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StevenSon SchoolPebble beach, california

Director of college counSelingJuly 1, 2017

www.stevensonschool.org

The School

Founded in 1952, Stevenson School is one of the leading independent boarding and day schools in the western United States. Enrolling 750 students in grades PK-12, it is a distinctly warm and supportive school, operating two campuses on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula, which is 120 miles south of San Francisco. Stevenson offers its students, faculty, and staff a values-driven community experience influenced by the distinctive beauty, ecological biodiversity, and contemplative nature of California’s Central Coast.

For more than 60 years, Stevenson has welcomed students from across the country and around the world, preparing them for honest and honorable lives. As an American school with a global sensibility, Stevenson is premised on a vision of education as the means by which we discover the world and contribute to its transformation, and the belief that one’s education is best pursued in the company of others, for others’ benefit as well as one’s own. Its Latin motto—Suaviter in modo, fortiter in re (“Gentle in manner, resolute in action”)—inspires both humility and perseverance.

Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85 returned to Stevenson in July 2015 to succeed Joe Wandke, who retired following 32 years of service, as President and Head of School. Arriving from The Hotchkiss School, where he served as Head of School and before that Dean of Faculty, Kevin also served as the Dean of Berkeley College at Yale University, and has taught English and coached at a variety of secondary schools, both public and private, as well as colleges and universities. Kevin brings a new sense of excitement, intention, and leadership to the school that has faculty genuinely enthused to work together to enhance instructional excellence in a supportive and values-based learning environment.

1The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com

Mission Statement(Pebble Beach Campus, Grades 9-12)Stevenson, a selective school for college-bound boarding and day students, commits to three aims:• to prepare students for success in college and beyond• to foster their passion for learning and achievement• to help them shape a joyful life

Therefore, we maintain:• a faculty and staff of gifted, principled, attentive adults• a lively curriculum—innovative in method, scholarly in content, and global in scope• an exceptional range of academic, athletic, and artistic choices for students to explore, both

independently and with friends• a respectful, welcoming community, grounded in ethical and spiritual values• a serene, comfortable campus along the magnificent forested coastline of the Monterey Peninsula


Stevenson seeks an experienced Director of College Counseling who will report to the Head of the Upper Division. The successful candidate will direct a comprehensive and student-centered college counseling program that is consistent with the School’s mission and emphasizes best-fit philosophy. S/he will supervise two Associate Directors of the College Center and coordinate the work of eight faculty members who serve as both teachers and part-time college counselors. This uncommon structure provides an exciting opportunity for a thoughtful, creative, and collaborative college counselor to support a diverse and vibrant student body and to lead an innovative program.

hiSTory

Robert Ricklefs—who served on General Eisenhower’s staff during World War II—founded Stevenson School in 1952. Named for the expatriate Scottish writer, composer, and adventurer Robert Louis Stevenson—who spent a portion of his life in the vicinity—the school embraces its namesake’s daring spirit by valuing creativity, curiosity, responsibility, and independence in all of its pursuits. The original campus covered 17 wooded acres and consisted of six rustic buildings—a different picture from the nationally and internationally recognized school it is today. Thanks to Ricklefs’ leadership, the school added 16 new buildings and acquired 21 more acres of land during his tenure, and achieved sharp increases in enrollment.

Stevenson opened its doors to girls as day students in 1976 and as boarders in 1988. Joe Wandke began his 32-year tenure as Head of School in 1983. Under his leadership, the school experienced significant periods of growth and expansion while securing its position as a leader in independent education. The original campus has been renovated extensively; grades K-8 were added on a separate campus in 1988 (a vibrant PK program was added in 2011). Today, Stevenson School is a selective, coeducational boarding and day school with two campuses located three miles apart—in Pebble Beach and Carmel—that include 30 buildings on 50 acres.


The 500-student upper division, comprised of grades 9-12, is located on the original Pebble Beach Campus (where about 60% of students are boarders); the 250-student elementary and middle divisions, comprised of grades PK-8, are located on the Carmel Campus.

