VISTAMAR SCHOOLEl Segundo, California

DIRECTOR OF LIFE PLANNINGStart Date: Spring/Summer 2022

vistamarschool.org

OVERVIEW

Vistamar School, founded in 2005, is an independent college preparatory day school serving grades 9-12. The founders’ vision was to tap into the diversity of Los Angeles to bring together students who could learn from each other the skills and attitudes necessary for global citizenship.

The Vistamar experience is guided by its core values and its mission which rests on three pillars: challenging academics that engage and inspire students; an intimate atmosphere that supports students with caring relationships; and a diverse community that encourages the authentic exchange of perspectives and leads students to be comfortable crossing cultural boundaries. Vistamar believes there’s a better way to do high school.

The school is seeking a Director of Life Planning to assume the role in spring/summer 2022. Life Planning is a distinctive aspect of the Vistamar experience. It is grounded in the school’s belief that high school should help prepare students for happy, productive, and successful lives. Throughout their four years at the school, Life Planning equips students with the tools they will need to do meaningful work, be engaged with their communities, and sustain fulfilling relationships with others. The Director is responsible for leading the Life Planning program and ensuring it meets the needs of all Vistamar students. Strong candidates will be dedicated to helping each student chart a path towards personal and academic success, and in preparing them for success in college and in life.

MissionVistamar School empowers students, preparing them to contribute and excel in higher education and in life, and commits to:

• A broad and balanced program that challenges and engages students, building their individual skills and inspiring a passion for learning.

• An intimate atmosphere that fosters initiative, responsibility, knowledge of self and connections to others.

• Diversity of thought and culture that encourages authentic exchange of perspectives, mutual respect, and a mature understanding of the world.

In their studies, in their work, and in their communities, Vistamar students will embrace lives of learning, integrity, and purpose.

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THE SCHOOL

Vistamar School was founded in 2005 by a group of civic-minded families following four years of research, planning, fundraising, and personnel recruitment. With an eye towards helping the South Bay region keep pace with its changing population and economic growth, the founders set out to offer a high-quality, college preparatory learning environment, serving a student body that reflects the diversity of Los Angeles.

Today, Vistamar has graduated 14 classes, beginning with the class of 2008. Alumni have been accepted at the nation’s best colleges and universities and are making their mark as global citizens on their campuses and in their fields.

Understanding that its students are only at the school for four short years, Vistamar designed its program to provide experiences, challenges, and opportunities to ensure students become active, engaged, and inspired. In conjunction with an engaged parent community, the stellar faculty and staff encourage students to move beyond the status quo while relentlessly embracing diversity of thought and experience. The result is a student body that is uniquely prepared to succeed in high school and beyond and possesses the character necessary to pursue a life of purpose and fulfillment.

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At a GlanceFounded: 2005

Total students: 260

Students of color: 49% of students self-identify

as students of color

Total faculty and staff: 61

Faculty of color: roughly 52% of faculty and

staff identify as people of color

Faculty with advanced degrees: 76%

Student/teacher ratio: 8:1

Families in Moderated Tuition program: 33%

Vistamar attracts and enrolls one of the most diverse student bodies in the greater Los Angeles area, with students from over 60 zip codes and more than 80 schools. From the start, values of equity and inclusion have profoundly shaped the school’s multicultural curriculum, vibrant student co-curricular life, and lively family engagement and educational programming. From signature school events that celebrate history and culture, to a robust selection of student affinity and interest groups led by student leaders across campus, life at Vistamar reflects its authentic and ongoing commitment to promoting healthy social identity formation and shared values. Vistamar also strives to serve as a leader among Los Angeles area independent schools, organizing community outreach events such as the Multicultural College Fair for college-bound students of color throughout the region. A Diversity Climate Assessment in 2018 amplified the school’s already strong commitment to ensuring that all students and families feel welcomed and equipped to thrive in the community.

As the school moves into this next decade, Vistamar announced in September 2021 that it is embarking on a process to create a new strategic plan. The strategic plan will be a road map for ongoing work as a school that empowers students and prepares them to contribute and excel in higher education and in life. With the plan expected to be finalized in 2022, the future is very bright at Vistamar.

The school is fully accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools, the Council of International Schools, and the Independent Schools Business Officers Association of California.

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ACADEMICS

Vistamar draws from the best practices worldwide to create a rigorous and innovative curriculum with a global perspective. The curriculum fosters critical thinking, collaborative and independent problem solving, self-reflection and leadership, advanced writing, language, and technological fluency.

