The Headmaster's Internship

The Headmaster’s Internship at Forsyth Country Day School is a semester-long course taught by the headmaster and offered by invitation only to a limited number (usually between four and seven) of Upper School students. Working independently and with Mr. Battle, each student will develop a unique semester project intended to lead to the betterment of Forsyth Country Day School. The class has been designed to enlist help from the student participants in leading and improving the school, with the understanding that the best leaders serve those who work alongside them. At the end of each semester, each student who has completed the course will be awarded with the Headmaster’s Fellow designation, and one student will be awarded a $1,000 stipend for his or her exemplary work improving the school.

Who May Take the Course?

  • While there are no specific selection criteria, recommendations for prospective interns are made by the preceding class (which comprises the Headmaster's Internship Class admission committee), the Upper School administration, and teachers from the Lower, Middle, or Upper Schools or the Johnson Academic Center.
  • All applicants must complete an online application (please see The Headmaster’s Internship website at http://www.fcds.org/about/headmaster/intern/home.asp for details and the online form itself).

Expectations and Requirements

  • Students must be able to travel at their own expense to other independent schools during the semester. This travel is intended as a way for students to gain insight into other schools and the ways they are managed, and to allow students in the class to bring back ideas to make Forsyth Country Day School better. Generally, visits to others schools will be undertaken by the class as a whole. Additional day-long trips (which in the past have included visits to New York City, Pike Electric in Mt. Airy, and St. Anne's-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Virginia) will be scheduled at the mutual convenience of the headmaster and the members of the class.
  • Consistent with management internships in major companies, students must sign confidentiality agreements as they are given unfettered and frequent access to members of the administrative team through its weekly meetings, division director meetings, and other such meetings as called by the headmaster; as well as through various projects, assignments, and class management exercises.
  • To culminate the semester-long course, each Headmaster's Intern will develop a specific semester-long project intended to lead to the betterment of Forsyth Country Day School. Once approved by the headmaster, that project will be presented either to the administrative team as a whole, the Board of Trustees, or to a selected group of teachers, administrators, and students as determined by student invitation.
  • Students will attend class in the headmaster’s office twice per week during A period (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m.). Three days per week, students are expected to work independently. Any time a student needs to spend extra time outside of class with Mr. Battle, he or she is asked to contact Mrs. Sloan, the headmaster's secretary, either by e-mail (betsysloan@fcds.org) or phone (336-945-2134, x 339).
  • While students often focus on work specific to their projects in their off days, they also will be expected to work on specific projects (which will be posted on the Headmaster's Internship class website) and/or other administrative issues being considered by the school at any given time. These issues include, but are not limited to:
    • Working with the headmaster to plan the class (students in the class will be asked for ongoing input on the class' structure, projects, experiences, and speakers);
    • Examining, making suggestions for change, and adding to or subtracting from the school's 15-year-plan (understanding that such strategic plans are working documents in need of constant change and redirection); along with each participant's semester project, this will be a major focus of the class;
  • Evaluating the school’s curriculum as a whole, specific course offerings, and ways to improve the curricular and co-curricular offerings at Forsyth Country Day School;
  • Learning about and discussing school budget matters;
  • Advising the administration on effective space utilization;
  • Helping the headmaster by providing input and suggestions with regard to legal, logistical, or disciplinary matters of a general nature;
  • Reviewing school policies and any of the school's publications - particularly focusing on the school's website;
  • Evaluating the school’s methods of raising funds for specific needs or capital projects;
  • Scrutinizing everything produced by the school or taking place at the school for inconsistencies and/or inefficiencies;
  • Suggesting changes in programs, processes, or procedures;
  • Creating new program initiatives.

Course Outline

  • After the initial planning session, the course will begin with a general introduction to the issue of leadership, which will include a leadership styles inventory exercise. Thereafter, the course will be a practical semester-long internship with real-school issues, case studies, and discussions.
  • Grading for the class is built on a friendly, sometimes competitive, and points-based structure. All projects and assignments will be completed using the Headmaster's Internship Class website and its online forms.
  • In essence, students compete for points in an effort to make the school better.
  • Everything for which the headmaster is responsible is up for grabs.
  • Students will be asked to evaluate the school's publications, website, programs, and even its greatest asset - its people.

Course Goal

Throughout the course, subtle and overt lessons in leadership and effective management will be taught. The culminating project is a self-selected attempt to impact the school positively with some new program or way of doing things.