Head of School Opening in Brentwood, TN - Montessorilive : Job Details

Head of SchoolMontessori AcademyBrentwood, TNStart Date: Summer 2026Montessori Academy seeks a qualified candidate for its Head of School position beginning in thesummer of 2026.

Nestled on a lush 23-acre campus in Brentwood, TN, Montessori Academy is a 501(c)3 servingapproximately 300 students in 16 classrooms from toddler through high school. Accredited bythe American Montessori Society (AMS), the International Montessori Council (IMC), andCognia, the school boasts multiple buildings including a gymnasium, an auditorium, a fine artsbuilding, and thoughtfully designed workspaces for both students and educators. Outdoorgardens and green spaces provide a natural extension of the learning environment. Everyclassroom opens to the outdoors, fostering a deep connection with nature.Passionate, highly trained Montessori educators lead Montessori Academy's classrooms. Eachspace is guided by credentialed teachers, supported by a strong administrative team including aDirector of Education, a Student Support Coordinator, Director of Operations, Institutional

2 Advancement officer, and additional enrichment and level coordinators. With an operatingbudget of over four million dollars, the school is supported by a caring Board of Directorswhich functions to oversee the financial stability of the school and its strategic direction.Tuition revenues support the operations of the school.

Montessori Academy's roots can be traced back to 1967 when founder Eileen Bernstorf opened the firstMontessori school in Nashville with a neighbor. The current campus opened in 1986. From itsinception, there was a desire to “do it right” in the Montessori realm, leading to Montessori Academybeing the first and only school in the Nashville area to be fully accredited by the AMS, Cognia, andIMC. As a non-sectarian school, the school has followed an authentic Montessori philosophy from thebeginning, with expertly trained educators and curriculum materials that align with Montessoriprinciples. The school has a strong foundation and is a sought-after school in the community.In 2015, the Board of Directors approved the opening of a sister school, Amare Montessori inClarksville, TN. Though independent of one another, they both operate under the auspices of the Boardof Directors. The two Heads of schools work together to support each institution's growth and success.

BrentwoodBrentwood is a suburb of Nashville located in Davidson County. Known for its top-ratedschools, Brentwood is an increasingly diverse community, welcoming families of allbackgrounds. The area offers abundant green spaces, parks, and recreational facilities. Culturalevents, live music, and arts festivals bring the community together. Today the area boastsexcellent recreation and cultural events, a thriving retail and restaurant scene, top-notchhospitals and universities, and easy access to Nashville.

Vision and Mission

Vision: To be a community that supports,encourages, and empowers all students to reachtheir full, unique potential. This vision isaccomplished by fostering social, emotional,physical, and academic development in anenvironment that encourages curiosity, exploration,and a love of learning.Mission: Educating and inspiring lifelong learners.For more information about Montessori Academy,visit the school's website.

3. Head of School ProfileMontessori Leader * Community Builder * Communicator * Strategic ThinkerThe next Head of School will be joining an established,successful, 39-year-old Montessori school with an excitingoutlook for the future. They must be skilled at building trustand relationships to cultivate a strong and respected voice inMontessori pedagogy. A commitment to high-qualityMontessori education, building on the legacy andaccomplishments of the school, and honoring the dedicationof the faculty, parents, and Board is essential for the newHead of School.

The ideal candidate is an experienced administrator who iswell-versed in leadership and accountable for running aMontessori school. The new Head of School must provideoversight and partner with the Board of Directors for strategicplanning and effectively obtain support and buy-in from thefaculty and community to join in that vision. The Head ofSchool is expected to maintain stability and strengthen theschool community. A Head of School who is knowledgeableand implements best practices in Montessori is essential.Personality traits that will serve the new Head of School wellinclude integrity, confidence, enthusiasm, and diplomacy.

They must be receptive to new ideas, supportive, diplomatic, approachable, responsible, proactive, skilled indeveloping trust, an effective communicator, respectful, committed to being a partner. In other words, MontessoriAcademy is looking for a true leader.

The profile below indicates traits, skills, roles, and responsibilities that would align with success for the next Headof School at Montessori Academy.

