ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL Information for Candidates

Applications are welcomed for the position of Elementary School Principal (Beigao Campus). The position is available from August 2019, or as soon as possible thereafter.

A BILINGUAL SCHOOLDaystar Academy is a community-based, bilingual private school based on two campuses in Beijing. Currently it operates to Middle School level and will add a High School level (Grade 9) in 2019. Its aim is to graduate students who are genuinely bilingual in Chinese and English and bicultural. Daystar brings together Chinese national curriculum standards and US Common Core State Standards, using the framework of the IB PYP and MYP. The school has a rigorous approach to the use of data to inform instructional practice and seeks to embrace innovation and research in its teaching and learning.

Daystar Academy’s overall objective is for its students to graduate fully bilingual and with complete bilingual literacy. This is in order to fulfil a very deliberate aspiration: so that they go to universities internationally but are able to return to China with a strong understanding of Chinese culture. Bilingual immersion in Chinese and English is at the heart of the Daystar program. Students are not only taught the two languages but are taught through the two languages. The school is a blend of cultures, with students learning together through a blend of educational traditions.

Daystar aspires to be a school that is open-minded, caring, principled and reflective. It makes decisions based on long-term educational outcomes and believes in involving all stakeholders in decision-making processes. Both the academic and extracurricular programs aim to equip students with the tools necessary to impact positively on their communities.

It seeks to develop students who will have a questioning and inquisitive mindset, who think and communicate with clarity and precision, who are persistent in striving for excellence in all that they do and who care about their impact on their local and global communities. Character education is a central pillar in the founding mission of the school.

Students are provided with meaningful opportunities to hone their twenty-first century communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity skills. Values such as service and respect are also embedded inside and outside the classroom.

Daystar is at an exciting point in its development. With a strong and highly distinctive tradition as a Kindergarten and Elementary School, it has recently developed its Middle School and will now be adding a High School. These new divisions of the school will be expected to continue the unique approach for which Daystar has become known: truly bilingual education that is both values-driven and research-based within the context of a community school in which families feel they have an active stake.

The role will require an outstanding educator, fully committed to bilingual and bicultural education and to Daystar’s mission and values. She or he will need to build on the excellent practice that exists within the elementary phase of the school and ensure that teaching and learning is consistently outstanding. The successful candidate will ensure that pupils are fully prepared to progress to the school’s Middle School program, equipped with the skills and attitude that will enable them to flourish.

MISSION AND VALUES

Daystar Academy develops world citizens by embracing Chinese and Western culture through its integrated educational model. Daystar students strive for distinction in Chinese and English studies, creative thinking and character development for the purpose of serving the community at large.

Daystar strives to educate the whole child and in doing so is strategic in embedding not only educational outcomes into the curriculum that address both Chinese and English, but also character education and 21st century learning outcomes as well.

Daystar Academy’s core values are: Respect, Unity, Caring, Excellence, Service.

Students can expect to leave Daystar with a commitment to serve and to work alongside others to make the world a better place: Daystar fosters the determination to turn learning into action. The East-meets-West character education manifests itself through the marriage of Chinese Virtues with the attributes of the IB Learner profile.

BACKGROUNDDaystar Academy was founded when Cai Jin-Yong and Dawn Vermilya moved to Beijing from the USA. Chinese-born Jin-Yong, previously CEO of IFC (a member of the World Bank Group and the largest global development institution focused on private sector development and the fight against poverty), and Dawn, his American wife, sought a bilingual and bicultural school for their three children. Unable to find a suitable local option to match their vision, the couple launched Daystar Academy in 2002, a school intentionally blending Western and Chinese cultural and educational traditions with a strong focus on character education.

The school grew from a Montessori Kindergarten and Elementary School, reaching over 200 pupils mainly through strong word-of-mouth referrals as families came to learn of its bilingual excellence, strong emphasis on character education, and nurturing community. The school has grown in size and stature and now boasts two campuses with more than 700 students, the majority of which are in Elementary School phase at the Beigao campus. The Beigao campus is an authorized PYP and MYP school. Even in this larger, split-site school, the founding mission and values remain easily identifiable and the founding members maintain an active interest in the school as members of the Board. In 2014, Daystar became a part of Ivy Education Group marking the next phase in the school’s development. (www.ivyschools.com)

Service: We are part of an enthusiastic and caring community that strives to learn and develop our gifts for the purpose of serving others.