Vistamar’s academic programs aim to do more than impart facts and figures. Each program was designed to prepare students to thrive in a globalized society. Some specific program features include:

• Modular science curriculum• Integrated mathematics curriculum (VistaMath)• Mandarin or Spanish language proficiency requirement (based on ACTFL standards)• Senior capstone projects• Four-year Life Planning/College Planning process• 20 College Board Advanced Placement courses

Students complete coursework in history/social studies, English, mathematics, laboratory science, foreign language, and visual and performing arts, as well as a variety of electives. The requirement for the Vistamar diploma is the equivalent of 21 full year courses, which must include the 15 courses meeting the minimum requirements for entry to the University of California system. Beyond the UC-prescribed courses, Vistamar students must take a full year of modular science and a full year of Global Studies in grade nine; an extra year of foreign language; and participate in athletics and fitness by either playing on a Vistamar sports team, participating in an approved off-campus fitness activity, or completing on-campus fitness courses.

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LIFE PLANNING AND COLLEGE PLANNING

Life Planning reflects Vistamar’s strong commitment to preparing students for the real world. The Life Planning Counseling staff work with students to build their life skills, understand their strengths, and develop a post-secondary plan aligned with their values.

In ninth grade, students begin to acquire their “sea legs” and develop skills and habits that help them identify their strengths and passions. They learn to be proactive and confident and start becoming involved in activities they care about. As sophomores, students step up their involvement and leadership in activities and explore ways to make a productive impact in their communities. Juniors continue to challenge themselves with rigorous classes while staying focused on health and wellness. They start focusing more intently on college research and understanding in what type of environment they will thrive. Vistamar is proud to offer rising seniors an opportunity to get a jump-start on college applications during its annual College Application Training Camp. Held at the school in early August, the training camp is a comprehensive, week-long program when seniors and Life Planners work together on the college application process.

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College planning at Vistamar is intentionally embedded in the broader context of Life Planning. Seniors are guided in the college selection process by the Life Planning team in the ways that are most helpful to the individual student. They receive encouragement to be the ultimate driver of the process and empowerment to be the architects of their own futures. While at many schools, much of the discussion around college admissions focuses on “getting in,” instead, at Vistamar, students are reminded that college is an important next step in a larger life plan. The goal is for students to find and choose a school in which they can thrive and excel, a school that will effectively position them for fulfillment in the arenas of work, community, and relationships after graduation.

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College AcceptancesCollege acceptances for the class of 2021 include the following, among others (view a fuller list here):

Arizona State UniversityBerklee College of MusicBoston UniversityBrown UniversityChapman UniversityClemson UniversityCornell UniversityCalifornia State University, SacramentoDickinson CollegeDuke UniversityElon UniversityFordham UniversityGeorge Washington UniversityGettysburg CollegeHaverford CollegeHoward UniversityKenyon CollegeLoyola Marymount UniversityMacalester CollegeNew York UniversityNortheastern UniversityOberlin CollegePennsylvania State UniversityPurdue UniversitySanta Clara UniversitySarah Lawrence CollegeSkidmore CollegeSyracuse UniversityThe Ohio State UniversityTulane UniversityUniversity of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Los AngelesUniversity of DenverUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of VermontUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonWashington University in St. LouisWesleyan University

STUDENT LIFE

Students at Vistamar actively build relationships and connections with their peers, teachers, and in the communities to which they belong. Learning continues outside the classroom in commons spaces, more than 30 student clubs, 20 sports teams, and performing arts rehearsals after school. Wherever Vistamar students are, they are building and growing in community together.

Throughout the year there are opportunities to get involved on and off campus through student-led community outreach (Interact, Latinx Student Association, Feminist Club). Student leaders frequently share current events during Morning Meeting and continue the discussion at club meetings. Students may take on leadership roles through Honor Council, the Student Events and Activities Council, the Vistamar Ambassadors program, and by serving as Health & Wellness Teaching Assistants.

The Vistamar experience encompasses a wide variety of off-campus opportunities over each student’s four years of high school. From grade level retreats, civic engagement, spring and summer travel possibilities, to capstone Senior Projects, all students participate in experiential academic and recreational adventures.

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CAMPUS

When Vistamar School was founded in 2005, the Hawaii Street physical plant was a 76,000 square-foot blank canvas. The founders and school administrators worked with architects and researchers to envision a multi-phased plan ideal for high school students. The campus was designed to facilitate the comfort, interaction, and flow of a teenage population, incorporating technology into every facet.

