Founded in 1972, The Mount Vernon School is a leading private school of inquiry, innovation, and impact.

Anchored in Christian values — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — relationships at Mount Vernon are foundational to learning. Preparing students to be college ready, globally competitive, and engaged citizen leaders calls us to lean into inclusion, diversity, equity, and action.

Creating and cultivating connections between all people, ideas, and sectors, the School welcomes all learners to wrestle with voices and perspectives that challenge our assumptions, biases, stereotypes, and privileges. Not allowing our differences to divide us requires each of us to engage in honest, vulnerable, and courageous conversations through empathy, reflection, examination, and action. Being real agents of change is a continuous journey.

Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, our trust in each other strengthens our sense of identity, autonomy, and interdependence. As a school of inquiry, innovation, and impact, we are committed to creating and sustaining a school culture where all members feel valued and safe, sharing their authentic selves to design a better world…together.

Summary

Mount Vernon seeks an innovative thought-and-action leader to take our maker, arts, and design programs to the next level. The School has spent the past decade developing excellent arts & maker/design/engineering programs. These programs have won several awards, and staff have presented at conferences around the world in the areas of arts innovation and the maker movement. In 2015, Mount Vernon built its first state-of-the-art, Lower School maker lab and has since added 3 additional maker spaces in Middle and Upper Schools. The Arts program became ‘Mount Vernon Studios’ in 2021, with a focus on wellness, diversity, and connection to the creative industry. 

As we look at programs like The Rhode Island School of Design & Savannah College of Art & Design, we continue to explore how we might build a program where form intersects naturally with function, where studio habits of mind complement the design thinking process, where an inquiry-based approach leads students to create original, functional, industry-grade work and allows them to have an impact on their world today. 

This role will require someone with expertise in arts education and maker education with an eye toward innovation/integration. As the director, this role will build relationships of trust with 20+ team members and facilitate curricular alignment, manage resources/budget, and coordinate logistics for a full season of Grade 6-12 Maker, Arts & Design events.

Responsibilities

• Align Maker, Arts & Design programs with the mission/vision of the School
• Design, communicate, and manage a wide variety of arts events/showcases (maker/design, theatre, music, visual/digital, dance)
• Manage/coordinate communication & scheduling for extra-curricular arts programs and teams
• Manage Maker, Arts & Design budgets/equipment across divisions
• Develop stories highlighting Maker, Arts & Design achievements for social media and school communications
• Coordinate Maker, Arts & Design staffing, spaces, & schedules in collaboration with divisional leadership
• Monitor and communicate trends/innovations in Maker, Arts & Design education with admin & staff
• Advocate for Maker, Arts & Design programs & faculty
• Connect with students through teaching or coaching opportunities
• Track student engagement/retention in Maker, Arts & Design programs
• Attend school, division, & department meetings

Ideal candidates will have these key attributes

• Lifelong Artist & Maker |What does the future hold for artists, makers, and the creative economy? Candidates should have a wealth of experience in various art forms as well as real world experience in the arts/design industry.
• Innovative Connector | Our Maker, Arts & Design instructors are called “connectors” because we believe that Maker, Arts & Design connects people, cultures, & academic disciplines. Demonstrating a high level of EQ by connecting with and empowering others is essential to success in this role.
• Opportunity Builder | What opportunities can we make available for students to demonstrate their artistic and maker skills? How can we showcase students in deep and meaningful ways by engineering opportunities for students to inspire peers, parents, and professionals?
• Detailed Planner | Planning events, communicating schedules, and activating volunteers requires a planner who looks ahead, breaks down projects into actionable steps, and executes with efficiency. At Mount Vernon, we make incredible things happen, even when it means jumping in to set up for an event or manage complex projects.
• Faculty Champion | Each of our team members manages a robust program of their own. Having a champion who can help them manage and amplify their programs means building trust with someone who cares deeply for them and their programs.
• Data Collector | We can only manage what we measure. How are we tracking engagement & success by embedding data collection into our systems and processes?

• Bachelor’s Degree/Experience in Arts, Design, Education or related field
  • Master’s Degree in Arts, Design, Education, or Leadership preferred
• Experience managing a team of teachers/directors
• Strong character with a drive for excellence, a team-oriented spirit, and a commitment to meeting the learning and social-emotional needs of students
• Experience in a variety of Maker, Arts & Design-related skills preferred 
  • Industry experience preferred

Start Date | July 2023