AcAdemicS And FAculTy

The upper division offers students a challenging program of study, an average class size of 14, and a supportive advisory program. Teachers train students in essential academic skills, while also fostering their social and emotional growth. Students are taught to think critically, collaborate, reflect, innovate, and communicate while learning how to refine and pursue their ambitions and support those of their peers. As a college-preparatory school, Stevenson’s upper division classes are challenging, and geared for motivated students.

Stevenson offers a wide range of courses designed to prepare students for further study at colleges and universities around the world. Students take courses in English, fine arts, foreign languages, history, mathematics, science, technology, and outdoor education. A wide variety of rigorous courses in a range of subjects are available, some of which are designated as “honors” and others as Advanced Placement (AP). Emphasizing critical thinking and inquiry-based learning, 20 AP classes are offered. 89% of AP exams taken by Stevenson students in May 2016 received a 3 or better.

The faculty ranges in experience with many long-standing teachers and several alums. They enjoy strong relationships with each other (“many of my best friends come from these colleagues”) as well as with students, and many have found that the campus and community have been a wonderful place to raise their families (“there’s a magic to the place”). Teachers are focused on providing high quality classroom experiences and sustaining academic excellence yet in a more relaxed, casual, but intentional way. There is a genuine sense of care and people are invested in the work and in the school; the community is engaged and inclusive.


ArTS And AThleTicS

The visual and performing arts are an integral part of an education at Stevenson. While one year of art is required to graduate, extensive curricular and co-curricular artistic options allow students to express themselves and explore creatively. These opportunities ensure students feel empowered to be themselves and contributes to success in their academic endeavors. Stevenson offers three theatrical main stage productions a year and eight instrumental and vocal musical troupes; art classes ranging from painting, sculpture, and drawing to digital art, architecture, and fashion; ballet, jazz, and modern dance instruction, as well as the largest student-run radio station in the western United States, KSPB 91.9.

Stevenson’s athletics program offers a broad range of both competitive and non-competitive options. In addition to developing skills, strength, and coordination, participation in athletics teaches invaluable lessons in teamwork, dedication, and cooperation. With 24 competitive interscholastic teams – including football, lacrosse, golf, water polo, soccer, field hockey, sailing, baseball, volleyball and much more - students can excel at a favorite sport and are welcome to try a new one. The school’s professional coaching staff is student-focused and values sportsmanship above all else—and the Pirates regularly bring home local, regional, and state championships.

STudenT liFe

Student life at Stevenson is vibrant and diverse. Whether through clubs, student activities, service learning, the residential life program, or outdoor education, students have many opportunities to pursue their interests, make friends from across the country and around the world, and discover new talents and passions. Students are encouraged to take risks and try new things in a safe and


supportive environment. Stevenson also offers multiple student leadership opportunities acorss its programs.

Students interviewed appreciate the strong connections they have with faculty whom they find both very supportive and available. They are grateful for what they feel is effective preparation for life beyond Stevenson— development of independence, how to balance their time, and how to live on their own. Students indicate that their schools offers them dfferent options and paths, that it consistently offers new options and experiences both in and out of the classroom. They define Stevenson as an “open community,” “not judgmental,” where it is “ok to try new things in supportive and caring environment.” They also observe that “faculty love what they’re doing and love being here.”

Approximately 60% of students in the upper division live on campus. The Residential Life Program at Stevenson ensures that students have opportunities to reach their full potential while living on campus. Dorms are equipped to suit the needs of their residents and the atmosphere is friendly and familial. Student prefects help to oversee the environment of the dorms, as well as the school environment as a whole, and plan activities that build community and contribute to a student’s enjoyment of life at Stevenson.

The outdoor education program at Stevenson provides opportunities for weekend trips in a variety of activities including rock climbing, mountaineering, and kayaking in some of the area’s most beautiful and well-known national parks. After-school offerings are also available for students who wish to pursue physical activities off the playing field.