Today, the Vistamar campus boasts the Viking Commons, a gathering space and new commercial kitchen that serves lunch to the entire school community daily; a state-of-the-art performing arts space; a practice gymnasium; a large, open atrium space; and 22 classrooms clustered into department pods, including four full-sized science laboratories and a contemporary creative commons housing the visual and performing arts pod. Intentionally designed with a sense of openness, “hang-out spaces” throughout the building enable classroom discussions to flow into the halls and into comfortable seating areas. Students and faculty have a place to continue their academic conversations as an extension of the classroom.

Future plans for campus expansion will be discussed as a part of the strategic planning process.

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EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA

El Segundo is a beachside gem that’s quickly earning a reputation as a unique corner of Southern California. With its friendly, small-town charm and an ever-growing community of diverse businesses, El Segundo is a thriving coastal community and 5.5-square-mile economic powerhouse. The community offers beautiful residential neighborhoods, a vibrant downtown, unequaled connectivity to greater Los Angeles, major freeways, three Metro stops, and is just minutes from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The downtown and up-and-coming Smoky Hollow districts offer chef-driven restaurants and world-renowned breweries with local shopping and museums, not to mention lifestyle offerings at The Point and Plaza El Segundo, right along Pacific Coast Highway.

As the home of the practice and training facilities for the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, the city is at the epicenter of Southern California sports culture. And with the new nearby SoFi stadium, home to the 2022 Super Bowl and 2028 Olympics, the city is ready to welcome sports enthusiasts from around the world.

The city has seen tremendous growth and evolution over the past several years. El Segundo is home to the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Air Force Base, and dozens of Fortune 500 companies. Recognized as the aerospace capital of the world, its vibrant economy includes leaders in aerospace and defense, bioscience, information technology, energy, real estate, and creative media.

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OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

• Leading annual strategic planning efforts for the Life Planning Department and ensuring the alignment of these efforts with Vistamar’s mission and broader objectives;

• Collaborating with and supervising a team of three dedicated, full-time Life Planners (Director included) who have a diverse array of experience in college counseling, financial aid, and admissions to service approximately 100 students and families each;

• Meeting a multitude of needs from Vistamar students and families related to Life Planning;¬• Coordinate programs and projects across multiple academic and non-academic departments with

other leaders of school life including admissions, student services, teaching and learning, etc.;• Counseling students and families to approach the college search/post-secondary planning in a

developmentally appropriate way that takes into account varying interests, abilities, and needs; • Plan and host on-campus programs for parents, students,• Plan and oversee major programs: Open House presentations, Jr./Sr. Exploratory courses, College

Application Bootcamp, Junior Book Awards, etc.;• Continuing to evolve the work of creating systems for access, inclusion, and student success; • Support student academic advising by working with department chairs/teachers to identify academic

trends that may impact the strength of students in their transition to a college setting;• Nurturing relationships with students throughout their Vistamar experience and supporting the

interests of students as individuals;• Serving as a liaison to colleague partners in college admission offices across the country and around

the world; hosting college representatives;• Eagerly representing Vistamar School within professional organizations, peer networks, and

professional development conferences;

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• Visit college campuses individually, on college-sponsored trips, and possibly as a chaperone on spring break college tours;

• Maintaining awareness of the current trends, issues, and program opportunities within the admissions, financial aid, and college counseling landscape;

• Supporting the faculty in the development of student-specific recommendation letters; • Attend regular grade-level, faculty, and other administrative meetings and serve on school committees

as needed.

DESIRED QUALITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Relevant experience in college counseling, admissions, and college access; • Experience managing and nurturing a team;• An “instinctively inclusive” leader with a desire to work in a highly relational and values-centered

environment;• A natural collaborator; cultivates strong, collegial relationships with all community members• A strategist and systems-thinker; • Uses student-centered approaches to teaching along with a depth of content expertise to design

meaningful Life Planning experiences that foster a passion for learning in students in line with the school’s Four Attributes of Excellent Teaching;

• A thought leader who can keep Vistamar on the cutting edge of best practices related to college admissions and post-secondary student opportunities as well as equity, access, success, and belonging for all students;

• Strong written and verbal communication skills;• Proficiency with various web-based college counseling tools (Naviance, Blackbaud, etc.).

TO APPLY

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to contact the consultants in confidence. Candidates will ultimately need to submit the following materials as separate PDF documents:

• A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;• A current résumé;• A list of five professional references with name, relationship, phone number, and email address of

each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) to:

Lawrence AlexanderSearch Consultantlawrence.alexander@carneysandoe.com

Seliat DairoSenior Associateseliat.dairo@carneysandoe.com

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