Skip to main content

This job has expired

Co-Director of Admissions

Employer
Mary McDowell Friends School
Location
New York, United States
Salary
$130,000.00 - $150,000.00
Date posted
Mar 4, 2021

LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Co-Director of Admissions
Mary McDowell Friends School
Brooklyn, NY
July 1, 2021 Start Date

Mary McDowell Friends School (MMFS), a Quaker-based, co-educational, K-12 college preparatory program dedicated to the success of students with learning disabilities in Brooklyn, NY, seeks a mission-driven, compassionate, relationship builder in its next Co-Director of Admissions who will lead its middle and high school enrollment management process. The Co-Director of Admissions supports the mission of the school by co-leading the Admissions Office, which looks at each applicant as an individual and determines if the school’s educational program can support their academic and social needs. Reporting directly to the Head of School and working closely as part of the senior administration team, the Co-Director of Admission helps shape the direction and vision of the Admissions Office and the school. MMFS is committed to becoming an anti-racist school and sees the Co-Director of Admissions as an integral role in helping the school achieve this goal. The Co-Director of Admissions develops and leads inclusive outreach efforts to attract diverse families to the school and ensure that MMFS continues to enroll students who thrive as part of the school community.

Interested candidates must submit the following materials confidentially via http://bit.ly/MMFS-Co-Director-of-Admissions in one PDF attachment that includes in the following order:

  • Cover letter expressing interest in the Mary McDowell Friends School Co-Director of Admissions position
  • Current résumé
  • Statement of educational philosophy and practice which expresses who you are and how you connect to this work (no more than 2 pages)
  • List of three references including name, title, phone number, email address and professional relationship (references are contacted only with the candidate's permission)

Strategic Priorities/Opportunities for the Co-Director of Admissions

  • Working with the Co-Director of Admissions, Head of School, Associate Head of School, Director of Diversity and Equity and Business Office to strategically position MMFS in a competitive New York independent school market
  • Developing the institutional capacity to process and respond to current research, demographics and admission and enrollment trends and challenges
  • Providing leadership to develop an inclusive outreach approach to increase diversity while also working with fellow staff to ensure that there is a supportive and welcoming environment to help all students experience a true sense of belonging and support the school’s mission and commitment to becoming an anti-racist school
  • Expanding the Admissions Office and school’s digital presence and outreach and use of technology especially in consideration of events like the COVID-19 pandemic

THE POSITION:

The Co-Director of Admissions is primarily responsible for the middle and high school placements. Students who come to Mary McDowell at this stage in their education are eager to find a school that understands and embraces their learning differences, provides a well-rounded and academically challenging program and encourages them to “reveal their brilliance.” The admissions process at a school like Mary McDowell can be fraught with anxiety-producing factors involving neuropsychological evaluations, lawyers and uncertainty about funding, among others. The Co-Director serves as a patient and calm advocate and resource for families and as the school’s ambassador.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

General Responsibilities

  • Effectively and promptly manage inquiries, applications and communications with parents of student applicants
  • Assist families as needed in navigating the Admissions portal in partnership with the Registrar
  • Create and manage, in collaboration with the Co-Director of Admissions, the Parent Information Sessions/Tours for the Middle School and Upper School divisions; work with Co-Director of Admissions on Lower School tours
  • In collaboration with the Co-Director of Admissions and division-level faculty, plan and present appropriate content for Parent Tours
  • As senior leadership, engage and help construct the on-going DEI Action Plan in partnership with the Director of Diversity and Equity
  • Manage Admissions Information Systems (Veracross) with the Information Technology Department, Registrar and in consultation with Veracross as needed

Ongoing Application Review and Interview Process

Coordinate systematic and efficient handling of applications and communications with parents of student applicants so that the process supports and honors the student and their family. Application review includes the following information and documents:

- Neuropsychological evaluations
- School reports
- Therapist reports
- Parent questionnaires
- Teacher recommendations
- IEPS

  • Schedule interviews with applicants whose needs can be supported by MMFS and internal interview teams
  • Consult with schools, evaluators, teachers, tutors, doctors, therapists regarding applicants for additional information
  • Consult with MMFS teachers, therapists, administrators regarding applicants as questions arise
  • Communicate admissions decisions with the parents in an honest, caring and diplomatic manner

