School Administrator

The Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor (RSSAA) is seeking a full-time School Administrator to provide strategic and visionary leadership for the school. We have a strong interim in place and are seeking this new administrator to start when they are professionally available to transition, on a date between July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026. Our school is looking for someone who values authentic relationships, innovation, and a commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion work. With around 275 students, RSSAA is a successful and deeply rooted Waldorf school. Having a strong EC, grades and high school allows us to see the full Waldorf pedagogy unfold, culminated by an enriched senior year. We have a deeply experienced staff of Waldorf trained faculty, working out of the principles of Waldorf education and anthroposophy as we appreciate the spirituality of all individuals. We feel that the best education should help students not only to become knowledgeable adults, but also inwardly free, secure, and creative people in later life. Our education strives to foster individuals who have confidence in themselves and are prepared to meet the challenges of our rapidly changing society. We endeavor to help students see connections between disciplines, to synthesize and integrate information, and to love learning throughout their lives.

Founded in 1980, RSSAA started with Grades 1-4 in a small building and has grown into a vibrant community. Our high school campus (Pontiac Trail) is a short drive away and offers a space for the students to fully appreciate the richness of the curriculum and have their own social space. The school supports our students, teachers, and administration through a strong curriculum, schedules, festivals, and school-wide collaboration. We offer both Spanish and German from first to twelfth grade, a growing movement program, strong fine and practical arts, choral and instrumental music. We celebrate a wide mix of traditional festivals from around the world, including Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, Day of the Dead, Lunar New Year, and Eid. We have an engaged and active faculty, and have worked with Alma Partners to continue to develop our work in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Lower School Campus (Newport Rd): The Lower School Campus (Early Childhood – 8th grade) is on 13 wooded and grassy acres, set in a suburban neighborhood, close to the river. We work to be in balance with our grounds through working with native species in our outdoor education program, while having plenty of play spaces, a gymnasium, and a soccer field for sports activities and gatherings. Our Middle School classes are housed in a separate building on the Lower School campus.

High School Campus (Pontiac Trail): What once was a family-owned factory was thoughtfully transformed by an architect to be a warm and inspiring high school. For over 25 years, we have developed our advanced academics, life science labs, eurythmy space, grounds space and gardens, and a gymnasium.

Responsibilities of the School Administrator

• Hold the long-term vision and health of the school
• Uphold and advance the strategic plans and the mission of Waldorf education and RSSAA.
• Oversee daily operations and long-term planning for both the Lower and High School campuses.
• Manage finances responsibly to ensure the school’s ongoing success.
• Provide collaborative support and guidance to faculty and staff
• Manage and create effective structures for personnel
• Ensure a strong partnership with the Board of Trustees and other governance bodies.
• Foster a vibrant school culture through inclusivity, collaboration, and community engagement.
• Oversee communication with parents, outside organization and faculty and staff

Desired Personal Skills and Attributes

• Non-profit Expertise: the candidate should have a deep understanding of running a non-profit organization, with a strong interest in child development and an excitement to support the principles of Waldorf education.
• Strong Leadership Skills: The candidate must have the ability to articulate and execute a strategic vision that balances tradition with innovation. The candidate should have a collaborative yet decisive leadership style that fosters shared governance with faculty.
• Ability to Build Communities: the candidate must have exceptional communication skills and be able to promote inclusivity, diversity, and unity in the school community.
• Strong Relationship Management Skills: the candidate must be able to build and sustain healthy relationships with a diverse group of faculty, staff, parents, and students.
• Operational Expertise: the candidate should have strong financial acumen and experience in budgeting, fundraising, and long-term planning.
• Public Speaking and Networking Skills: the candidate should have the skills to effectively represent the school in the broader Waldorf and educational communities.

Benefits of Working at RSSAA

• Becoming a part of a community that cares about you as a person, your continued development, your life and family.
• We value human connection and create an environment that inspires strong relationships between our students, families, and colleagues.
• A supportive and creative work environment that encourages new ideas and provides opportunities for growth
• As a community, we are always considering the question of how to best meet the children of today through a pedagogy that upholds the dignity of each human being, and what we must reimagine to do so.
• Ann Arbor is home to the Anthroposophical Society in America, Rudolf Steiner Health Center for anthroposophical medicine, as well as a biodynamic farm, the Community Farm of Ann Arbor
• Our campuses are located a few minutes from downtown Ann Arbor, the university, and hospital. The extended Ann Arbor area offers the richness and diversity of a university town with a small-town feel. It has many events, festivals, art, music, dance and social activities throughout the year. Ann Arbor is rich in natural landscapes, providing many scenic parks along the river and nearby lakes. It also is an area with many different job opportunities for other family members, if needed.
• We are a forty-minute drive from the culture of Detroit, which offers the richness of an urban center, museums, cultural connections, and Detroit Waldorf School!
• Michigan’s watersheds and the Great Lakes offer wonderful places to visit and vacation. To see more about Ann Arbor, visit: Michigan's Guide to Ann Arbor

Compensation

We offer an equitable salary structure, with a salary starting at $71,000 to 95,000 based on experience. Our benefits package includes health insurance, base and matching 503b contributions, life/disability insurance and significant tuition remission for children. For candidates moving to Ann Arbor, we offer some relocation support.