Pebble beAch, cAliForniA

While Pebble Beach is a small residential community, it and the surrounding communities of Monterey and Carmel are distinctively lively and culturally vibrant and just an hour drive from Silicon Valley and two hours from San Francisco. The Monterey Peninsula, called “the greatest meeting of land and sea in the world,” has attracted tourists, nature lovers, and artists since the late 19th century. Today, it is home not only to world-class golf courses, but also to considerable intellectual capital, located in such institutions as the Middlebury Institute for International Studies, California State University Monterey Bay, the Defense Language Institute, and the Naval Postgraduate School. It is also home to the superb Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station, as well as enriching annual gatherings such as the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Carmel Bach Festival, the Pebble Beach Authors and Ideas Festival, and the Concourse d’Elegance.

STevenSon’S college counSeling ProgrAm

The structure of Stevenson’s college counseling program is unique: at present, one full-time Director of College Counseling supervises two part-time Associate Directors of the College Center and coordinates the efforts of eight faculty members who serve as both teachers and part-time college counselors. The Associate Directors plan the college tours, coordinate college representative visits to campus (approximately 80 per year), oversee record keeping and maintence of systems such as Naviance, assist with workshops and communication, field questions from students and parents, and provide support to the Director and other college counselors. Each part-time college counselor advises with 10-15 students per year. Currently, the Director serves as the primary college counselor


for approximately 25-30% of each class (30-40 students) and as a resource for the rest of the class, leads communication efforts to students and parents, creates and delivers educational programming, is the point of contact for college admission officers, and represents Stevenson at college counseling and college admission events. The College Center is prominently located in The Rosen Family Student Center, which sits at the heart of campus.

The current Director of College Counseling, David Miller, plans a well-deserved retirement at the end of this school year. After two decades of teaching and coaching in public schools, Dave came to Stevenson as a “triple threat”—English teacher, football coach, and college counselor—in 1993. In his 23 years at Stevenson, he has earnestly and tirelessly worked to educate, counsel, and support students and their parents through the college search and application processes. He served as Stevenson’s ambassador beyond campus, and he recruited and coached the team of part-time college counselors, all of whom embrace the student-centered and best-fit ethos that is consistent with Stevenson’s philosophy and mission. Recognizing the challenges to this model, Dave and the college counseling team, in collaboration with Kevin Hicks, recently conducted a reflective and analytical self study that included participation and input from a visiting team of college counselors from other independent schools. The observations and recommendations from this self study alongside the new Director’s expertise and vision will inform the evolution of the program.

oPPorTuniTieS And chAllengeS

The new Director of College Counseling inherits a model that allows many students the option to work closely with faculty members who may have been or will be their teachers, coaches, and/or dormitory faculty. With the college counseling duties dispersed among faculty members who have additional and equally important responsibilities, it has often been challenging for the team to meet regularly, establish best practices, set benchmarks, and attend to professional development. With the support of senior administrative leadership, the new Director will thoughtfully and creatively address these


challenges with the team.

Working arm-in-arm with the Director are the two part-time Associate Directors. Mary Kay Orosco has worked in the College Center for 15 years and Ann McLaughlin for six years. Their children attended Stevenson and both were active volunteers in the community before working in the College Center. They are warm, student-centered, collaborative, and hard working, and they unabashedly love the Stevenson community and their colleagues. Their role was initially largely clerical, but as they have become more proficient, they have proven themselves able to field questions from and provide advice to students, parents, and faculty members.

The current program includes an exhaustive 60-page College Counseling Guide, frequent and thorough communication to parents and students, and many informational workshops and meetings. The successful candidate’s critical eye will help assess how to effectively curate and communicate this wealth of resources.

Stevenson’s college list reflects the broad diversity of each graduating class. To ensure that students understand and are aware of the full range of their options, the new Director will find appropriate ways to provide information to students and parents earlier in their process and, in concert with other advisors, encourage students to take advantage of opportunities that will both foster a passion for learning and achievement, and also help them be even more compelling candidates for admission.

