What are the responsibilities and job description for the Board Member position at Scion Executive Search?
Scion Executive Search has been retained to conduct a search for three volunteer members of the Board of Trustees for The Grayson School, one of the most innovative schools in the nation designed specifically for gifted learners. Located in the Greater Philadelphia area, Grayson offers an unparalleled environment where intellectual curiosity, emotional depth, and creativity are celebrated, not just managed. Trustees will join the organization at a pivotal moment of growth and possibility, helping to steward its next chapter through strategic planning, fundraising, and mission-driven leadership. This is a rare opportunity to fuel the growth of a trailblazing school - one that’s scaling impact and rewriting what gifted education can look like when innovation meets evidence-based practice.
Grayson isn’t a school that simply accelerates curriculum - it’s a place where gifted children engage in independent inquiry, ask bold questions, and explore complex ideas without fear of failure. They learn from deeply knowledgeable, research-informed educators who are genuinely energized by their students’ curiosity and intellect. Many of the highly trained staff and faculty are experts in their fields as scholars, scientists, and artists who choose Grayson because it allows them to teach in the way they’ve always wanted to: with depth, joy, and mutual respect. As a result, Grayson students and teachers alike feel deeply understood in ways that they have not experienced elsewhere.
As one of the few institutions in the country serving this population, Grayson is both rare and essential. With your leadership, we can ensure this life-changing environment reaches more students that will flourish and thrive in the Grayson environment.
ABOUT THE GRAYSON SCHOOL:
The Grayson School is one of only four independent Pre-K through 12th grade schools in the nation specifically designed for gifted learners. At Grayson, a gifted mind passionately pursuing an idea is a wondrous thing to see, and Grayson serves these gifted young people who think, learn, and experience the world in ways that differ dramatically from their peers.
Defined as scoring in the 99.9th percentile on IQ and achievement tests, these students often exhibit an insatiable curiosity, a drive to understand complexity, and a sensitivity to fairness, nuance, and meaning from a very early age. The development of profoundly gifted learners is often asynchronous; and without appropriate challenge and support, these students are at risk of underachieving or disengaging in their education altogether.
Grayson’s academic model is designed to be ceilingless, offering advanced, individualized instruction that meets each student at their level of readiness regardless of how far beyond traditional grade-level benchmarks they may be. At the same time, the school maintains intentionally age-based cohorts to support healthy social development and peer connection. Students progress through rigorous, ability-based coursework while remaining anchored in a learning community of similarly aged peers, ensuring both deep academic challenge and age-appropriate belonging.
Grayson takes a deeply holistic approach to gifted education, grounded in the belief that intellectual development must be matched by social, emotional, and creative growth. The school offers a comprehensive social-emotional learning curriculum and maintains a robust counseling program to ensure that each student is supported as a whole person. A wide breadth of programming in music, visual and performing arts, athletics, and academic competitions complements the school’s rigorous academic environment, fostering curiosity, cultural literacy, collaboration, and personal expression. Grayson’s model is intentionally designed to cultivate gifted students who are not only advanced thinkers, but also empathetic communicators, community-minded peers, and confident contributors to an increasingly complex world.
Currently serving 180 students, Grayson operates with remarkable efficiency while providing significant financial aid to 40% of its student body. The school has earned national recognition, including a first-time 10-year accreditation and endorsements from leading researchers in gifted education. Alumni go on to attend top-tier universities such as Cornell, Harvard, Penn, UCLA, Georgia Tech, and Purdue University’s Polytechnic Institute, as well as highly selective honors colleges across the country. Each student’s journey is supported through thoughtful, individualized college guidance to help them identify and pursue their best-fit path after graduation.
With strong leadership, a well-established strategic plan, and growing demand for its distinctive approach, The Grayson School is positioned for rapidly scalable, high-impact growth. While operating with a lean budget and highly fiscally conservative model, the school has remained committed to expanding access for gifted learners, and Grayson aims to reach even more students whose potential is too often overlooked.
Founded by federally trained education advocate Melissa Bilash and an all-women team of educators, Grayson has earned international recognition for its rigorous academics, inventive programming, and extraordinary community. In a field where many schools struggle to meet the needs of gifted learners, Grayson has flourished, offering an environment where students are deeply understood, meaningfully challenged, and empowered to thrive.
POSITION OVERVIEW:
Having celebrated its tenth year of serving the gifted community, Grayson is at a defining inflection point. With strong enrollment, record program demand, and deep expertise in gifted education, the school is poised to expand both its physical footprint and its philanthropic base. To support this next chapter, Grayson is seeking to evolve its Board of Trustees with visionary, engaged, and generous leaders who can help steward its mission, scale its impact, and build a lasting legacy for gifted education.
