, business and civic organizations, donors, Hillsdale College, and government officials;

• Understands and communicates with the broader classical movement to promote better education in our country and is committed to the larger network of schools of which he or she may be a part;

• Navigates state accountability or accreditation system for private schools as appropriate and laws relevant to Thomas More and maintains the appropriate school leader credentials as required by law.

Qualities and Characteristics

• Able to discern the ends that fulfill the nature and purpose of the organization, and to chart a strategic course to reach those ends;

• Able to inform and inspire people to follow, to commit, to take responsibility, to perform, and to cooperate in an effective manner, and the ability to raise up leaders in an organization;

• A recognizable executive aptitude for the business and operational aspects of school leadership through effective prioritization and stakeholder coordination;

• Excellent moral character with demonstrated personal integrity, decisiveness, and honesty, fostering trust, confidence, and unity within TMCS and the surrounding community through a balance of discipline and compassion;

• Appreciation for his or her own strengths and weaknesses and the ability to build an administrative team through the hiring of assistant principals and deans who will offset those weaknesses;

• Intellectual depth befitting of the leader of an academic institution, with a love of learning demonstrated by an ongoing personal pursuit of knowledge and a desire to share that knowledge with others;

• Public-spirited, ambitious about the school and its effect on the wider community, state, and nation, committed to the local community as an active participant, an energetic advocate for classical education as being good for all learners;

• Commitment to reform in contemporary American education, energized with courage and governed by prudence;

• Enjoys interacting with children and believes that classical education leads them on the path to true happiness.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Broad and deep familiarity with the classical liberal arts, its roots in the Western tradition, and its historical presence in American education prior to the 20th century;

• An understanding of the ills that plague contemporary primary and secondary schools and the root causes of those problems;

• Knowledge of the craft of the educator in order to coach teachers to greater degrees of effectiveness in the classroom and to communicate effectively in both oral and written forms;

• Able to maintain a high degree of energy and personal productivity; to prioritize and get things done and multi-task; and to show the intellectual and emotional strength in having difficult conversations;

• An understanding of personnel management principles, including recruiting and hiring, supervising, and evaluating, and individual and organizational development, along with financial management principles, including planning a budget and managing to it throughout a school year, the needs and expectation of regular auditing, and a system of sound fiscal controls.

A Land of Majestic Beauty and Wonder – Why Alaska?

Alaska offers a unique environment for a leader who thrives in a frontier-like culture. The Headmaster must appreciate the natural beauty of Alaska and understand how its rugged, entrepreneurial spirit can inspire and shape a school community. The outdoors plays a significant role in Alaskan life, and Thomas More seeks a leader who will embrace this, guiding students to see God’s creation and nurturing their intellectual and spiritual development within this context.