Montessori Academy seeks a qualified candidate for its Head of School position beginning in the summer of 2026.
Nestled on a lush 23-acre campus in Brentwood, TN, Montessori Academy is a 501(c)3 serving approximately 300 students in 16 classrooms from toddler through high school. Accredited by the American Montessori Society (AMS), the International Montessori Council (IMC), and Cognia, the school boasts multiple buildings including a gymnasium, an auditorium, a fine arts building, and thoughtfully designed workspaces for both students and educators. Outdoor gardens and green spaces provide a natural extension of the learning environment. Every classroom opens to the outdoors, fostering a deep connection with nature.
Passionate, highly trained Montessori educators lead Montessori Academy’s classrooms. Each space is guided by credentialed teachers, supported by a strong administrative team including a Director of Education, a Student Support Coordinator, Director of Operations, Institutional Advancement officer, and additional enrichment and level coordinators. With an operating budget of over four million dollars, the school is supported by a caring Board of Directors which functions to oversee the financial stability of the school.
Montessori Academy’s roots can be traced back to 1967 when founder Eileen Bernstorf opened the first Montessori school in Nashville with a neighbor. The current campus opened in 1986. From its inception, there was a desire to “do it right” in the Montessori realm, leading to Montessori Academy being the first and only school in the Nashville area to be fully accredited by the AMS, Cognia, and IMC. As a non-sectarian school, the school has followed an authentic Montessori philosophy from the beginning, with expertly trained educators and curriculum materials that align with Montessori principles. The school has a strong foundation and is a sought-after school in the community.
In 2015, the Board of Directors approved the opening of a sister school, Amare Montessori in Clarksville, TN. Though independent of one another, they both operate under the auspices of the Board of Directors. The two Heads of schools work together to support each institution’s growth and success.
Brentwood
Brentwood is a suburb of Nashville located in Davidson County. Known for its top-rated schools, Brentwood is an increasingly diverse community, welcoming families of all backgrounds. The area offers abundant green spaces, parks, and recreational facilities. Cultural events, live music, and arts festivals bring the community together. Today the area boasts excellent recreation and cultural events, a thriving retail and restaurant scene, top-notch hospitals and universities, and easy access to Nashville.
Vision and Mission
Vision: To be a community that supports, encourages, and empowers all students to reach their full, unique potential. This vision is accomplished by fostering social, emotional, physical, and academic development in an environment that encourages curiosity, exploration, and a love of learning.
Mission: Educating and inspiring lifelong learners.
For more information about Montessori Academy, visit the school's website.
Head of School Profile
Montessori Leader * Community Builder * Communicator * Strategic Thinker
The next Head of School will be joining an established, successful, 39-year-old Montessori school with an exciting outlook for the future. They must be skilled at building trust and relationships to cultivate a strong and respected voice in Montessori pedagogy. A commitment to high-quality Montessori education, building on the legacy and accomplishments of the school, and honoring the dedication of the faculty, parents, and Board is essential for the new Head of School.
The ideal candidate is an experienced administrator who is well-versed in leadership and accountable for running a Montessori school. The new Head of School must provide oversight and partner with the Board of Directors for strategic planning and effectively obtain support and buy-in from the faculty and community to join in that vision. The Head of School is expected to maintain stability and strengthen the school community. A Head of School who is knowledgeable and implements best practices in Montessori is essential.
Personality traits that will serve the new Head of School well include integrity, confidence, enthusiasm, and diplomacy. They must be receptive to new ideas, supportive, diplomatic, approachable, responsible, proactive, skilled in developing trust, an effective communicator, respectful, committed to being a partner. In other words, Montessori Academy is looking for a true leader.
The profile below indicates traits, skills, roles, and responsibilities that would align with success for the next Head of School at Montessori Academy.
A Montessori Leader, dedicated to
● Championing Montessori education, toddler through high school.
● Demonstrating leadership, experience, and expertise in Montessori principles and pedagogy.
● Overseeing the school’s academic program and the quality of life of the school community.
● Leveraging the strengths of administration and highly trained teachers.
● Managing faculty and staff including attracting, recruiting, hiring, developing, training and managing qualified faculty and staff.