Respect: We respect different ideas and show empathy and appreciation towards others’ thoughts and feelings.

Unity: Celebrating unity in diversity and creating a compassionate community that is accepting of everyone.

Caring: We are caring towards each other and are consciously improving our environment.

Excellence: When we challenge ourselves and strive to the best of our ability, we bring excellence to our community.

A GROWING SCHOOLDaystar Academy now operates across two campuses:

The Beigao campus is in suburban Beijing about 30 minutes from the city center along the Jing Cheng highway, and c.15km from the international airport. There is a subway station within easy reach of the school and a number of quality housing developments in the area. The campus has 554 students in Grades K-8 and the immediate plans are for the further growth of the Middle School, with Grade 9 to be added in 2019. The campus has a footprint of over 40,000 m² and was the original home of Daystar Academy. Classrooms are spacious, well-resourced and well cared for. The school is overridingly modern, its interior design a fusion of eastern and western influence. Outside, the school has sports pitches to the front and rear, a recently renovated music block and large gymnasium. An extension to the main school building was opened in 2017, designed by an architect who is a parent at the school. This new extension provides the specialist teaching areas required by the growing Middle School. Campus development is ongoing to meet the needs of the new High School.

The Sanlitun campus opened in 2017 and is set in an enviable inner-city location, near to the city’s second ring-road, in the heart of the diplomatic area of Chaoyang District. UNICEF, the Laotian and Venezuelan Embassies all neighbor the school. The area is modern and chic, bustling with new developments, such as the Sanlitun Village shopping mall, housing, restaurants, bars and leading global retail outlets. Roughly half the pupils live in the area, the remainder travelling to school with parents who work locally. The result is a diverse yet highly professional parent body. The urban site makes creative use of space, the 4,100 m² campus offering an astroturf football pitch, playground, sports hall, drama studio, an extensive vegetable patch – and the school’s latest project, a greenhouse made from recycled plastic bottles. The classroom extends into the local area, pupils often leading research projects engaging with local community groups or businesses. It is an intimate, close-knit school with 152 pupils in Grades 1-4, with plans to add Grade 5 in 2019. The school shares a site with an Ivy Education Group Kindergarten, which caters for an additional 120 pupils.

Across the two campuses, about 80% of students are Chinese, with a further 10% mother tongue Chinese but non-national, and the remainder international, primarily North American. About two-thirds of the staff are Chinese, most of them bilingual, with the remainder drawn from North America and a variety of other countries.

Excellence关爱

PROGRAM AND CURRICULUMDaystar has devoted considerable time and thought to conceptualizing its academic program, guided by its mission statement. This work draws together the Montessori and inquiry-based program in its Early Learning Center division, the Chinese national curriculum standards, the US Common Core State Standards and the frameworks provided by the PYP and MYP.

The Early Learning Center programs are intended to be a foundation for lifelong bilingual skills. There are dual Montessori and inquiry-based approaches in the Early Learning Center.

The Elementary Program is an inquiry-based bilingual program that uses the Ivy Education Bilingual Model. The Ivy Education Bilingual Model focuses on developing the whole child through cultivating empathy, building a strong sense of character, encouraging excellence in academics through two languages, English and Chinese, and building mastery in 21st century skills.

The Daystar curriculum is a balanced blend of five essential elements: concepts, knowledge, skills, attitudes and action. It uses an inquiry-based approach to student mastery of content standards. The knowledge component is developed through inquiry-based thematic units that have national and global significance.

The Elementary School division is organized using a 50/50 model requiring students to learn content subjects through both languages, English and Chinese. All subjects are taught through an inquiry-based model and include:

• Chinese & English Language Arts: Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening

• Information Communications Technology

• Library

• Mathematics

• Music

• Science

• Social Studies, History & Geography

• Visual and Performing Arts

In the Middle School, the intentional preparation for overseas university starts. Consequently, the number of subjects taught in Chinese is reduced and the MYP is used as the curriculum framework. The ‘Genius Block’ gives every student a designated period of time each week when they can follow their passions and dig more deeply into areas that are of particular interest to them.