A Montessori Leader, dedicated to● Championing Montessori education, toddler through high school.● Demonstrating leadership, experience, and expertise in Montessori principles and pedagogy.● Overseeing the school's academic program and the quality of life of the school community.● Leveraging the strengths of administration and highly trained teachers.● Managing faculty and staff including attracting, recruiting, hiring, developing, training and managingqualified faculty and staff.● Ensuring the school's compliance with the AMS, COGNIA, and IMC school accreditation standards.● Supporting the integration of children exhibiting neurodiverse behaviors.● Ensuring the school's compliance with all regulatory requirements.● Modeling Montessori philosophy and values through words, actions, and behavior; placing the child first.

4. A Community Builder, gifted at● Observing and honoring the history and“family” culture of Montessori Academy andmoving respectfully into the future.● Highly engaging, present and visible in theschool community; a strong presence.● Building rapport, cultivating and managingstakeholders' relationships and expectations whilestaying true to the mission and vision of MontessoriAcademy.

● Being a great listener, approachable,empathetic, validating individual opinions.● Helping the community reshape a new identitywhich embraces all stakeholders and fosters a culture ofbelonging.● Providing leadership for marketing MontessoriAcademy's value within the greater Brentwoodcommunity.● Evaluating the school's inclusive practices andidentifying areas for improvement to ensure all studentsand families feel a sense of belonging.An Engaging Communicator, skilled at● Interacting with compassion, diplomacy, whileproviding clear expectations and transparency, withoversight and accountability.● Excelling at expressive and receptive communication.● Being the face of Montessori Academy and Montessoritenets and principles.● Communicating effectively and inspirationally the valueof Montessori education to all stakeholders andpotential parents and employees.● Ensuring relevant, consistent and timelycommunications with the faculty, parents, and Board.● A receptiveness to stakeholders' diverse ideas andopinions while firmly supporting Montessori philosophyand pedagogy● Demonstrating ability in conflict resolution and acomfortable with change management.● Addresses conflict with all stakeholders demonstratinggrace, respect, and diplomacy while being open minded.

5 A Strategic Thinker, skilled at● Developing, in partnership with the Board, strategicplanning with a focus on student retention, schoolcommunity building, financial sustainability, capitalimprovement, and marketing for the community.● Clearly articulating the mission and vision of MontessoriAcademy.● Seeing the big picture of Montessori Academy anddelivering program implementation of best practices inMontessori education and school operations.● Embracing the scope of work of a not-for-profit schoolgoverned by a Board of Directors.● Establishing an effective manner of leadership andappropriately involving the Board, administration, andfaculty in decision making.● Possessing best practices in business management to lead,execute, and hold accountable all aspects of the school'soperations, skilled at change management.The Head of School is responsible, in partnership with the Board, for the execution of the mission and strategicgoals to produce the highest level of education consistent with the accreditation standards set forth by the AMS,IMC, and COGNIA. The new Head of School must possess expertise and experience in Montessori education,Board governance, and the business acumen to lead, and execute all aspects of the school operation.The Head of School is under the direct supervision of the Board, which is responsible for Head of School hiringand annual evaluation. Montessori Academy is looking for an excellent new leader to be in place for the start ofthe 2026 school year.

6 Position Requirements● Montessori teaching credential strongly preferred● Administrative experience in an educational setting; at least five years' experience inadministration in a Montessori school preferred● Previous classroom experience in Montessori preferred● A Master of Education preferred● Experience with regulatory, personnel, budget, and fiscal management required● Experience working with a governing Board is strongly preferred● Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, financial management and organizationaldevelopment preferred● Meeting all requirements of local, state and accrediting/regulatory bodies; including theHead of School requirements of an AMS accredited schoolBenefits include health insurance (health, dental, vision, and life insurance, long- and short-termdisability); paid professional development; tuition discounts; paid time off; and 401(k) retirement. Athree-bedroom house on campus is also available, which includes all utilities.Interested candidates will submit the following documents, via email to Carla Hofland, Consultant,Metro Consulting Services.1. Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee expressing interest in and detailing qualifications forthe position2. A current resume3. A statement of educational leadership philosophy (1-2 pages)4. Two examples of writing on a school or educational topic5. Five references (including email addresses and telephone numbers) that can be contactedconfidentially6. Other documents/media may be required later in the processCandidates' engagement with the search will be keptconfidential until the final stage of the process.Candidates are free to communicate directly withCarla Hofland via email or phone (301) ###-####regarding the search process.Note that the search will continue until a qualifiedcandidate has been hired. Please submit a letter of interestor application by September 1, 2025.Montessori Academy ● Brentwood, TN ● www.montessoriacad.org