● Ensuring the school’s compliance with the AMS, COGNIA, and IMC school accreditation standards.
● Supporting the integration of children exhibiting neurodiverse behaviors.
● Ensuring the school’s compliance with all regulatory requirements.
● Modeling Montessori philosophy and values through words, actions, and behavior; placing the child first.
A Community Builder, gifted at
● Observing and honoring the history and “family” culture of Montessori Academy and moving respectfully into the future.
● Highly engaging, present and visible in the school community; a strong presence.
● Building rapport, cultivating and managing stakeholders’ relationships and expectations while staying true to the mission and vision of Montessori Academy.
● Being a great listener, approachable, empathetic, validating individual opinions.
● Helping the community reshape a new identity which embraces all stakeholders and fosters a culture of belonging.
● Providing leadership for marketing Montessori Academy’s value within the greater Brentwood community.
● Evaluating the school's inclusive practices and identifying areas for improvement to ensure all students and families feel a sense of belonging.
An Engaging Communicator, skilled at
● Interacting with compassion, diplomacy, while providing clear expectations and transparency, with oversight and accountability.
● Excelling at expressive and receptive communication.
● Being the face of Montessori Academy and Montessori tenets and principles.
● Communicating effectively and inspirationally the value of Montessori education to all stakeholders and potential parents and employees.
● Ensuring relevant, consistent and timely communications with the faculty, parents, and Board.
● A receptiveness to stakeholders’ diverse ideas and opinions while firmly supporting Montessori philosophy and pedagogy
● Demonstrating ability in conflict resolution and a comfortable with change management.
● Addresses conflict with all stakeholders demonstrating grace, respect, and diplomacy while being open minded.
A Strategic Thinker, skilled at
● Developing, in partnership with the Board, strategic planning with a focus on student retention, school community building, financial sustainability, capital improvement, and marketing for the community.
● Clearly articulating the mission and vision of Montessori Academy.
● Seeing the big picture of Montessori Academy and delivering program implementation of best practices in Montessori education and school operations.
● Embracing the scope of work of a not-for-profit school governed by a Board of Directors.
● Establishing an effective manner of leadership and appropriately involving the Board, administration, and faculty in decision making.
● Possessing best practices in business management to lead, execute, and hold accountable all aspects of the school’s operations, skilled at change management.
The Head of School is responsible, in partnership with the Board, for the execution of the mission and strategic goals to produce the highest level of education consistent with the accreditation standards set forth by the AMS, IMC, and COGNIA. The new Head of School must possess expertise and experience in Montessori education, Board governance, and the business acumen to lead, and execute all aspects of the school operation.
The Head of School is under the direct supervision of the Board, which is responsible for Head of School hiring and annual evaluation. Montessori Academy is looking for an excellent new leader to be in place for the start of the 2026 school year.
Position Requirements
● Montessori teaching credential strongly preferred
● Administrative experience in an educational setting; at least five years’ experience in administration in a Montessori school preferred
● Previous classroom experience in Montessori preferred
● A Master of Education preferred
● Experience with regulatory, personnel, budget, and fiscal management required
● Experience working with a governing Board is strongly preferred
● Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, financial management and organizational development preferred
● Meeting all requirements of local, state and accrediting/regulatory bodies; including the Head of School requirements of an AMS accredited school
Benefits include health insurance (health, dental, vision, and life insurance, long- and short-term disability); paid professional development; tuition discounts; paid time off; and 401(k) retirement. A three-bedroom house on campus is also available, which includes all utilities.
Interested candidates will submit the following documents, via email to Carla Hofland, Consultant, Metro Consulting Services.
1. Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee expressing interest in and detailing qualifications for the position
2. A current resume
3. A statement of educational leadership philosophy (1-2 pages)
4. Two examples of writing on a school or educational topic
5. Five references (including email addresses and telephone numbers) that can be contacted confidentially
6. Other documents/media may be required later in the process.
Candidates’ engagement with the search will be kept confidential until the final stage of the process. Candidates are free to communicate directly with Carla Hofland via email or phone (301) 230-0901 regarding the search process.
Note that the search will continue until a qualified candidate has been hired. Please submit a letter of interest or application by September 1, 2025.
