POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR OPERATIONS
Since its founding in 1965, Saint Ann’s—an independent, non-sectarian day school serving students in preschool through 12th grade—has embraced a commitment to education for its own sake, oriented to the capacities of each individual student, free from the encumbrances of formal grading, prizes, and rankings. Saint Ann’s is unabashedly committed to an education that is a deep and meaningful exploration of the arts and academic disciplines, through which students come to a profound understanding of, or at least grapple with, the human condition. Saint Ann’s strives to be an equitable community, constantly open to inquiry, in which each member feels a sense of belonging.
Saint Ann’s invites applications, nominations, and inquiries as it embarks upon a search for Associate Head of School for Operations, a key position on the core leadership team overseeing campus facilities and operations, campus support services, and other operational components of a complex portfolio.
ABOUT SAINT ANN’S SCHOOL
With about 400 employees and over 1100 students, Saint Ann’s is among the largest and most selective independent schools in New York City. The lives of its graduates speak powerfully to the potential of an education designed to ignite a love of learning and sustain creative energy in every field of endeavor. It does this by bringing together talented teachers with creative and motivated students. Saint Ann’s is committed to centering anti-racism in the life of the school. Seeking to create a community rooted in trust and equity, it invites all community members to take risks, pursue knowledge, and celebrate growth.
Saint Ann’s currently spans across eight different properties in Brooklyn Heights. The School’s main building at 129 Pierrepont Street is currently home to grades 4-12 and Grades 1-3 are located a block away at 153 Pierrepont Street. The School is currently renovating a newly acquired property at 142 Pierrepont which will house its Kindergarten (currently in leased space two blocks away) along with additional classrooms, and performance and community spaces; that space is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2026.
Saint Ann’s financial condition is strong with an annual operating budget of approximately $65 million. The School has a healthy endowment valued at $60 million and significant operating reserves. The ongoing $60 million renovation of 142 Pierrepont (see above) is being funded by a combination of gifts and borrowing.
To learn more about Saint Ann’s, please visit saintannsny.org.
KENYATTE A. REID, HEAD OF SCHOOL
Kenyatte A. Reid began his tenure as Saint Ann’s Head of School in the fall of 2023, the fourth in the School’s history. As a parent of three Saint Ann’s graduates, Kenyatte has been a joyful, first-hand observer of the heights Saint Ann’s students can reach when inspired by the School’s deeply committed and talented faculty. As a life-long educator whose career began in the classroom, Kenyatte has demonstrated an ability to lead communities of students, teachers, and administrators with wisdom, thoughtfulness, and empathy.
Kenyatte came to Saint Ann’s from the New York City Department of Education, where he served as Executive Director of School Culture and Climate. He began his career as a teacher at Satellite III Middle School 103 (MS 103) in Clinton Hill/Bedford Stuyvesant. As a former student at MS 103, Kenyatte credits the school as the place that ignited his passion for education. He eventually became the Principal of MS 103, before moving on to become the Founding Principal of Eagle Academy of South Queens, where he created a 6th–12th grade public school that served at-risk students.
THE ROLE OF ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR OPERATIONS
The Associate Head works in close partnership with the Head of School to advance the School’s mission and to achieve educational and operational goals. The outgoing Associate Head has been in the role for nearly 15 years and at the School for nearly 30. His relocation out of state creates a void in the operational fabric and institutional memory of the School, and it also creates an opportunity for a new Associate Head to partner with the Head to gradually reshape the position to meet the evolving needs of a dynamic school. The new Associate Head will need to be respectful of Saint Ann’s traditions and unique culture while also continuing to develop robust systems, planning frameworks, and operating procedures that can help realize the Head’s strategic vision.
The Associate Head reports directly to the Head of School and works with the Core Administration and Board of Trustees to set institutional priorities, to implement strategic initiatives, and to oversee the day-to-day operations of the School. The Associate Head’s responsibilities are broad and range from oversight of day-to-day operations to serving as a key thought partner for the Head of School.
