The ideal candidate will represent the following:

• knowledge and understanding of the mission and values of Sacred Heart Schools as well as the Network of the Sacred Heart and the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (www.sofie.org) and/or a desire for further formation to develop an understanding and appreciation of Sacred Heart spirituality and education and how it informs the life of SHS;
• commitment to the Schools and to the mission and charism of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus;
• projects the image of a Sacred Heart educator with strong conviction and a positive attitude;
• experience in and commitment to the independent Catholic school model;
• be a role model for faith practices within this Roman Catholic environment;
• organizational, leadership and managerial skills to lead a quality faculty;
• knowledge and understanding of the developmental as well as academic dynamics of the lower and middle school age groups;
• administrative and teaching experience at the lower and/or middle school level, with a comprehensive knowledge of all facets of lower/middle schools, including students, parents, faculty, curriculum development and program design, professional development and best practices for primary/middle school education;
• understanding of PS-12 schools as an institutional model and the role that each division plays within the context of the entire school, especially at key transition points between divisions;
• collaborative working style as member of the executive School Administrative Council, and of the Administrative Staff for the Lower and Middle Schools;
• visionary leader adept in 21st century educational pedagogy and best practices;
• creative, strategic thinker with excellent problem-solving abilities that allow for more innovation in the spirit of the Schools;
• ability to work in partnership with faculty, students, and parents and be an effective manager of people;
• ability to encourage and balance parent involvement to ensure an appropriate relationship between parents and teachers that provides for a healthy and effective functioning of the Schools;
• experience with faculty supervision, evaluation and hiring;
• deep understanding of and comfort with technology and its use in the classroom and daily use as required for the position;
• sensitivity to matters of confidentiality, as well as diplomacy and tact;
• the ability to balance decisiveness and delegation in addressing programmatic and administrative issues;
• strong time management skills and the capacity to prioritize tasks;
• commitment to diversity in all of its manifestations and to the development of one’s own cultural competence;
• excellent oral and written communication skills that are clear, meaningful, consistent, and timely; and
• experience with fiscal/budgetary issues.

Personal Qualities Sought:

The ideal candidate would be a person with a strong Catholic background, who is confident, yet approachable. He/she must have the ability to listen to and understand different perspectives, yet be decisive. The candidate will have integrity, compassion and be comfortable engaging with young children as well as budding adolescents. Thoughtfulness and self-awareness will be central characteristics of the new principal. Also, the successful candidate will have a deep appreciation of the relational aspects of a school community and of the importance of engaging all members in the school community with clear and open communication skills. Most importantly, the love and joy of working with children, with a good sense of humor, is essential.

Search Process:

Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton, has engaged the national executive search firm Educational Directions, Incorporated, to assist with the search. The Search Committee plans to complete the search by March 2013. Candidates should submit all information as soon as possible, but not before first speaking with one of the Search Consultants:

Mathew Heersche, Ed.D.: mheersche@edu-direction.com

or

Risa Oganesoff Heerscher: heersche@edu-directions.com

Electronic submission of materials is required. Please send materials in a consolidated pdf format. Reference letters should be submitted separately.

Candidates should submit:

• Cover letter explaining why they are interested in and qualified for the Lower and Middle Schools’ Principalship at SHS
• Brief personal statement that includes the candidate’s thoughts on leading a Lower and Middle Schools campus in the tradition of Sacred Heart Schools
• Current resume
• Names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of five references
• Two written letters of reference

See: http://www.shschools.org/page.cfm?p=382