Enrollment Process:

  • Work with registrar and business office to send out contracts and accompanying welcome letters
  • Provide information to families regarding financial aid, attorney or advocate referrals, and Carter and Connor contracts
  • Meet with Financial Aid Committee regarding prospective families’ financial aid awards and Connors contracts
  • Facilitate new student enrollment
  • Schedule Upper School reading, writing and math placement assessments for enrolled students in consultation with Upper School staff
  • Work with division faculty to ensure new students receive summer homework assignments
  • Work with division heads on class placement for newly enrolled students
  • Provide information on newly enrolled students to division faculty and staff

Diversity and Equity Commitments

  • Understand and participate in all school-wide diversity and equity initiatives
  • Examine admissions through the lens of race, identity, equity and privilege
  • Develop practices that provide an equitable framework for admissions decisions
  • Increase and retain families and students of color at MMFS

Outreach Responsibilities:

  • Maintain and/or develop familiarity and relationships with other schools (potential referral sources and competitors)
  • Participate in professional organizations and Admissions Professional groups such as WINGSPAN, NYSAIS, ISAAGNY
  • Represent MMFS at New York School Fairs
  • Work with and/or develop relationships with attorneys, advocates, evaluators, community groups and other professionals to increase our outreach to a more diverse population
  • Work collaboratively with the Development and Communication departments - advertising, possible outreach opportunities, social media, MMFS admissions webpage
  • Plan and facilitate annual professional tours of MMFS; provide individual or small group professional tours as requested

Additional Responsibilities:

  • Work in collaboration with the Co-Director of Admissions on all admissions issues and tasks
  • Support parent tours and interview process in the Lower School
  • Work with Head of School and division heads regarding enrollment availability and projections
  • Provide ongoing admissions data collection and analysis for a variety of purposes: Board of Trustees’ monthly reports, staff presentations, required state reports, accountability to increased diversity goals
  • Track enrollment numbers in collaboration with the Business Office of new and returning students with regard to numbers and space/placement
  • Track students who are leaving the program either because of parental choice or due to a referral out of MMFS
  • Attend all professional development held at MMFS
  • Attend weekly Educational Administration meetings
  • Attend regularly scheduled Financial Aid Committee meetings

Event Planning Responsibilities:

  • Ongoing Parent Tours
  • Parent Information Session for Rising 9th Grade Parents
  • Information Session for Rising 9th Grade Students
  • Collaborate with Development Office to plan and organize New Parent Cocktail Party and Tours for Outside Professionals

Qualities of the Co-Director of Admissions

The successful candidate must be capable of addressing a myriad of responsibilities ranging from managing complex admissions and enrollment processes to maintaining key relationships with city agencies and professionals, to outreach and relationship cultivation in diverse communities, to strategic planning around enrollment forecasting. The next Co-Director of Admissions will be a highly relational, high-EQ admissions professional who is energized by working with students and families in their search for a school that meets their child’s learning needs. The successful candidate will be able to shepherd families calmly and respectfully through what can be a complicated and at times frustrating process. This role requires the ability to process a multitude of data for each child, while holding their best interests and the school’s ability to help them thrive, at the center. A commitment to and experience working with and cultivating diverse students is essential to contribute to the school’s mission of becoming an anti-racist community. A Co-Director of Admissions who is genuinely invested in working with a collegial and collaborative team that is passionate about their work and the school’s mission will find great professional satisfaction at MMFS.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

  • Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree with special education a plus
  • A minimum of three to five years of admission and financial aid experience in an independent school or college, including significant leadership responsibilities
  • Superb organizational and administrative skills
  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
  • Experience in developing strategic admissions/financial aid models, using data-driven marketing practices and advancing the multiple priorities of a school
  • Experience in managing significant net tuition revenue targets while meeting institutional financial goals
  • Proven ability to analyze, summarize and present complex data to various constituencies, including faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, students and families
  • Experience with software systems that support recruitment, admission review and financial aid management
  • Understanding of and/or experience with middle and high school students ideal
  • Familiarity with the educational landscape in the New York area a plus
  • Warm, approachable, flexible and possessing a sense of humor

THE SCHOOL

Mary McDowell Friends School (MMFS) is a K–12 college preparatory program dedicated to the success of students with learning disabilities. Grounded in the Quaker values of equality, integrity and social responsibility, we cultivate a diverse community in which each student can reach his/her/their full potential. Our specialized teaching methodologies and challenging curricula empower students to become academic achievers, creative thinkers and contributing members of a global society.

