ABOUT VERTEX PARTNERSHIP ACADEMIES
Founded in 2022, Vertex Partnership Academies (Vertex), a one-of-a-kind, virtues based public charter high school network invites nominations and applications as it seeks a dynamic and visionary inaugural Head of School to expand and grow its first 9th to 12th grade high school in the Bronx, New York City.
Vertex has received philanthropic funding from New Schools Venture Fund, Walton Family Foundation, The Charina Endowment Fund, the William E. Simon Foundation, the Louis Calder Foundation, Stand Together, Morgridge Family Foundation, and Charter School Growth Fund, and a wide range of successful individuals who support a traditional model of high school education. Vertex also received special recognition as a model of social enterprise from Harvard Business School.
Vertex Partnership Academies was founded by CEO Ian V. Rowe, a recognized leader and entrepreneur in public education who, for a decade (2010-2020), was the CEO of Public Prep, a $42+ million non-profit network of public charter elementary and middle schools in the South Bronx. Rowe is also a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a senior visiting fellow at the Woodson Center, and the author of the book Agency: The Four Point Plan (F.R.E.E.) for ALL Children to Overcome the Victimhood Narrative and Discover Their Pathway to Power. As Founder and CEO of Vertex, Rowe has enlisted Katharine Birbalsingh, the Headmistress of Michaela Community School in Wembley, London, a school whose academic results are among the highest across all of Great Britain.
Wembley, a large urban neighborhood, has a majority minority population and is considered one of the most diverse neighborhoods in London. As a Strategic Advisor, Birbalsingh is working collaboratively with Rowe to provide mentorship and operational guidance to the inaugural Head of School to ensure that Vertex is well positioned for continued growth and success on behalf of families in the similarly diverse Bronx neighborhood of New York City.
The inaugural Head of School will have an educational philosophy rooted in the practice of leading faculty to deliver a classical education complete with rigor and direct instruction for the purpose of inspiring excellence among scholars. Given the unique demographics of the Bronx as a neighborhood with predominantly Hispanic and African American children, the inaugural Head of School must believe in the ability of ALL children to achieve high levels of literacy and numeracy in preparation for higher education, the world of work and beyond.
As a distinctive learning community, Vertex Partnership Academies has created a school culture that centers a classical liberal arts education that is informed by the Western Canon. By prioritizing academic rigor, Vertex focuses on the “trivium” of grammar as a basis for literacy, logic through the reading of key Western Civilization texts to explore the world, and rhetoric via teaching scholars to make cogent arguments about the world around them. Critical thinking is further explored through subject proficiency in history as a contextual element to promote higher level thinking while science supports critical thinking as the root of inquiry. The study of languages as a connection to ancient and contemporary analysis serves to ensure that scholars are well rounded.
Guided by the four cardinal virtues of Courage, Justice, Temperance, and Wisdom, student scholars are expected to internalize and memorize these “I” statements:
Courage
- I reject victimhood and boldly persevere, even in times of uncertainty and struggle.
Justice
- I uphold our common humanity and honor the inherent dignity of each individual.
Temperance
- I lead my life with self-discipline because I am responsible for my learning and behavior.
Wisdom
- I make sound judgments, based on knowledge of objective, universal truth.
By utilizing a pedagogical framework that embraces classical education and is directed by teacher-led instruction, Vertex Partnership Academies aims to change the lives of students from the Bronx and beyond by developing them into internationally minded young people who recognize their own humanity and work to create a better society.
Vertex Partnership Academies’ focus is to ensure that its graduates will be empathic leaders that will be academically well-rounded, multilingual, compassionate, and knowledgeable of the world around them.
The school will provide students with a rigorous academic experience that will allow them to excel at a range of distinctive colleges and universities throughout the country and around the world. In support of Vertex Partnerships Academies’ commitment to providing students with a high-quality global education, Vertex is pursuing authorization to become an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. In addition to academic opportunities, Vertex Partnership Academies will also offer students the ability to pursue apprenticeships and internships in selected industries to earn credentials that could lead to immediate employment upon graduation.
HEAD OF SCHOOL POSITION AND DESIRED QUALITIES
The Head of School, which will be the first in the school’s history, will oversee all aspects of Vertex Partnership Academies’ educational divisions and operational functions. In partnership with the CEO and the Principals, the Head of School will continue the expansion of the high school (adding one grade level each year, along with a bridge year between grades, until the school fully supports grades 9-12) which will ultimately lead to the creation of both lower grade and upper grade level divisions within the high school.
As Vertex Partnership Academies grows, the school's two principals will have increased responsibility for their prospective divisions with a focus on curriculum, faculty instruction, student engagement, assessment, and retention. Under the mentorship of the new Head of School, Ian K. Rowe and Katharine Birbalsingh, the principals will have access to best-in-class professional development, support, and ongoing guidance.
The ideal candidate will be a highly engaged, dynamic, and stoical leader who deeply understands and appreciates the value of traditional education and instruction. The Head of School will display the highest integrity, confidence, courage, and conviction in leading the school forward and meeting the educational needs of the diverse student body that it serves. An experienced educational leader that centers character development and student agency, the Head of School will identify new opportunities that will help with Vertex Partnership Academies’ expansion, both locally and nationally. An ideal candidate will demonstrate the following skills and expertise:
- Familiarity and/or experience providing direct instruction in the classroom.
- Sustainability mindset with a systems-based approach to problem solving.
- Ability to build upon the successes.
- Highly adaptable with a commitment to going above and beyond what’s necessary.
- Connections/ Knowledge or willingness to get to know the local community with a desire to create and/or strengthen local partnerships.
- Palpable enjoyment in regularly interacting with students, families, and staff.
- Excellent delegation and task management skills.
- High emotional intelligence and compassion.
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is high 100’s to low 200’s.
The search committee will immediately begin accepting nominations and reviewing applications, which should include a resume/CV and a letter of interest that outlines the following:
- Alignment with classical/traditional education philosophy.
- Experience teaching and/or coaching direct instruction classrooms.
- Educational Leadership philosophy.
- Penchant for thriving in a start-up school with high potential.
If you are an aspiring and sitting leader with a growth mindset who is open to working collaboratively, developing teachers, and also expanding and growing a school that centers learning and success for all children, then this Head of School opportunity is for you!
Storbeck Search is assisting Vertex Partnership Academies with this search.
For more information, please see the Vertex Partnership Academies website.
Vertex Partnership Academies is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.