Trustees will join a passionate leadership team and an actively engaged community of educators, students, and families. This is a hands-on opportunity to support one of the country’s most unique and essential educational institutions and to help ensure that more gifted children can access the transformative experience Grayson offers.
The primary responsibilities of The Grayson School Board of Trustees include furthering the school’s mission and ensuring the school’s success. This includes overseeing the mission, vision, and strategic direction, as well as ensuring its financial health and effective governance. They also play a crucial role in supporting and evaluating the Head of School, as well as approving budgets, and ensuring the school’s long-term sustainability. The Grayson School Board of Trustees meets approximately six times per year, and board members must agree to generate a minimum of $45,000 in donations annually.
Grayson seeks Trustees who will appreciate the school's unique mission, demonstrate initiative in advancing organizational goals, and maintain confidence in introducing the school within their networks. The school values bold, intellectually engaged board members who ask sharp questions, challenge assumptions with respect and insight, and thrive in environments that break the mold. Grayson is not a place for the status quo - it is a community that collectively challenges convention and seeks board leaders who do the same.
RESPONSIBILITIES & STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:
Governance & Strategy
The incoming Trustees will be experienced nonprofit leaders or successful entrepreneurs with strategic experience in one of two specialized areas:
Fundraising Specialist:
TIME COMMITMENT & LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Board service requires 20-30 hours quarterly, including preparation for and attendance at board meetings, committee work, and strategic initiatives. Trustees attend six board meetings annually (both in-person and virtual), participate in the school's fundraising events, and visit the school regularly to understand programming firsthand.
While proximity to Philadelphia is preferred for relationship-building and local connections, the board will consider qualified candidates from other regions who can fulfill the time requirements, demonstrate relevant network capacity, and have deep ties to Grayson’s mission.
APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS:
The Grayson School has retained the services of Scion Executive Search, a national executive search firm specializing in mission-driven organization recruitment, to assist in conducting this important search. For immediate consideration please apply with your resume and cover letter, formatted in Microsoft Word, via: https://scionexecutivesearch.com/job/13108/
Please address applications to:
Sydney Burnham, Senior Executive Search Principal
Scion Executive Search
sydney@scionexecutivesearch.com
Kristen Whalen, Senior Associate
Scion Executive Search
kristen@scionexecutivesearch.com
Review of applications, nominations, and expressions of interest will begin immediately and continue on a confidential basis until an appointment is made.
ABOUT OUR FIRM:
Scion Executive Search is an award-winning retained executive search firm. Our track record and recruitment process have made us one of the top recruitment firms in the United States. Through innovative team building and recruitment solutions, Scion Executive Search seamlessly bridges the gap in interim and executive searches. Our track record and recruitment process have made us one of the top recruitment firms in the nation.
We are proud to be part of the Forbes lists of the Best Recruitment Firms and the Best Executive Search Firms in America. Additionally, Scion has been recognized as a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing firm as well as a top recruitment firm by The Business Times. Additional information about our firm and our practices can be found online.
Scion Executive Search is an equal opportunity employer and service provider and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, political affiliation, or any other protected class. We are committed to the principles of Equal Opportunity Employment and are dedicated to making employment decisions based on merit and value, for ourselves, our client companies, and the candidates we represent.
For opportunities located in a region that has enacted fair chance, arrest, or conviction-based employment ordinances, Scion Executive Search proactively follows the enacted guidance and considers for employment all qualified applications with arrest and conviction records. We engage in socially conscious business practices and believe that diverse, equitable, inclusive, and non-biased talent and recruitment processes are foundational to the success of Scion as well as every client organization with whom we partner.
Grayson isn’t a school that simply accelerates curriculum - it’s a place where gifted children engage in independent inquiry, ask bold questions, and explore complex ideas without fear of failure. They learn from deeply knowledgeable, research-informed educators who are genuinely energized by their students’ curiosity and intellect. Many of the highly trained staff and faculty are experts in their fields as scholars, scientists, and artists who choose Grayson because it allows them to teach in the way they’ve always wanted to: with depth, joy, and mutual respect. As a result, Grayson students and teachers alike feel deeply understood in ways that they have not experienced elsewhere.
As one of the few institutions in the country serving this population, Grayson is both rare and essential. With your leadership, we can ensure this life-changing environment reaches more students that will flourish and thrive in the Grayson environment.
ABOUT THE GRAYSON SCHOOL:
The Grayson School is one of only four independent Pre-K through 12th grade schools in the nation specifically designed for gifted learners. At Grayson, a gifted mind passionately pursuing an idea is a wondrous thing to see, and Grayson serves these gifted young people who think, learn, and experience the world in ways that differ dramatically from their peers.
