Saint Mary’s School Raleigh, North Carolina Head of School July 2017 www.sms.edu
The Position
Mission Statement and Core Values
Saint Mary’s School in Raleigh, N.C., seeks a dynamic and engaging Head of School to lead a community of 264 girls in grades 9-12 and 35 faculty members at one of the oldest Episcopal boarding and day girls’ schools in the nation. The next Head of School will be committed to educating, encouraging, and empowering young women for the challenges of the 21st century. A pioneer in the field of women’s education with origins in the 1840s, Saint Mary’s spans 23 beautiful acres in the heart of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. Saint Mary’s School combines a warm and supportive learning environment with a well-rounded and challenging curriculum designed to inspire girls to develop courage, explore their passions, and expand their hearts and minds as they prepare for independence and success in college and life. Saint Mary’s School is guided by its commitment to do what is best for girls, cultivating an environment where girls thrive and experience joy as they grow intellectually, physically, and spiritually.
“Saint Mary’s School, a community dedicated to academic excellence and personal achievement, prepares young women for college and life. To accomplish our mission, Saint Mary’s challenges each young woman to embrace the habits of an intellectual life, engages her with the past and the emerging future, and empowers her to serve and shape her world. The school fosters in each young woman a spirit of connection to others, guides her in developing her spiritual and ethical integrity, and prepares her to take responsibility for herself and her future.” Excellence in Teaching and Learning: Saint Mary’s values the transformational growth that takes place when teachers and students experience the joy of learning together. A collaborative academic culture nurtures intellectual courage, curiosity, and creativity.
Bright and engaged students, passionate and dedicated faculty and staff members, and involved, supportive parents and alumnae characterize this vibrant school community. On the cusp of celebrating its 175th anniversary and poised to tackle exciting challenges and goals, the school now seeks an inspiring new Head of School who can embrace the school’s rich traditions, while focusing on confidently moving the school forward. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate, collaborative, and experienced leader with an unwavering commitment to providing excellent educational and leadership opportunities for young women, thus making his or her mark on a tight-knit, high-achieving school community.
Personal Achievement in Mind, Body, and Spirit: We value intellectual, physical, and spiritual wholeness. We inspire young women to discover their talents, pursue their passions, and achieve their personal best. Honor: We value honor and integrity as central to building character. Our individual and shared commitment to honor, embodied in the Honor Code, creates a foundation of trust and respect essential to an ethical and moral life. Community: We value relationships that connect us to each other and to the larger world. We aspire to be a nurturing community that respects the dignity of every human being.
The School School History
Heritage: We cherish and celebrate our heritage, one that is rich in tradition, Episcopal values, and opportunity for women. The best of our past forms the foundation for the best of our future.
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Founded in 1842 by the Rev. Aldert Smedes, an Episcopal priest, Saint Mary’s School has operated continuously on the same site ever since. With the support of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina,
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Smedes founded Saint Mary’s as a school for young ladies “designed to furnish a thorough and excellent education.” Three of the present school buildings―East Rock, West Rock, and Smedes Hall―formed the original campus. East Rock and West Rock, the first two buildings, were constructed with remnant stones from the construction of the North Carolina state capitol. Rich with history, the core of the school’s campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Saint Mary’s Chapel, designed by Richard Upjohn, is a National Historic Site, and five of the school’s 25 buildings are Raleigh Historic Properties. The school operated throughout much of its history as an intermediate college offering two years of high school and two years of college, before converting to a four-year independent boarding and day school for girls in 1998.
Fast Facts • • • • • • • • • • •
Total students: 264* Teaching faculty: 35 Student/teacher ratio: 8:1* Faculty holding advanced degrees: 77%* Value of Endowment: $20,000,000 Annual operating budget: $11.4M Financial aid awarded: $2,133,640* Students receiving financial aid: 32%* Boarding/Day: 49%/51%* Retention Rate: 95% 10,000 Alumnae
*Based on 2015-16 enrollment
Academics It is a dynamic time to be a student at Saint Mary’s School. The academic curriculum and the broader educational program provide students with the 21st-century skills they need to become lifelong learners with an emphasis on the Habits of a Lifelong Learner specifically focused on critical thinking, communication, and character. Saint Mary’s provides graduates the opportunity to build skills on a foundation marked by core knowledge of a liberal arts curriculum with intentional development toward effective collaboration, intellectual creativity, and global awareness. The curriculum consists of rigorous college preparatory academics in all subject areas. Honors courses are available in each department and Advanced Placement (AP) courses are available across the curriculum. The school offers 16 AP and 27 honors courses. Student course selections are made under the guidance of academic advisors and teachers with individual student goals and abilities in mind. The school year is divided into two semesters, and the expected course load is either five or six courses per semester. An interdisciplinary approach ensures no subject exists in isolation at Saint Mary’s School. Coursework is integrated to enable students to build on existing knowledge and make important connections between areas of study. Teachers challenge girls to ask questions, debate, probe, and defend. In so doing, Saint Mary’s The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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students are encouraged to become lifelong learners, critical thinkers, confident leaders, and effective problem solvers. Online courses are also available at Saint Mary’s for students who wish to explore the challenge of a virtual classroom or subject work outside the scope of Saint Mary’s extensive curriculum. As a member of the Online School for Girls, Saint Mary’s students can benefit from a consortium of all-girls schools whose faculty offer exceptional online learning experiences.
