Principal

Job Description

INTRODUCTION
The Bishop of Manchester is the visible principle and foundation of unity in the particular diocese entrusted to him. In a unique and visible way, he makes Christ's mission present and enduring as Shepherd of the Christian Community. In order to fulfill his mission, the Bishop employs suitable, chosen collaborators (clerics, religious, or lay people). He shares with them the apostolic mission and entrusts various responsibilities to them.

Each position employed in the Diocese of Manchester, therefore, helps to extend the ministry of the Bishop in particular ways as outlined in the position description. All employees of the diocese assist the Bishop of Manchester in serving the parishes, schools, and institutions of the Catholic Church throughout New Hampshire.

The principal appointed to Saint Joseph Regional School and Our Lady of Mercy Academy is accountable to the President.

The President-Principal Model is a form of governance that takes the varied and numerous responsibilities for managing a Catholic school and spreads them over two leadership positions. The President is the head of the school with ultimate responsibility for the visioning and developing of a strong and vital Catholic Identity, long-range planning, strategic goal setting and execution. The Principal will have primary responsibility for day-to-day academic affairs of the school, including activities, and student affairs. There will be many collaborative responsibilities, such as teacher evaluation, curriculum development, recruitment, public relations, and fundraising.

THE SCHOOLS
Located in the heart of downtown Keene, New Hampshire, Saint Joseph Regional School and Our Lady of Mercy Academy, along with Saint Bernard Church/Parish of the Holy Spirit, come together to form a vibrant family-centered campus community rooted in a strong foundation of service and faith. Saint Joseph Regional School, founded in 1886, serves students in PreK through Grade 8 with a current enrollment of over 230. Established in 2020, Our Lady of Mercy Academy is an intentionally small high school, currently enrolling 85 students. Our mission is to empower students to grow as informed, inspired, compassionate souls. Together, the Saint Joseph Regional School and Our Lady of Mercy Academy communities share a common vision---one formed by the compassionate message of the Gospel. We affirm the values of high academic standards, responsibility, service, community, and worship. Our schools are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

RESPONSIBILITIES
The principal serves as the spiritual, educational, and the daily operational leader of the schools. The principal is responsible for managing approved policies, regulations, and procedures to ensure that all students are supervised in a safe, traditional Catholic learning environment that meets the approved mission and curricula of the schools.

Fulfilling the Catholic mission of the school and achieving academic excellence require that the principal work collaboratively to direct and nurture the faculty and staff and to communicate effectively with local clergy, parents/guardians, and the Catholic Schools Office. Inherent in the position are the responsibilities for scheduling, curriculum development, staff professional development, extracurricular activities, personnel management, budgeting, emergency procedures, and facility operations.

Most importantly, the principal must understand, articulate, and promote the mission of a Catholic school, fostering an authentic Catholic culture imbued with a ministry of evangelization and our beautiful Catholic world view. The principal must be committed to the formation of the whole person including the spiritual, intellectual, social, physical, and moral development of every student.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES
1. As a spiritual leader:
• Nurtures the faith development of students, faculty, and staff, by providing opportunities for individual and group spiritual growth
• Ensures quality Catholic religious instruction to students
• Selects qualified Theology faculty who use USCCB approved texts and the Diocesan Theology curriculum standards
• Provides opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and families to celebrate the Catholic faith on feast days and in other meaningful ways
• Fosters a robust spiritual life through frequent prayer and the sacraments
• Supports and fosters consistent practices of Christian service
• Fosters collaboration between the parish and the schools
• Recognizes, respects and facilitates the role of parents as the primary faith educators of their children
• Promotes Catholic values within the local and larger community
• Integrates gospel values and Christian ethics into the curriculum, policies, and life of the school
• Maintains awareness of current trends related to Catholic schools
• Develops, implements, and publishes the school philosophy and mission statement that reflect the unique Catholic identity of the schools

2. As an educational leader:
• Demonstrates symbolic and cultural leadership skills in developing a school climate reflecting Catholic identity
• Applies a Catholic educational vision to the daily activities of the schools
• Promotes positive morale within the schools
• Recognizes and fosters leadership opportunities among staff members
• Attends to his/her own personal growth and professional development
• Provides and supports individual and/or group professional development activities for his/her staff
• Recognizes and provides for cultural and religious differences
• Provides leadership in curriculum development and in the integration of the Diocesan academic standards and accompanying integrated faith standards
• Demonstrates an understanding of a variety of educational and pedagogical skills
• Recognizes and accommodates, when possible, the special learning needs of students
• Supervises instruction effectively
• Demonstrates an understanding of effective procedures for evaluating students and the utilization of formative assessments to help students grow
• Possesses the experience, motivation, and ability to enhance the curriculum with extended learning opportunities, i.e., dual credits, internships, electives, and vocational opportunities

3. As an operational leader:
• Recruits, interviews, and selects qualified personnel as set by diocesan policies and guidelines who will advance the mission and vision of the schools
• Provides orientation for new staff
• Knows and applies the skills of organizational management, delegation of responsibilities, and effective communication
• Manages conflict effectively
• Evaluates all staff
• Provides a positive school environment that reflects our Catholic identity
• Understands Catholic school governance structure
• Recognizes and cultivates the importance of the relationship between the school, the President, and the Catholic School Office
• Knows civil and church law as it applies to Catholic schools and utilizes diocesan personnel for assistance when needed.
• Understands accreditation and federally funded program requirements
• Understands and demonstrates the use of current technologies
• Demonstrates skills in planning and managing the school's financial resources toward developing and monitoring an annual budget
• Understands the basic strategies of long-range planning, policy development and implementation, and effective public relations

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND SKILLS REQUIRED
• M.A., M.Ed., and/or an advanced degree in School Administration/Leadership
• Appropriately qualified and/or certified or eligible for NH administrator's certification
• Experienced in visionary leadership, supervision, curriculum, finances, planning, and technology
• Minimum of 5 years successful teaching/administrative experience in a Catholic school
• Demonstrated strong verbal/written communication skills
• Demonstrated effective organizational and time management skills
• It is required that the incumbent be a practicing Catholic by:
Being in good standing with the Church
Actively participating in parish life
Be able to articulate and lead community prayer

ENVIRONMENT
1. Office environment - clean, well-lit, environmentally comfortable, no fumes or airborne particles
2. Minimal exposure to chemicals related to copier equipment and general office solvents
3. Minimal requirement to reach at or above shoulder level; occasional reaching below shoulder level required
4. Frequent grasping and manipulation of equipment and controls
5. Ability to travel throughout the diocese
6. Ability to work a flexible schedule, which may include nights and weekends
7. Ability to tolerate prolonged sitting and/or standing and to lift up to approximately 25 pounds to waist high level whenever necessary
8. Mobility includes regular sitting, some standing and walking

Interested candidates please complete the Diocesan Catholic School Administrator Application:
https://form.jotform.com/RCBM/school-administrator-application
Also email a resume along with three letters of reference to the Superintendent.
David Thibault | (603) 669-3100
dthibault@rcbm.org

All inquiries are treated as confidential.

About the Employer

The mission of Saint Joseph Regional School and Our Lady of Mercy Academy is to empower students to grow as informed, inspired, compassionate souls. We believe that together, our communities of parents, students, and teachers share a common vision---one formed by the compassionate message of the Gospel. We affirm the values of high academic standards, responsibility, service, community, and worship.