The Director of College Counseling reports to the Head of the Upper Division who will also be new to the Stevenson community. Dr. Dan Griffiths, currently Upper School Head at Catlin Gabel School in Portland, OR, will also be joining the community next summer.

PrimAry reSPonSibiliTieS oF The direcTor oF college counSeling

• Designing and implementing a comprehensive and student-centered college counseling program that is consistent with the School’s mission and emphasizes best-fit philosophy.

• Supervising two Associate Directors of the College Center.• Overseeing the work and professional development of the part-time college counselors.• Serving as the primary college counselor for one-quarter to one-third of each graduating class—

approximately 30-40 students and their parents—through the college search and application process with enthusiasm, compassion, and candor.

• Conducting individual, family, small group, and community-wide meetings.• Writing compelling, thoughtful, and supportive letters of recommendation for all counselees.• Coordinating and facilitating a variety of informational programs for students and parents.• Ensuring the college counseling information on the Stevenson website and Naviance is kept up

to date and relevant.• Publishing the School Profile, College Counseling Guide, and other collateral material.• Collaborating with other staff, faculty, and administrators to support students.• Attending school and community wide events. • Supporting the efforts of the admission office as needed.• Staying informed on developments and trends in the college admission field.• Maintaining and cultivating relationships with college admission officers, which includes hosting

them during their visits to campus.• Attending professional conferences to represent Stevenson and to keep developing professionally.• Visiting college campuses individually and on college-sponsored trips.

Key QuAliFicATionS

The ideal candidate is:• Genuinely enthusiastic about working with students

and their parents.• Able to see and celebrate the potential in every

student.• Eager to be part of a lively and dynamic school

community.• Well versed in the college admission landscape.• Experienced and committed to working with

students from diverse backgrounds.• Analytical and creative in thought processes.• Emotionally intelligent, energetic, optimistic, good

humored, collaborative, empathetic, collegial, adaptable, and confident.

The ideal candidate has:• A Bachelor’s degree, Master’s preferred.• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and time

management skills.• Exceptional and strategic communication skills:

a close and thoughtful listener, a compelling and articulate speaker, excellent writer, and sense of when and how to best deliver information.

• Working knowledge of relevant technology.• Integrity and understanding of appropriate

relationships with students, parents, and colleagues.

• Experience in collaborating with teaching faculty.• Experience in supervising and leading colleagues.• Strong relationships in the college admission and

college counseling community.• College counseling experience within an

independent school community.


collegeS And univerSiTieSGraduates of Stevenson have enrolled at the following schools over the last few years (partial list):

• American University• Amherst College• Boston College• Boston University• Carnegie Mellon University• Duke University• Elon University• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University• Fordham University• Georgetown University• Hartnell College• King’s College London• Lehigh University• Lewis & Clark College• New York University• Northeastern University• Northwestern University• Occidental College• Pennsylvania State University• Pepperdine University• Quinnipiac University• Rhode Island School of Design• Santa Clara University• Smith College• Stanford University• Texan Christian University• Tulane University• University of California, Berkeley• University of Chicago• University of Edinburgh• University of Notre Dame• University of Redlands• University of Rochester• University of San Diego• University of Washington• Yale University

To APPly

Interested and qualified candidates should reach out to Jennifer Christensen at their earliest convenience and submit electronically, in one e-mail, the following materials to Jennifer:

• Cover letter expressing your fit with the specific values and needs of Stevenson• Current résumé with relevant dates, work experience, and education• List of five references with name, phone number, and e-mail address of each• Four actual letters of recommendation: two from the top quintile of a graduating class and two

from the third quintile of a graduating class• Responses to a short questionnaire that will be distributed by Jennifer

There is no formal deadline, but please note the Stevenson search committee will begin reviewing candidates immediately after the new year. Please be in touch as soon as possible.

Jennifer Christensen, Search Consultantjennifer.christensen@carneysandoe.com707.775.7790Carney, Sandoe & Associates44 Bromfield Street, Boston, MA 02138www.carneysandoe.com


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