Principal

Job Description

Summary

Central Catholic seeks a mission-driven, student-centered educational leader with a demonstrated commitment to academic excellence, instructional innovation, and continuous improvement to serve as its next Principal beginning July 1, 2027.

Reporting to the President, the Principal is the school's chief academic officer, responsible for the quality of teaching and learning, faculty and educational administrator leadership, student life, and day-to-day educational operations. As a member of the President's Leadership Team, the Principal helps advance schoolwide priorities and works collaboratively within Central Catholic's President-Principal leadership model.

The successful candidate will be a visible, approachable presence in the school community who builds trust, sets high expectations, makes sound decisions, and follows through. This leader will honor Central Catholic's traditions while thoughtfully advancing educational practices that meet the needs of today's students and prepare them for the future.

Key Responsibilities
Catholic Identity & Marist Mission

Partner with the President to serve as a keeper of Central Catholic's Marist charism, ensuring that it guides the school's educational programs, culture, and daily practices.
Model and advance the school's Catholic identity and Marist values in daily leadership and decision-making.
Commit to ongoing formation in the Marist mission and charism, both personally and in community, and encourage faculty and staff to participate in formation opportunities, including Province programs.
Oversees Campus Ministry to support faith formation, liturgy, retreats, service, and the spiritual life of the school.
Ensure that the school's mission informs educational priorities, relationships, and the formation of young people.
Academic Leadership & Innovation

Lead a rigorous, student-centered academic program and establish clear expectations for instructional quality and student achievement.
Work with academic leaders and department chairs to evaluate and improve curriculum, instruction, assessment, academic policies, and student supports.
Encourage research-informed teaching, interdisciplinary learning, and appropriate use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, with attention to educational value and responsible use.
Support promising new programs and approaches, assess their effectiveness, and scale improvements that advance student learning.
Oversee academic planning, faculty assignments, course offerings, and the master schedule through designated academic leaders; use evidence and student outcomes to guide decisions.
Faculty & Administrative Leadership

Lead and evaluate educational administrators and faculty, with clear expectations, regular classroom observations, meaningful feedback, and consistent accountability.
Address performance concerns promptly and fairly while supporting coaching, professional learning, and faculty growth.
Partner with the President and appropriate leaders on recruitment, hiring, assignment, retention, and personnel recommendations within established policies.
Build a professional culture that values collaboration, initiative, respectful communication, and shared responsibility for student success.
Maintain clear and timely communication with faculty and staff, including regular meetings and follow-through on decisions.
Student Life & School Culture

Maintain a visible and engaged presence throughout the school community, building authentic relationships with students, faculty, staff, and families.
Oversee student life, including attendance, conduct, discipline, counseling, support services, and the consistent implementation of student policies.
Promote a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where students are known, challenged, and supported.
Collaborate with school leaders to support student well-being, school safety, and a positive school culture.
Build strong partnerships with families through clear communication, accessibility, fairness, and sound judgment.
Strategic & Educational Operations

Partner with the President and Leadership Team to implement strategic priorities related to academic excellence, student experience, and school culture.
Lead change thoughtfully by engaging stakeholders, explaining the rationale for initiatives, establishing implementation plans, and evaluating results.
Oversee educational policies, school calendars, handbooks, accreditation preparation, and appropriate educational records and procedures.
Collaborate on academic and student-program budgets and ensure responsible use of resources.
Collaborate with the Admissions team on the admissions process, including the review of applicants and support for prospective students and families.
Ensure compliance with applicable laws, school policies, accreditation standards, and collective bargaining obligations; represent Central Catholic with relevant educational organizations and agencies.

Qualifications
Required

A practicing Catholic committed to advancing Central Catholic's Marist mission.
Demonstrates openness to, and enthusiasm for, being formed in the Marist mission and charism, including participation in Province formation programs.
Master's degree in educational leadership, educational administration, or a related field.
At least five years of successful secondary-level teaching experience and at least three years of successful school leadership experience.
Demonstrated strength in instructional leadership, faculty supervision and evaluation, educational operations, and student-centered decision-making.
Demonstrated experience leading instructional improvement, developing and implementing innovative academic programs, and thoughtfully integrating educational technology to support teaching and learning.
Ability to lead improvement and change, develop effective teams, and balance collaboration with clear accountability.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills; sound judgment, integrity, and discretion.
Commitment to supporting students and families from diverse backgrounds and with varied learning needs.
Preferred

Massachusetts Principal certification.
Experience as a Principal, Assistant Principal, Academic Dean, or comparable secondary school leader, particularly in a Catholic or independent school.
Doctoral degree in education or a related field.
Experience with accreditation, strategic planning, and data-informed school improvement.

About the Employer

Central Catholic High School makes Jesus known and loved. We educate the whole person for college and for life, with particular care for the least favored and those in need.