Head of High School
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Job Description
Edmund Burke School, a progressive independent school serving students in grades 6–12 in Washington, DC, seeks a relational, collaborative, and mission-aligned educator to serve as its next Head of High School. Since its founding in 1968, Burke has been defined by its commitment to student voice, dynamic learning, and the belief that education is most meaningful when young people are engaged contributors to their own growth and to the life of the community. Families are drawn to Burke not only for the strength of its program, but for its culture of authenticity, intellectual curiosity, and deep respect for adolescents as thinkers, creators, and citizens.
As Burke looks toward the future, the High School stands at an important moment of reflection and opportunity. In alignment with the priorities articulated in the school’s Strategic Plan, the division is engaged in ongoing work to buttress program coherence, clarify expectations for teaching and learning, and ensure alignment between mission, pedagogy, and student experience. The High School plays a vital role in bringing Burke’s academic vision to life, particularly as students prepare for the intellectual, civic, and personal demands of life beyond graduation. Within this context, the next Head of High School will serve as a key steward of divisional leadership, supporting faculty and helping to sustain a High School experience that is both challenging and deeply relational.
Reporting to the Head of School, Steve McManus, and serving as a member of the Administrative Team, the Head of High School oversees all aspects of the Upper School experience, including academic programming, faculty leadership, student life, and divisional culture. The role calls for a leader who can steward the holistic student life and scholastic program of the High School while holding both long-range vision and day-to-day divisional leadership with clarity and purpose.
In partnership with faculty, students, and families, the Head of High School will help shape the direction of the division in the years ahead, guiding curricular evolution, supporting faculty growth, and strengthening the systems that sustain a rigorous and inclusive learning environment. This is a role for a leader energized by the opportunity to nurture community, champion progressive education in practice, and build confidence in the High School experience for all who learn and lead within it.