Defined as scoring in the 99.9th percentile on IQ and achievement tests, these students often exhibit an insatiable curiosity, a drive to understand complexity, and a sensitivity to fairness, nuance, and meaning from a very early age. The development of profoundly gifted learners is often asynchronous; and without appropriate challenge and support, these students are at risk of underachieving or disengaging in their education altogether.
Grayson’s academic model is designed to be ceilingless, offering advanced, individualized instruction that meets each student at their level of readiness regardless of how far beyond traditional grade-level benchmarks they may be. At the same time, the school maintains intentionally age-based cohorts to support healthy social development and peer connection. Students progress through rigorous, ability-based coursework while remaining anchored in a learning community of similarly aged peers, ensuring both deep academic challenge and age-appropriate belonging.
Grayson takes a deeply holistic approach to gifted education, grounded in the belief that intellectual development must be matched by social, emotional, and creative growth. The school offers a comprehensive social-emotional learning curriculum and maintains a robust counseling program to ensure that each student is supported as a whole person. A wide breadth of programming in music, visual and performing arts, athletics, and academic competitions complements the school’s rigorous academic environment, fostering curiosity, cultural literacy, collaboration, and personal expression. Grayson’s model is intentionally designed to cultivate gifted students who are not only advanced thinkers, but also empathetic communicators, community-minded peers, and confident contributors to an increasingly complex world.
Currently serving 180 students, Grayson operates with remarkable efficiency while providing significant financial aid to 40% of its student body. The school has earned national recognition, including a first-time 10-year accreditation and endorsements from leading researchers in gifted education. Alumni go on to attend top-tier universities such as Cornell, Harvard, Penn, UCLA, Georgia Tech, and Purdue University’s Polytechnic Institute, as well as highly selective honors colleges across the country. Each student’s journey is supported through thoughtful, individualized college guidance to help them identify and pursue their best-fit path after graduation.
With strong leadership, a well-established strategic plan, and growing demand for its distinctive approach, The Grayson School is positioned for rapidly scalable, high-impact growth. While operating with a lean budget and highly fiscally conservative model, the school has remained committed to expanding access for gifted learners, and Grayson aims to reach even more students whose potential is too often overlooked.
Founded by federally trained education advocate Melissa Bilash and an all-women team of educators, Grayson has earned international recognition for its rigorous academics, inventive programming, and extraordinary community. In a field where many schools struggle to meet the needs of gifted learners, Grayson has flourished, offering an environment where students are deeply understood, meaningfully challenged, and empowered to thrive.
POSITION OVERVIEW:
Having celebrated its tenth year of serving the gifted community, Grayson is at a defining inflection point. With strong enrollment, record program demand, and deep expertise in gifted education, the school is poised to expand both its physical footprint and its philanthropic base. To support this next chapter, Grayson is seeking to evolve its Board of Trustees with visionary, engaged, and generous leaders who can help steward its mission, scale its impact, and build a lasting legacy for gifted education.
Trustees will join a passionate leadership team and an actively engaged community of educators, students, and families. This is a hands-on opportunity to support one of the country’s most unique and essential educational institutions and to help ensure that more gifted children can access the transformative experience Grayson offers.
The primary responsibilities of The Grayson School Board of Trustees include furthering the school’s mission and ensuring the school’s success. This includes overseeing the mission, vision, and strategic direction, as well as ensuring its financial health and effective governance. They also play a crucial role in supporting and evaluating the Head of School, as well as approving budgets, and ensuring the school’s long-term sustainability. The Grayson School Board of Trustees meets approximately six times per year, and board members must agree to generate a minimum of $45,000 in donations annually.
Grayson seeks Trustees who will appreciate the school's unique mission, demonstrate initiative in advancing organizational goals, and maintain confidence in introducing the school within their networks. The school values bold, intellectually engaged board members who ask sharp questions, challenge assumptions with respect and insight, and thrive in environments that break the mold. Grayson is not a place for the status quo - it is a community that collectively challenges convention and seeks board leaders who do the same.
RESPONSIBILITIES & STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:
Governance & Strategy
- Partner with the Head of School to define, refine, and steward the long-term strategic direction of the school, including growth planning and facilities development and expansion
- In partnership with the Head of School and Strategic Planning Committee, set long-term goals and priorities that align with the growth strategy, core values, and mission of serving gifted learners:
- Mission Statement: The Grayson School provides gifted children a challenging, research-based education worthy of their intellect and their intrinsic desire to learn and think deeply. We serve as a valued resource for the gifted education community in Philadelphia and nationwide.
