Cincinnati Classical Academy (CCA) is looking for a founding Headmaster to lead the school when it opens in Cincinnati, Ohio, in Fall 2022. CCA is a chartered, publicly-funded, board-governed, tuition-free, classical school. It is part of the Barney Charter School Initiative of Hillsdale College, a network of classical charter schools united by curriculum and purpose. CCA will initially open with K-6 and will add a grade each year until K-12 are served. The Headmaster position will begin preferably in September 2021.
The Headmaster is the most significant leadership position at CCA and is entrusted with many important concerns: the reputation of the school and its community, the well-being of children, the financial trust of public monies, and the responsibility of ensuring that the traditions and knowledge of our Western civilization inheritance are passed down to the next generation.
Qualities and Characteristics
- Leadership. Specifically, the ability to discern the ends that fulfill the nature and purpose of the organization and to chart a course to reach those ends; the ability to inform and inspire people to follow, to commit, to take responsibility, to perform, and to cooperate in an effective manner that will mobilize the resources of the organization so that it can follow the course laid out before it by the leader; and the ability to raise up leaders in an organization.
- Intellectual depth and seriousness, with a bias toward the life of the mind, befitting the leader of an academic institution. This includes a love of learning demonstrated by on-going personal pursuit of knowledge and the passion to share knowledge with others.
- A commitment to the classical education model. This includes a firm understanding of the substance and form of classical education and the ability to articulate why it is needed in the modern world.
- The ability to gain the trust and confidence of others by exhibiting the following behaviors and characteristics: integrity, transparency, clear communication, truthfulness, decisiveness, listening, equanimity, collaboration, winsomeness, kindness, and humility.
- High moral character.
Knowledge and Skills
- A broad understanding of the classical liberal arts, their roots in the Western tradition, and their historical presence in American education prior to the 20th century.
- An understanding of the ills that plague contemporary primary and secondary schools and the root causes of those problems.
- Knowledge of the craft of teaching, and the ability to teach well.
- The ability to coach teachers to greater degrees of effectiveness in the classroom.
- The ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written forms.
- The ability to maintain a high degree of energy and personal productivity and to manage the productivity of others.
- The ability to prioritize and accomplish necessary tasks.
- A general understanding of personnel management principles, including recruiting and hiring, supervising and evaluating, and individual and organizational development.
- The intellectual and emotional strength, mental agility, and durability to have difficult conversations and render difficult decisions.
- A general understanding of financial management principles, including budgeting, budget management, auditing, and controls.
- An understanding of Ohio’s accountability system for K-12 public schools and laws relevant to charter schools.
- Possession of a Master’s degree or higher in an academic subject or in education administration.
- Possession of (or ability to possess) an Ohio principal’s license.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Hire faculty, in consultation with the CCA Governing Board.
- Provide general management of all school operations, including academic, financial, personnel, regulatory, and facility areas.
- Observe teachers at defined intervals, document results, and provide feedback as coach and supervisor.
- Report to regular board meetings on the status of operations and plans for upcoming activities.
- Represent the school as the senior executive leader in interactions with the public, the school constituencies, the authorizer, and other government agencies.
Salary and Benefits
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience and expertise
- Full benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance
- Retirement plan through State Teachers Retirement System
How to Apply
- If interested, please send a cover letter, resume or curriculum vitae, list of three references, and statement of educational philosophy to Jed Hartings, Chair of the Founding Board, at jed@cincyclassical.org.
- Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis as needed until the position is filled.