The High School, when it is established, will continue the preparation for university using the IB Diploma Programs, as well as continuing the study of Chinese language and culture at an appropriate level.

The school runs extensive extracurricular opportunities through its D.R.A.G.O.N (Depth, Rigor, Arts, Academics, Grit, Open-Mindedness, and Nurturing) Program, alongside the Daystar Phoenix Athletics Program. It is a fully-fledged Elementary program and a small but expanding Middle School program.

LANGUAGE SUPPORTThe goal of the LEAP (Learning English for Academic Proficiency) program is to help all non-native English speakers access high levels of academic learning and to prepare students to study at an English-speaking university.

The Yu Yue Program is a series of specifically tailored Chinese language courses between Grades 2-5. Students who have successfully completed the Yu Yue Program are able to join Daystar’s Middle School mainstream Chinese language acquisition program.

TEACHING, LEARNING & INNOVATION AND OUTCOMESThe Office of Teaching, Learning and Innovation (TLI) has a mission to ‘empower the school community through collaborative leadership to build capacity for Daystar’s continuous growth and development.’ The TLI office currently comprises a team of seven colleagues, each with a well-defined remit, who together support the continual improvement in academic and educational support services. The TLI team has far-reaching responsibilities that include curriculum development, language support, developing and embedding information systems, developing teaching and learning practices, policy development, leading educational support services and managing the library. The TLI brings cohesion to the educational program and definition to ‘the Daystar way’. Academic outcomes within the school are consistently strong, with Daystar students performing at least one grade level above English native speakers in English reading (based on US Measures of Academic Progress scores in 2017). For Chinese language, Daystar students participate in the Dongcheng District exams and perform on par with students in local public schools.

Unity团结

A HEALTHY SCHOOLGreat care is taken to ensure a healthy and safe environment. A range of nutritious eastern and western meal options are available for pupils and staff, ingredients for which are typically procured from local suppliers and sustainably sourced.

Daystar Academy follows strict PM2.5 policies and success in air quality is determined by using data to ensure clean air goals are being met. The Beigao campus is equipped with a Daikin VRV system and fresh air purification system and the Sanlitun campus is equipped with a central air conditioning system and a state-of-the-art fresh air purification system.

A COMMUNITY SCHOOLThe engagement of families with Daystar Academy is a vital part of the school’s character. Parents buy into the distinctive education that Daystar provides and this sits at the heart of a constructive and positive relationship between the school and families that is unusual in China. Many parents are active volunteers in the school, especially on the longer-established Beigao campus. They volunteer in the classrooms and library and at events. There is a parent-run coffee shop on site, the proceeds from which go to charitable causes.

The Star Parents organization fosters engagement and provides a bridge between the school and parents. The relationship between the school and families is an essential way of embedding each campus in its local area and emphasizes Daystar’s commitment to being a community school. Ivy Education Group has a dedicated Director of Community Advancement, bringing considerable expertise and creativity in securing a program of events to help bring the community together in celebration or in promotion of a charitable cause. From Unity Day celebrations drawing a crowd of over 4,000 or Under the Stars evenings with performances from Ivy League American university ensembles, to the school’s Distinguished Speaker series of guest expert speakers, the school carefully nurtures its community relationships.

IVY EDUCATION GROUPIvy Education Group was founded in 2003 and operates seventeen kindergartens and schools in five cities across China, with five kindergartens across Beijing. Daystar is the first of the group’s schools to develop Middle and High School provision.

Ivy’s core belief is that a good school achieves high academic results, while a great school instils a sense of purpose in its students. This is reflected in the motto ‘Courage to Change and Inspire’ – the idea that students should develop the courage to pursue their dreams and ambitions and make a visible difference to the world. The Ivy Group also has a global footprint, partnering with organizations internationally and participating in conferences and symposia on subjects like bilingual education and multiple intelligences.