An All-Girls Education Saint Mary’s knows girls and has developed a curriculum and strategies to help prepare them for their college and life journeys. Saint Mary’s recognizes that girls’ schools support a culture, climate, and community that generate high levels of personal and academic self-confidence, as well as a can-do attitude. Research shows that girls in singlegender environments move on to advanced courses more often than do girls in coeducational classes. They typically earn better grades and report that they have greater confidence in themselves and feel more positive about their learning environment. At Saint Mary’s School, girls develop the courage to explore new ideas and experiences, pursue their interests, and advocate for themselves and others.
Technology Each student at Saint Mary’s receives her own Lenovo convertible tablet. This powerful tool enhances each student’s competence in a world that demands flexible, mobile learners capable of building connections to people and resources. Saint Mary’s approach is intended to provide a technology program that enhances learning and intentionally gives its students not just technical skills but also management skills to help them navigate the new electronic reality. Students learn to navigate a world of ubiquitous online communication by knowing when to connect and when to unplug. With a focus on safety and respect, girls learn about communicating with others through email, social networks, and other technologies as they arise. Students learn how to select the best tool or program The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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to complete a given task and how to find new solutions to make their ideas come to life. Once in college, Saint Mary’s graduates find they are as proficient in technology as they are in academics and life skills.
Student Life Through a comprehensive offering of extracurricular classes and activities, Saint Mary’s students are offered an abundance of opportunities to pursue their interests in athletics and the arts, and a range of experiences to develop their abilities as leaders and global citizens. Athletics: Athletics plays an integral part in the educational experience at Saint Mary’s School. The mission of the Saint Mary’s School athletic department is to provide a dynamic environment that promotes competitiveness, teamwork, self-discipline, and sportsmanship. It aims to develop individual and team potential by promoting physical fitness along with high levels of competence, character, and citizenship. Saint Mary’s offers a full interscholastic athletic program, consisting of 18 teams in a wide array of sports. Girls compete as a member of the Triangle Independent Schools Athletic Conference (TISAC) and the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA, 3A Classification). Superior coaching and unmatched team spirit have earned Saint Mary’s an enthusiastic following. The school knows that athletic competition develops leadership, integrity, courage, and teamwork to achieve a common goal. These are vital skills for college and beyond.