Specific responsibilities include the following:
Serve on the School’s Core Administrative team and lead that team in the Head’s absence
Serve on the Head of School’s smaller Core Advisory Committee
Work with Head of School and members of Core Administration to implement school-wide strategic initiatives
Oversee day-to-day operations of Saint Ann’s—including facilities, dining services, information technology, security, nursing and auxiliary programs—through effective supervision and mentoring of the talented administrative leaders of these functional areas
Staff the Board’s Facilities Committee, co-staff its Financial Aid, Admissions and Enrollment Committee, and support other Board working groups as necessary, and work with Head of School, the Board liaison and Chair of the Board to craft agendas
Work with Director of Campus Facilities and Capital Projects to create and implement long-term master facilities plan and coordinate building schedule and safety compliance with Buildings and Grounds
Serve on the Steering Committee, attend weekly construction and owner’s rep meetings for 142 Pierrepont Street scheduled to open fall of 2026
Oversee safety and emergency planning and procedures, coordinate necessary drills and work with other school administrators on crisis management
Partner with the Director of People and Organizational Development to organize and coordinate administrative staff searches as needed, including senior administrative positions
Partner with the Dean of Faculty and Director of People and Organizational Development to award Educational Assistance Program and Professional Development grants
Oversee creation and management of the annual calendar
Ensure compliance with legal requirements of government regulations and agencies; maintain educational standards established by the State of New York and by those agencies that examine and accredit the School
Participate in the annual administrative staff and support staff budget contract process
Advise on annual school publications and handbooks, and assume responsibility for special research and other projects
Oversee the School's data management systems
Perform other duties as assigned by the Head of School
DIRECT REPORTS
While a working group is reviewing the School’s structure and the organizational structure may evolve in the future, the following positions currently report to the Associate Head of School:
Director of Campus Facilities and Capital Projects
Director of Security and security staff
Director of Facility Services and housekeeping staff
Buildings and Grounds staff
Lobby Receptionist and Administrative Support Assistant
Coordinator of Purchasing and Supplies
Academic Services Coordinator
Director of Academic and Administrative Technology
Assistant Director of Technology
Administrative and Database Support Specialist
Lead Academic Technologist
Head Nurse
MS/HS Nurse
Lower School Nurse
Director of Food Services
Assistant Food Service Manager
Assistant Director of Food Services
Chef
Cook (2)
Kitchen Assistant (8)
Director of the After School Program
Director of the Summer Program
DESIRED QUALITIES AND EXPERIENCE
Successful candidates will have the following mix of experience and qualities:
A Bachelor’s Degree and ten or more years of directly-related experience in a progressively more responsible operations management or comparable organizational leadership position
Familiarity with the full range of operations within an independent school or related organization in the higher education or non-profit sector
Proven capacity to move ideas from vision to execution
Demonstrated ability to effect change through a communicative, collaborative, and inclusive style
Experience overseeing a diverse, multilingual workforce, demonstrating a commitment to respect, empathy, inclusion, and accountability
Track record of consistently maintaining high operational standards in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment
Extensive experience with planning, compiling, and managing budgets
Experience creating and systematizing operational procedures and successfully promoting their adoption in an environment that prizes individuality and iconoclasm
Flexibility, resilience, and an ability to innovate when confronted with unexpected challenges
Experience developing and mentoring administrators who oversee teams
Excellent communication, problem solving, and project management skills
COMPENSATION
The estimated salary range for this position is $270,000 - $300,000. The school offers a robust benefits package.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Evaluation of candidate materials will begin immediately and continue until a new Associate Head of School for Operations is named. Candidates are urged to submit their application materials no later than January 30. Interested candidates should apply using the Talent Profile.
Inquiries and nominations may be sent in confidence to:
Saint Ann’s School hires employees of any race, color, religion, creed, gender, disability, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local law, to all the rights privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to employees at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender (which includes a person’s actual or perceived sex, as well as gender identity and expression), age, marital status, disability, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, familial status, predisposing genetic characteristics, actual or perceived domestic violence victim status, unemployment status, caregiver status or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local law, in carrying on its educational activities or in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, financial aid programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
Saint Ann’s School is a leading independent not for profit school located in Brooklyn Heights, New York serving preschool through 12th Grade.
Since its founding in 1965, Saint Ann’s has embraced a commitment to education for its own sake, oriented to the capacities of each individual student and free of the encumbrances of formal grading, prizes, and rankings. At the same time, we are unabashedly committed to excellence in all that we do. With a faculty and staff numbering close to 400, and nearly 1100 students, Saint Ann’s is among the largest and most selective independent schools in New York City. The lives of our graduates speak powerfully to the potential of an education based on these principles to ignite a love of learning and sustain creative energy in every field of endeavor. We accomplish this by bringing together talented teachers with creative and motivated students. Saint Ann’s is committed to centering anti-racism in the life of the school. Seeking to create a community rooted in trust and equity, we invite each other to take risks, pursue knowledge, and celebrate growth.
Statement of Purpose and Objectives
A Saint Ann’s education imparts the best of human trad...itions and discoveries while nurturing intellectual adventure. Our students are given great freedom — certainly to achieve, also to trust themselves and to find deep satisfaction in learning for its own sake. In anecdotal reports, the classroom, at sports events, or on stage, we hold central the celebration of our students.
Teachers at Saint Ann’s are chosen for their strong intellectual and artistic interests and their commitment to the education of our children. Faculty are given the opportunity to communicate their enthusiasm, to use whatever they find practical in an effort to draw out the most authentic and exceptional work from their students. Our teachers’ leadership in the classroom and out arises from their intellect, accomplishment, and profound sense of humanity.
Our curriculum is a realm of possibilities where we meet our students. It is a substantive and dynamic means to engage every child. It is flexible and responsive, so that whenever feasible, our students undertake accelerated or specialized work in subject areas ranging from music to calculus to Chinese, based upon talents and interests rather than age or grade.
We are a genuine community, operating seven days a week, sustained by a commitment to each other and to the ongoing symposium that is our school. The growth and success of Saint Ann’s owe much to the faithfulness with which we adhere to our educational philosophy: that education is, in the last analysis, a celebration of life and that life is wondrous, ephemeral, and for those reasons, sacred.
Mission Statement
Saint Ann’s exists to nurture the wonder of children. Unfettered by grades, teachers and students embark on journeys of discovery in which the arts are central. Through an ambitious curriculum and a culture of inquiry, we question the world. We invite each other to take risks, pursue knowledge for its own sake, and celebrate growth. We seek to create a community rooted in trust and equity. Here, every subject is an art and every child is an artist.