Position: Middle School Principal

St. Mary's Academy Overview:

St. Mary's Academy, located in Englewood, Colorado, is Metro Denver's premier Catholic, independent school offering rigorous academics in its co-ed Lower and Middle Schools, and all-girls' High School. St. Mary's Academy offers a safe, yet innovative program that embraces all student backgrounds, and fosters character and moral development from Pre-K through Grade 12.

St. Mary's Academy is a close-knit community where faculty and staff serve as role models for the students in accordance with a mission to foster excellence in each child through academic achievement, spiritual development, and service. The qualities of a strong work ethic, desire for personal growth, and commitment to life-long learning that St. Mary's Academy expects of students is likewise an expectation for faculty and staff. Each day is an opportunity to live the Loretto School Values of faith, community, justice, and respect.

St. Mary's Academy is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty and staff who are dedicated to their profession and to the well-being of everyone in the St. Mary's Academy community. St. Mary's Academy does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, sex, disability, marital status, national or ethnic origin, race, sexual orientation, or religion. This policy applies to all areas of student concerns: educational policies, admission policies (historically high school admission is open to women only), scholarship, grant-in-aid programs, athletic and other school-administered programs as well as employee and personnel matters. St. Mary's Academy is an equal opportunity employer.

Position Profile:

St. Mary's Academy (SMA) is seeking a Middle School Principal to begin on July 1, 2022. This is a full-time, 12-month, exempt position reporting directly to the President of SMA.

Middle School Characteristics:

• The Middle School embraces the Loretto mission and lives Loretto School Values
• Strong, supportive, safe, and close-knit community
• Electives are based on teacher passions and these programs “will need water to grow”
• Advisory uses Valor COMPASS program, the only independent school involved
• DEI, Social Justice, and affinity groups are established and functioning well
• The Middle School has been through significant change in the last few years

Desired Leadership Qualities and Experiences:

• Use a distributed leadership model, and be a relationship builder
• Be visible and accessible
• See the big picture, but also attend to details
• Have a comprehensive understanding of Middle School students and their learning and emotional needs
• Identify and nurture talent among Middle School teachers
• Have experience with difficult conversations as a teacher and administrator
• Listen carefully and be mindful of the current landscape in school communities, but be able to make tough decisions with compassion
• Be sensitive to language used in communicating
• Be a team player and a collaborator
• Be enthusiastic, optimistic, and have a sense of justice
• Support and live the Loretto School Values
• Experience with strategic planning, a campus master plan, enrollment, marketing, communications, and implementing visiting team recommendations will be helpful

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

The Middle School Principal should be a visionary leader who understands the importance of balancing core academic skills with a well-rounded, innovative, and progressive program; someone who can embrace, articulate, and promote the school's vision, and who will inspire a commitment to excellence. In addition to being an exceptional and visionary leader, a strategic thinker, a relationship-builder and a skillful manager, the responsibilities of the Principal will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Challenges & Opportunities:

• Love Middle School children and be excited to be part of the SMA community
• Celebrate what is already there, identify what needs to change or improve
• Make the Middle School a destination, and promote the Middle School program
• Support STEAM/STEM & Makespace programs
• Articulate the Middle School curriculum- this is what we do, and this is how we do it
• Continue to work on vertical and horizontal alignment of curriculum to ensure a seamless transition from Lower School to Middle School to Upper School
• Establish a strong relationship with students, faculty/administrators, & parents
• Empower the children to find and express their voice, and advocate for themselves and others
• Leverage the strength of the community
• Continue support of the Valor COMPASS program
• Help DEI and affinity groups evolve further
• Work cooperatively with Lower School and High School Principals and the Admissions Office
• Be able to move projects along with a supportive and delicate touch

Candidates should submit the following materials as soon as possible:

• Cover letter explaining why they are interested in and qualified for the Middle School Principal position at St. Mary's Academy
• Brief personal statement that includes the candidate's thoughts on leading St. Mary's Academy Middle School in the tradition of the Sisters of Loretto
• Current resume
• Name, e-mail address, telephone number and relationship to five professional references
• Two written letters of reference

Search Calendar:

Applications Due — January 18, 2022

Semi-finalists interviews — Late January/early February 2022

Finalist interviews and campus visit — February 2022

Appointment of the new Principal — March 2022 for a July 1, 2022 start

The successful candidate will have the following education, experience, and attributes:

• Bachelor's degree; however, a Master's degree in education or school administration is preferred
• Minimum 3 years' experience as an administrative leader, preferably in independent schools
• Minimum 5 years’ experience as lead teacher
• Proven success at working collaboratively in educational leadership
• Dynamic instructional leader with a solid understanding of the developmental and curricular needs of middle school students
• Outstanding leadership skills
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills
• Excellent organizational and presentation skills
• Strategic thinker and empathetic problem solver
• Technologically savvy