College Placement The following is a list of some of the colleges and universities to which Saint Mary’s graduates were recently admitted: BTK Berlin Design School (Germany) Boston College Bowdoin College Carnegie Mellon University Clemson University Dartmouth College Davidson College Duke University Emory University George Washington University Howard University Johns Hopkins University Lehigh University M.I.T. N.C. State University Northeastern University Northwestern University Parsons School of Design Princeton University Rhodes College Sewanee Smith College Southern Methodist University Syracuse University Tufts University UNC-Chapel Hill, Greensboro, and Wilmington University of California-Berkeley UCLA University of St. Andrews in Scotland University of Southern California Vanderbilt University Wake Forest University Washington and Lee University Wofford College
Arts: Saint Mary’s School invites girls to explore and develop their creative talents in music, dance, theatre, and the visual arts with an extensive Visual and Performing Arts As an independent, college preparatory school, (VPA) curriculum. Artistic pursuits may be motivated Saint Mary’s anticipates each year that 100% of by curiosity, passion or an already developed discipline. our graduates will pursue post-secondary studies at No matter what the level of talent or ultimate goal, dedi- four-year colleges and universities. cated Saint Mary’s teachers accommodate students’ levels of skill and ambition and help them move forward. The visual arts program offers students the opportunity to exercise self-expression through a range of studio classes that expose students to a variety of techniques and mediums. The dance program provides solid training in ballet and modern dance, while also offering classes in jazz, hip hop, and others. The resident student The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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dance company, Orchesis Dance Theatre, produces two dance concerts each year. The theatre program allows girls to explore acting, dramatic literature, script reading and analysis, theatre history and more. The theatre department mounts two fully-produced shows each year: a fall play and a spring musical. The music program includes individual applied music study as well as a range of instrumental and vocal ensembles including Saint Mary’s String Ensemble and Chorale. This spring, Saint Mary’s Chorale performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City as part of the 2015-2016 Octavo Series that brings together choral groups from around the world to perform together in leading international venues. Educational Travel: Travel is proven to broaden the mind, enrich the soul and educate us about new places and other cultures. Saint Mary’s School believes in the importance of offering students opportunities to expand their horizons and enhance their understanding of the people and places that comprise our exciting and complex world. Designed to provide students with meaningful learning experiences that build on and enrich their Saint Mary’s School education, the educational travel program offers a range of experiences from which students may choose, including service trips, academic exchanges, cultural excursions, and history trips. Students are able to participate in an educational exchange with St. Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School in Perth, Australia, an annual service trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and cultural and experiential trips both nationally and internationally such as recent trips to Washington, D.C. and Reykjavik, Iceland. Trips are offered during both the academic year and the summer. Most of the educational travel offerings are school-sponsored trips; however, there are also trips organized in partnership with other schools or sanctioned by Saint Mary’s. Chapel: Since our founding in 1842, Saint Mary’s School has been an Episcopal school. The Saint Mary’s Chapel is the center of the school’s spiritual life and community. All students, their advisors and other members of the school community gather in Chapel twice a week to worship through song, prayer, silence and reflection. Boarders also attend a Sunday night vespers service, to which all are invited. Though the worship services are Christian, the experience is unique and different from a community organized around religious belief in The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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that the Chapel services are meant to be welcoming and inclusive.
Physical Campus Saint Mary’s beautiful campus is set in the heart of North Carolina’s bustling capital city of Raleigh. Saint Mary’s offers three residence halls for boarding students in grades 9 through 12. Each residence hall includes faculty apartments, student lounges, laundry facilities, and secure key code access. Each residence hall also houses student dormitory prefects. All residence halls are located on the school’s gated campus and enjoy 24/7 on-campus security. Saint Mary’s campus supports students’ intellectual, artistic, athletic, and social development. It is home to a vibrant community of girls and faculty families.
Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh was the fourth fastest growing city in the U.S. in 2015. It is home to the North Carolina Symphony, Carolina Ballet, the North Carolina Museum of Art, the North Carolina Museum of History, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Colleges and universities located in Raleigh include Meredith College, North Carolina State University, Saint Augustine’s University, Shaw University, and William Peace University. Greater Raleigh offers the amenities and culture of a great city, combined with the friendliness and appeal of a classic Southern town. The city boasts world-class museums and entertainment venues, historic sites, public gardens, excellent restaurants, and professional and NCAA sports events. The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains are a three-hour drive west from Raleigh, and the closest Atlantic Ocean beaches are a two-hour drive to the east. The Research Triangle constitutes one of the largest high-tech research and development areas in the United States and spans three major North Carolina cities: Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. The region is anchored by the research universities of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, Duke University in Durham, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has a wealth of significant employers in the fields of technology, health care and life science. During the last 10 years, Triangle region communities have earned numerous accolades including the #1 City for Biotechnology by the Milken Institute, the #1 High Tech Region by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and the second Best Place for Business & Careers by Forbes Magazine. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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These resources provide exceptional opportunities for internships, career day experiences, and other programs that connect both students and teachers with leading 21st-century thinkers and leaders.