Daystar Academy became part of the Ivy Education Group in 2014. There was a natural synergy of approaches and views on the purpose of education. Daystar’s founder now sits on the Ivy Education Group board.

As part of the Ivy Education Group, Daystar is a for-profit school. Ivy’s approach is to consider a long-term time horizon, with realistic expectations about profitability as a school develops. Daystar’s development since 2014 demonstrates the Group’s commitment to resourcing its schools.

REPORTING LINES Daystar Academy is governed by two boards: An Investor Board of seven members (comprising the Ivy Education Group board), which deals primarily with financial matters; and the School Board of eleven members, which is advisory in nature and deals with education matters, issues concerning the day-to-day functioning of the school and, it is anticipated increasingly in the future, strategic planning. The CEO of the Ivy Education Group and Daystar’s founder serve on both boards.

The Elementary School Principal will report to the Head of School and will be a member of the school senior leadership team that also comprises the Head of School, Chinese Head Principal, Middle and High School Principal, Elementary School Principal Beigao, Elementary School Principal Sanlitun, Early Learning Center Principal, Director of Business Administration, Director of Admissions, Director of Curriculum and K-12 Chinese Principal.

Caring关爱

BEIJINGBeijing is a dynamic city that has undergone rapid transformation in one generation. It is a modern, international city; a thriving “megacity” with one of the world’s busiest airports and a population in excess of 20 million people. There is a growing level of diversity in the city with over 100,000 expatriates calling Beijing home. Certain parts of the city are popular with expatriates – Sanlitun is one such example thanks to its collection of bars, restaurants, shopping and a vibrancy that could rival any international city. Life in the city is fast-paced and there is little to want for.

Although a modern city, Beijing has a proud history spanning three millennia and is replete with World Heritage sites. From the Great Wall of China to The Forbidden City and The Temple of Heaven, the city’s former – as well as current and future - importance as an economic and political powerhouse is self-evident. Beijing has one of the world’s largest subway networks making transport across the city straightforward. The subway is reasonably priced, efficient and constantly expanding.

Beijing’s air quality has improved significantly. From 2013 to 2017, Beijing put into operation four major gas-fired power plants to replace outdated coal-powered plants. The Beijing government has also helped with the roll-out of 200,000 clean energy vehicles in public transportation. In 2017, Beijing had 226 days with ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ air quality and blue skies over the city are common. Daystar monitors the air quality regularly and its air filtration systems ensure that air quality across the school is clean and safe.

Some of China’s best international schools are located in Beijing, making it a stimulating place in which to develop as a school leader. Beijing is a dynamic city and an ideal location for the continued development of an excellent bilingual school with deep roots in the local community.

Service服务

DESCRIPTION OF THE ROLESince Daystar Academy joined the Ivy Education Group family, school leaders and Ivy Education Group have worked together to lead significant school growth and develop an excellent and committed staff body, and succeeded in nurturing an open, respectful and collaborative school culture. Relationships within the school are widely described as being exceptional and a high level of trust exists amongst a staff that comprises colleagues from different ethnic, cultural and pedagogical traditions. It is vitally important that the new Elementary School Principal protects and builds on this Daystar culture.

The Elementary School Principal position will suit a skilled educator who will act as the academic leader of the Elementary School. The Principal must also be able to lead and collaborate with a team of educators in the Elementary School division that are both Chinese and Western, work to ensure consistent and transparent communication with the parents, and ensure that teachers and staff have the support they need to implement Daystar’s unique Elementary School bilingual program. The Elementary School Principal is a hands-on leadership role that will seek to secure continual improvement within an established and successful school.

PERSON SPECIFICATIONQualificationsThe chosen candidate will be educated to university level, will possess a recognized teaching qualification and have evidence of on-going professional learning and development.