- Establish and uphold board-level policies, ethical standards, and organizational priorities while ensuring that day-to-day management remains with school leadership
- Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and accreditation standards
- Review and update policies as needed to support the school's evolution and growth
- Review leadership succession plans periodically to ensure long-term continuity and organizational resilience
- Maintain governance structures that reflect best practices in independent school leadership and board accountability
- Exercise fiduciary responsibility for the school’s long-term financial health, including approving budgets and overseeing resource allocation in partnership with the Finance Committee Chair
- Serve as philanthropic leaders, prioritizing Grayson among their top charitable commitments and actively participating in fundraising initiatives
- Act in the best interests of the school, adhering to ethical and legal standards while ensuring responsible use of school resources
- Provide strategic guidance on resource allocation and support for the school's lean operational model
- Provide leadership, support, and guidance to school administration as needed while respecting operational boundaries
- Ensure the school's leadership effectively manages the institution while maintaining focus on educational excellence
- Support succession planning and leadership development initiatives
- Champion the Head of School and leadership team, fostering a collaborative partnership grounded in trust, transparency, and shared accountability
- Uphold and advance Grayson’s mission, vision, and values, ensuring that programs, culture, and communications reflect the school’s purpose
- Serve as visible, values-aligned ambassadors within the school community and beyond, modeling inclusive, mission-driven leadership
- Leverage personal and professional networks to enhance the school’s reach, reputation, and access to resources
- Engage meaningfully with families, donors, and external stakeholders to strengthen relationships and advance institutional goals
- Promote the school’s unique value in the field of gifted education through storytelling, advocacy, and presence in the broader educational landscape
The incoming Trustees will be experienced nonprofit leaders or successful entrepreneurs with strategic experience in one of two specialized areas:
Fundraising Specialist:
- Demonstrated capability in generating consistent fundraising growth
- Viable personal network with capacity for philanthropic engagement
- Track record of expanding donor pools and increasing contributions
- Interest in teaching fundraising best practices to others
- Experience improving organizational brand and messaging
- Proven ability to develop compelling communications for target audiences
- Track record of increasing organizational value proposition and advocacy
- Expertise in positioning unique educational offerings to prospective families
- 10 years of nonprofit leadership or board experience
- Personal capacity for $45,000 annual commitment
- Understanding of or connection to gifted education
- Strategic thinking with hands-on execution capability
- Startup and scale experience, particularly in mission-driven organizations
- Financial management or development expertise
- Regional connections (within 7 miles of current location preferred)
- Demonstrated generosity with time, talent, and resources
TIME COMMITMENT & LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Board service requires 20-30 hours quarterly, including preparation for and attendance at board meetings, committee work, and strategic initiatives. Trustees attend six board meetings annually (both in-person and virtual), participate in the school's fundraising events, and visit the school regularly to understand programming firsthand.
While proximity to Philadelphia is preferred for relationship-building and local connections, the board will consider qualified candidates from other regions who can fulfill the time requirements, demonstrate relevant network capacity, and have deep ties to Grayson’s mission.
APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS:
The Grayson School has retained the services of Scion Executive Search, a national executive search firm specializing in mission-driven organization recruitment, to assist in conducting this important search. For immediate consideration please apply with your resume and cover letter, formatted in Microsoft Word, via: https://scionexecutivesearch.com/job/13108/
Please address applications to:
Sydney Burnham, Senior Executive Search Principal
Scion Executive Search
sydney@scionexecutivesearch.com
Kristen Whalen, Senior Associate
Scion Executive Search
kristen@scionexecutivesearch.com
Review of applications, nominations, and expressions of interest will begin immediately and continue on a confidential basis until an appointment is made.
ABOUT OUR FIRM:
Scion Executive Search is an award-winning retained executive search firm. Our track record and recruitment process have made us one of the top recruitment firms in the United States. Through innovative team building and recruitment solutions, Scion Executive Search seamlessly bridges the gap in interim and executive searches. Our track record and recruitment process have made us one of the top recruitment firms in the nation.
We are proud to be part of the Forbes lists of the Best Recruitment Firms and the Best Executive Search Firms in America. Additionally, Scion has been recognized as a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing firm as well as a top recruitment firm by The Business Times. Additional information about our firm and our practices can be found online.
Scion Executive Search is an equal opportunity employer and service provider and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, political affiliation, or any other protected class. We are committed to the principles of Equal Opportunity Employment and are dedicated to making employment decisions based on merit and value, for ourselves, our client companies, and the candidates we represent.
For opportunities located in a region that has enacted fair chance, arrest, or conviction-based employment ordinances, Scion Executive Search proactively follows the enacted guidance and considers for employment all qualified applications with arrest and conviction records. We engage in socially conscious business practices and believe that diverse, equitable, inclusive, and non-biased talent and recruitment processes are foundational to the success of Scion as well as every client organization with whom we partner.
Salary : $45,000