Opportunities and Challenges
Saint Mary’s School’s next Head of School will benefit from an institution characterized by a strong, collegial, and collaborative faculty dedicated to the education and well-being of its girls. The school boasts a tight-knit, strong community that provides a transformational experience for its students. Relationships developed at Saint Mary’s often last a lifetime, thanks in part to the boarding/day culture. The institution’s Episcopal roots are central to its identity, and it is characterized by a culture of kindness, inclusion, hard work, and support. There is, likewise, a sense that Saint Mary’s is poised to capitalize on the forward momentum of its recent years. Situated in downtown Raleigh, the school benefits from the many resources and cultural opportunities afforded by the Research Triangle. Girls matriculate from Saint Mary’s well-prepared to succeed at competitive colleges and universities, bolstered in confidence by the school’s culture of celebrating each individual’s talent, and a strong focus on leadership skills. This is an exciting time at Saint Mary’s. Guided by a promising Strategic Plan, the school is poised to accelerate its forward momentum and build on the educational experience currently in place. The next Head of School must be a passionate supporter of the girls and teachers who work in this setting, and one who also is committed to working closely with parents and the Board. In addition, this individual should foster a tone and culture supportive of inclusive, collaborative decision-making, and have strong relationship skills. The next Head of School will need to be prepared to respond to challenges that include the following identified areas for growth and attention: Financial Responsibility: In keeping with the Strategic Plan, the next Head of School will need to work to grow the school’s enrollment to over 300 girls in the next five to seven years. The School has been fortunate to enjoy prudent financial management and oversight, but the ever-present focus on financial sustainability has been heightened in the last few years. The new Head will need to move forward purposefully and with determination to sponsor, implement, and oversee strategic fundraising initiatives, including a capital campaign to support renovations, programs and endowment. Community: The new leader needs to be visible and present in the school community and forge relationships with and among the faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumnae in order to promote collegiality. Saint Mary’s teachers cherish autonomy in the classroom and value feeling well-supported by the Head of School. Collaborating with the faculty, the new Head will find a group appreciative of open diaThe Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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logue and meaningful program development. Recruiting and retaining diverse, talented, and highly qualified faculty and staff will be of primary importance in the future, as the academic program continues to strengthen and beloved teachers approach retirement. Communications: The next Head of School needs to be a persuasive and articulate advocate for the school in the wider community. The Search Committee seeks a person with strong interpersonal, oral, written, and presentation skills. She/he must also be an exceptionally thoughtful and compassionate listener. The next Head should be enthusiastic in taking a lead role in development, including alumnae relations, and be eager to cultivate relationships across all constituencies. The Head should be comfortable with maintaining a public presence and community involvement in the Raleigh area. Academic Excellence: The next leader at Saint Mary’s will lead a school committed to academic excellence. The new leader must be committed to preparing students for a global, technologically advanced future and ensuring faculty, staff, facilities, and pedagogy meet these changes. The Head of School needs to be visionary, possessing the ability to discern when and how to introduce and pace innovative change in support of intellectual inquiry, and understand the ways that 21st-century education is evolving. Board Collaboration: Working with the support of the Board of Trustees, the next Head of School will continue to develop a culture of “governance best practices,” and activate strategies for implementing the Strategic Plan. Increase Visibility: In order to advance Saint Mary’s to the next level of national recognition, the school seeks to raise its visibility in the local community and in the academic community both among its peers and more broadly in higher education. The School wants to continue to strengthen its national reputation and be seen consistently by leading colleges and universities as expert in girls’ education and a school that fosters academic excellence and graduates well prepared students. The new Head should be able to sharpen the focus, message, and identity, and to market the distinct strengths and successes to the primary audiences in the academic world.
Qualifications and Qualities of the next Head of School Saint Mary’s School community seeks candidates who value and respect Saint Mary’s history, traditions and Episcopal heritage. They should possess the proven leadership and educational background (ideally including boarding school experience) to help move the school forward in preparing girls for the challenges of the 21st century. The school seeks a Head who builds connections and fosters relationships through wisdom, courage, and inspiration. The school is interested in candidates who demonstrate most of the following qualities: • • • • • • •
Knowledgeably articulates the value of an all-girls education Demonstrates outstanding communication skills with all school constituents Effectively fundraises and friend-raises Demonstrates respect and compassion for Saint Marys’ girls and faculty/staff Exhibits good decision-making processes and skills, as well as business acumen Recruits, retains, and supports excellent faculty and staff Exhibits a growth mindset and knowledge of technology integration in education and new pedagogies
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To Apply To Apply for Head of School at Saint Mary’s School, interested and qualified candidates should submit the following materials electronically (in one email as separate PDF documents) to Marguerite Lloyd and Bill Clarkson of Carney, Sandoe & Associates: • Cover letter expressing interest in the Saint Mary’s School position; • Current resume; • Statement of educational philosophy and practice; • List of five references with name, phone number, and email address of each (references will be contacted only with the candidate’s permission).
Marguerite Lloyd | Bill Clarkson
marguerite.lloyd@carneysandoe.com | bill.clarkson@carneysandoe.com Carney, Sandoe & Associates 44 Bromfield Street, Boston, MA 02138 www.carneysandoe.com
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