Experience, Understanding And Personal Qualities:• Cross-cultural understanding of not only Chinese and

American culture, but also other Western and Asian cultures

• Demonstrates interest in the Chinese language and/ or culture

• Experience in implementing new programs or large initiatives in an educational setting

• Evidence of successfully working directly with both new and experienced teachers

• Evidence of successfully collaborating with colleagues from cultures different than their own

• Has a deep interest in inquiry-based learning and bilingual education

• Excellent communication skills, both written and spoken in English

• Understands what shared leadership looks like implemented at the Elementary School level

• Knowledge of or a background in second language acquisition strongly preferred

• Experience of working with Elementary School students preferred

• Proficiency in Mandarin desirable

Performance Responsibilities• Lead teachers in implementing instruction using inquiry-

based learning and best practices

• Work directly with teachers and other administrators to support teachers in the classroom related to curriculum, instruction and assessments

• Develop structures that allow for collaboration between and amongst all departments

• Develop and manage the Elementary School’s instructional budget, including what money is allocated for professional development

• Work directly with the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment to ensure all academic goals are achieved and aligned to the Middle School program

• Work directly with administrators in all departments to ensure student growth is being monitored and that instructional decisions are based on various assessments

• Work with the K-12 Chinese Curriculum Coordinator to ensure the Chinese National Curriculum is being implemented

• Work closely with the Admissions department to understand what the academic and linguistic benchmarks are and accept students with those benchmarks in mind

• Be available to meet with and support parents in their understanding of the school’s program and what they can do at home to support student learning

• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Head of School

REMUNERATIONA competitive salary will be offered which will reflect the importance of this appointment.

A generous wider remuneration package will include bonus provision, annual return flights for all dependents, schooling for dependent children and international medical cover.

APPLICATION PROCESSThis recruitment process is being managed by RSAcademics Ltd. on behalf of Ivy Education Group and all communication about the roles and the appointments will be conducted via RSAcademics. Two members of the RSAcademics team are engaged on this process:

Jean Sullivan, Head of International Search +44 (0)7885 879887 / jeansullivan@rsacademics.co.uk

Aaron Ashton, Head of International Leadership Appointments +44 (0)7584 564944 / aaronashton@rsacademics.co.uk

Interested candidates are invited to contact Jean Sullivan by email or telephone for an initial discussion or to arrange a confidential discussion with Aaron Ashton.

Respect尊重

HOW TO APPLY The closing date for applications is 23rd April 2019 at 10:00 (BST). Early expression of interest is advisable, and the selection panel will consider applications as they arrive.

You should submit:

A full CV with:

• Your entire work history

• Reasons for leaving school leadership positions

• Details (name, address, email address and relationship to you) of at least two professional referees from your most recent position(s)

A covering letter addressed to Mr Jack Hsu, CEO of Ivy Education Group, outlining:

• Your reasons for applying

• Relevant professional experience that you feel is aligned to the needs of the role

• Your personal educational philosophy

Applications should be made electronically to RSAcademics. Please email your completed CV and covering letter (both as PDF files please) to Hilary Battye at applications@rsacademics.co.uk. Hilary can also be reached by calling our Head Office on +44 (0)1858 467449.

The recruitment process will proceed as follows:

• All applications will be acknowledged by email. If you have not received acknowledgement that your application has been received within two working days of sending it, please contact RSAcademics by telephone (+44 (0)1858 467449).

• RSAcademics will collect full references for candidates invited to attend the final round of interviews. If you have a specific preference that we do not contact one or more of your referees, please notify us accordingly. No referees will be contacted until RSAcademics has received your express permission to do so.

• Final round interviews will take place at Daystar Academy in early May 2019.

Founded in 2002 by Russell Speirs, RSAcademics specializes in schools, in the UK and internationally, advising on marketing strategy and research, leadership consultancy and the search and selection of Heads and senior staff. Comprising a team of the best executive search consultants, schools’ marketing professionals and respected former school leaders, RSAcademics provides a high-quality service to schools with rigor, experience and warmth. Please visit www.rsacademics.co.uk for more information.

Please note: The school is aligned with the recommendations of the International Task Force on Child Protection; we hold ourselves to a high standard of effective recruiting practices with specific attention to child protection. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be expected to show evidence of their most up-to-date child protection screening details including checks with past employers and police checks from international school positions held.