Established in 1984 with a class of five students as the Mary McDowell Center for Learning at the Brooklyn Meeting House, the School now occupies three campuses for its lower, middle and upper schools, serving 412 students. Students come to MMFS with their own skills, talents and abilities. Through differentiated instruction, the commitment of our highly skilled teachers and support staff and the rigorous academics we offer, our students succeed in school.

At MMFS every learner shines. We support our students to grow and to find their innate gifts and “inner light.” We provide them with opportunities to reach their full potential by understanding how they learn, drawing on their strengths and encouraging them to meet their challenges. Our students work hard at academics, the arts and athletics so their many talents can emerge.

When families start at MMFS, they often ask, “Can my child gain the skills needed for college?” Even parents of the very youngest children ask this question. The answer is yes! When children come to MMFS, they are welcomed into a brighter future. From our youngest students through our 12th graders, our students come to understand how they learn best, how to self-advocate and how to challenge themselves.

We equip them with the tools they need to thrive. MMFS graduates succeed at some of the nation’s top colleges and universities. Others forge fulfilling career paths through hands-on programs that provide important life-skills. The MMFS experience empowers students to take an active role in learning at every level – elementary, middle and high school, college and beyond. Students build a foundation at MMFS that will support them long after they have graduated.

MISSION
Grounded in the Quaker values of equality, integrity and social responsibility, we cultivate a diverse and anti-racist community in which all students can reach their full potential. Our specialized teaching methodologies and challenging curricula empower students to become academic achievers, creative thinkers, advocates for equity and contributing members of a global society.

VALUES

Learning: Students with learning disabilities can learn and thrive within a supportive environment coupled with a challenging curriculum. We prepare students for college and life.

Quaker Values: We are guided by the Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: We embrace a broad definition of diversity and recognize the power and value it delivers to our lives. We strive to provide an equitable and safe environment for our entire community.

Anti-racism: Anti-racism is key to the mission and curriculum of MMFS, as we challenge ourselves to dismantle systemic racism in our community and the world around us.

Excellence: We pursue excellence at every level.

Association Memberships:

  • New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS)
  • National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
  • Friends Council on Education (FCE)
  • Independent School Admissions Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY)
  • Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools (ATLIS)

Geography
Located in Northwestern Brooklyn, MMFS occupies campuses in the Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens neighborhoods. Brooklyn is the most populous borough of New York City and boasts a diverse array of historic neighborhoods and landmarks. Brooklyn has a rich arts, music and food scene. Its parks and open spaces make it family and recreation friendly.

Fast Facts:
Total enrollment for Fall 2020: 412 students
Lower School Students: 134
Middle School Students: 127
Upper School Students: 151
Total Faculty and Staff: 200
Average Student: Teacher Ratio: 6:1
Financial aid: ?% of students receiving aid
Financial aid budget: $ million

Procedure to Apply

Employment at Mary McDowell Friends School is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position, without regard to race, color, ethnic origin, nationality, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, familial status, or any other category protected by the law. Mary McDowell Friends School’s policy of non-discrimination extends to all employment practices including but not limited to hiring, transfer, promotion, training, compensation, benefits, layoffs, and termination.

Interested candidates must submit the following materials confidentially via http://bit.ly/MMFS-Co-Director-of-Admissions in one PDF attachment that includes in the following order:

  • Cover letter expressing interest in the Mary McDowell Friends School Co-Director of Admissions position
  • Current résumé
  • Statement of educational philosophy and practice which expresses who you are and how you connect to this work (no more than 2 pages)
  • List of three references including name, title, phone number, email address and professional relationship (references are contacted only with the candidate's permission)

Please contact us through our website (https://www.strategenius.org/candidates) if you have any questions.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $130,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year

COVID-19 considerations:
https://new.marymcdowell.org/

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert