Ursuline Academy Wilmington, Delaware President Summer 2017 www.ursuline.org
MISSION STATEMENT Ursuline Academy is an independent, Catholic school community that empowers students for leadership and service in our global society.
CORE VALUES • Academic Excellence • Emphasis on the Individual and the Whole Person • Students as Leaders • Family Spirit and Community
• Service and Social Consciousness • Curriculum Integrated with Christian Values • Religious Education • Spirit of St. Angela Merici
The Position “If, according to times and circumstances, the need arises to make new rules or do something differently, do it prudently and with good advice.” – St. Angela Merici, Foundress of Ursuline Sisters Located in Wilmington, DE, Ursuline Academy (UA) serves upwards of 500 students per year across four divisions: Early Childhood, Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School. Since its founding in 1893, Ursuline Academy has been guided by the values and mission of the Ursuline Sisters, who established the school over a century ago and remain deeply involved in teaching and governance at UA today. Amongst the Ursuline Sisters’ core beliefs is a commitment to self-reflective adaptation in changing times—a principle set forth by the Foundress of the Ursulines. St Angela Merici sought to provide all girls, regardless of means, with access to a holistic and empowering religious education. Today, Ursuline Academy finds itself at an important and exciting transition, and St. Angela Merici’s call for a thoughtful and judicious approach to change proves to be relevant as ever. With the retirement of its current leader, Ursuline Academy seeks a new president effective July 2017. The Board, along with the wider UA community, is eager to find an inspiring and faith-filled “institution builder”, someone who can use his/her privileged leadership platform to take this wonderful school to the next level. This is an exceptional opportunity to lead a high-performing, multi-divisional Catholic institution with more than a hundred years of outstanding service to its community.
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School History Ursuline Academy was founded by the Order of St. Ursula, a Catholic sisterhood dating back 16th-century Italy. St. Angela Merici established the Ursulines in Brescia, Italy in 1535. A century later, after expanding to France, the Company of St Ursula formally began schools for girls, at a time when education was only accessible to women of wealthy classes and those who entered a convent. As such, the Ursuline Sisters were true pioneers from the outset—innovative, courageous, and independent in an era when such traits were not expected of women. They became the first Catholic nuns to settle in North America when they set out to bring Christianity to Native American and French settlers in Quebec in 1639. Their work in North America continued to expand as the Ursuline Sisters established schools throughout the eastern part of the continent over the next few centuries. Their Catholic school system in the Louisiana Territory—the first in the region—served free and enslaved African Americans in addition to French settlers. Today, Ursuline schools flourish in over 36 countries. In 1893, Bishop Curtis of the Diocese of Wilmington invited the Ursuline Sisters to take over a school formerly run by the Visitation Sisters. The school was moved and reopened as Ursuline Academy. They went on to establish multiple parochial schools and religious education programs throughout the Diocese of Wilmington, inspiring generations with their strength, courage, and dedication to social justice. Following in the footsteps of their Foundress, Ursulines have worked to adapt their schools to changing times and circumstances. They have also committed deeply to providing educational opportunity to every capable and interested student, regardless of financial means. Over the past 5 years, Ursuline Academy has steadily increased its tuition assistance, now offering aid and scholarships to 42% of its students.
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The School Coeducational in the Early Childhood and Lower School divisions, Ursuline Academy transitions at the Middle School to provide an all-girls education through Grade 12. As a part of the Ursuline Education Network (UEN), UA offers a uniquely global educational experience to its students; UA students across all four divisions develop a sense of connection not only with their peers in the classroom but with the wider community of more than 100 outstanding Catholic schools and colleges in the UEN worldwide. Though Catholic in denomination, the Ursuline Sisters have long embraced values of inclusiveness and open-mindedness—as is evident in the diverse religious makeup of UA’s student body, nearly 40% of which self-identify as non-Catholic. The UA culture is warm, welcoming, spirited, and imbued with the powerful and character-building Ursuline charism of “Serviam”—meaning “I will serve.” The strength of the Ursuline community, both past and present, and the influence of academic excellence not only ensure the growth of the school’s legacy for decades to come but also create a comprehensive and collaborative learning environment in which students can thrive today. Ursuline alumnae, over 4000 strong, speak enthusiastically of the great impact Ursuline has had on their lives, giving them the confidence, perseverance, and courage to follow their dreams and pursue challenging life work. They also talk about the foundation of faith instilled in them at Ursuline and the values that taught them to care about the world. The impact of an Ursuline education is eclipsed only by the impact Ursuline alumnae are having in the world, as highlighted here.
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FAST FACTS • Founded: 1893 • Type: Catholic, independent, college-preparatory school • Serving: Girls Age 3 - Gr. 12; Boys Age 3 - Gr. 5 • Location: Wilmington, DE • Enrollment: 420
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Total Faculty: 51 Campus Type: Urban Mascot: Raiders Colors: Red & White Accreditations: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
The Lower School | The School for Growth | Age 3 - Grade 5 Ursuline Academy’s Lower School, which includes the Early Childhood Program, is a coeducational program for students age three through grade five. The Preschool offers both traditional Pre-K and Montessori programs, providing individualized instruction using concrete materials designed to be sequential and to relate to other materials in the classroom. The Lower School integrates a variety of subject offerings with a harmonious and inviting classroom environment for the development of the whole child. The talented faculty of the Lower School work hard to develop each child’s learning potential through hands-on discovery, cultural enrichment, and Christian love. By fostering students’ creativity, thoughtfulness, imagination, and innovation, the faculty and staff identify each student’s unique learning style. They then apply a variety of personalized methods and strategies to enhance learning and ensure that each student’s ultimate academic goals are met. The nurturing community that teachers create promotes a positive sense of self and compassion in students from a young age. Lower School teachers also foster children’s awareness of how their actions impact the classroom, school environment, and world around them. By encouraging responsibility and Christian love through Serviam, teachers help students understand how positive choices create positive feelings, in themselves and those around them. In the classroom, children explore Ursuline history and the impact St. Angela has had on countless communities throughout the world. Ursuline Academy’s Lower School develops young learners through challenging academics, balanced scholastics, and social consciousness, fostering generations of student leaders who understand the world around them and have the drive to make a difference.
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Middle School | The School for Values | Grades 6 - 8 The Middle School at Ursuline Academy is a warm and nurturing environment where high academic achievement and personal creativity are equally encouraged. From the rigorous core curriculum and leadership opportunities, to afterschool activities and special events, all aspects of the Middle School program are focused solely on what girls need to achieve and succeed in their current and future studies. In addition to small class sizes and an all-girl focus, several unique elements define students’ experience at Ursuline Academy. Girls gain technology skills through a one-to-one laptop program, build exceptional composition and literacy skills in an acclaimed Writer’s and Reader’s Workshop, and develop appreciation and aptitude for the arts in an award-winning fine arts program. The Middle School encourages every girl to express herself freely, develop higher order thinking, and become an integral part of a Catholic community driven by service, leadership, and respect for self and others. Experienced teachers forge a culture of achievement, which translates to greater selfconfidence and higher levels of engagement with the world outside of school. Students develop an innate curiosity and personal drive in a compassionate environment that promotes independence, growth, and Serviam, preparing them to become leaders for change on both a local and global level.
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Upper School |The School for Life | Grades 9 - 12 The Upper School at Ursuline Academy is set apart by its commitment to develop young women leaders. Excellent academics and co-curriculars unite with outstanding opportunities to serve, to lead, and to build meaningful personal connections with faculty and fellow students, making for an exceptional and well-rounded educational experience. The rigorous core curriculum of UA’s Upper School includes four years of required coursework in English, mathematics, and theology as well as three years’ study in world languages (Spanish, French, Latin, or Chinese), laboratory sciences, and social studies. All science classes focus on the application of concepts in hands-on experiments and activities, while the social studies curriculum applies global and contextual perspectives to the study of history. Mathematics instruction is offered in four tracks, designed to appropriately challenge each student to reach her full potential. These core subjects are complimented by at least one year of study in both the fine arts and health/ physical education. Also required, and central to the School’s mission, is a semester-length leadership course entitled “Today’s Girls, Tomorrow’s Leaders,” which every student takes during sophomore year. Students can further enrich their core academics through elective courses in areas that interest them—from computer science to studio art. Across the disciplines, students hone their writing and research skills at UA’s Writing Center, which provides constructive coaching and one-on-one feedback through every stage of the writing process. Ursuline Academy is also a “Laptop Initiative” school, and all girls use laptops as valuable classroom tools. As a college-preparatory program, UA’s Upper School offers a variety of Advanced Placement courses, including English Language and Literature, Calculus AB and BC, Statistics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics I and
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COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES Partial list of colleges & universities granting acceptance to UA seniors in recent years: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
University of Alabama American University Arcadia University Boston College Bryn Mawr College The Catholic University of America College of Charleston Columbia University College of William and Mary University of Delaware Drexel University Duke University Elon University Fordham University Franklin and Marshall College Georgetown University High Point University Immaculata University James Madison University Johns Hopkins University Loyola University Maryland Univ. of Maryland, College Park University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania New York University University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park University of Richmond Saint Joseph’s University University of the Sciences in Philadelphia University of South Carolina Swarthmore College Temple University Ursinus College University of Virginia Villanova University Washington College West Chester University Yale University
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II, European History, American History, Human Geography, US Government, Psychology, Art History, Studio Art, Computer Science A, Spanish, French, and Latin. Students can expand their learning through an exchange program with Salesianum School, a nearby all-boys school where UA girls can take AP Environmental Science, Marketing, Drafting, and American Sign Language as well as participate in a co-ed Wind Ensemble. The educational experience at Ursuline Academy extends well beyond the classroom. The theology curriculum—which integrates the study of sacred Scripture with social ethics, church teachings, sacramental theology and Christology—also incorporates student retreats each year, culminating with an in-depth, three-day retreat for seniors. Upper School students must also complete at least 80 hours of community service by the end of their sophomore year—a critical component of the curriculum by which every Upper School student connects with the Ursulines’ charism of Serviam. Many students far exceed the hourly requirement by graduation, serving throughout all four years at one of more than 50 nonprofit organizations, selected based upon personal interest or, occasionally, family legacy.
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Athletics at UA Across every division, students at Ursuline Academy benefit from a nationally recognized and well-supported athletics program. Beginning at the earliest grade levels, UA’s physical education curriculum and athletics focus on instilling qualities of teamwork, dedication, leadership, and a love for physical fitness. Beginning in the third grade, students have the opportunity to train in specific sports of their choosing. Grades 3-8 can compete in a variety of sports through programs and events organized by the Ursuline Academy Athletic Association (UAAA). This volunteer board of parents, faculty, and alumnae ensures that all students have the opportunity participate in competitive sports in a wholesome, sportsmanlike, Christian environment. Named Delaware’s top girls’ high school program by USA Today, UA’s Upper School Athletics Department offers 14 interscholastic sports across three seasons: cross country, field hockey, volleyball, basketball, dance, indoor and outdoor track and field, swimming, diving, soccer, tennis, crew, golf, and lacrosse. Both varsity and junior varsity teams compete in the Delaware Interscholastic Athletics Association, in which they have a longstanding record of excellence. UA holds 66 Catholic conference titles as well as 58 state championships—the most recent being the swim team’s 2016 state victory this past year. Two alumnae have gone on to play professionally for the WNBA, as well as one in the FIBA EuroLeague. While this legacy and atmosphere is ideal for students with aspirations to excel in athletics, participation in team sports is elective and not mandatory at UA. This fosters an athletics culture that is comfortable and nurturing while also highly supportive of students’ natural interests and talents.
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Fine Arts Program Fine arts education at UA begins in Early Childhood and continues through all divisions, giving students a comprehensive foundation in—and appreciation for—the historical, cultural, theoretical, and creative aspects of the arts. The music department introduces basic principles of rhythm and movement in the younger divisions, and subsequently provides outstanding vocal and instrumental music instruction in the Middle and Upper Schools. Students have the opportunity to participate in chapel and concert choruses as well as band ensemble beginning in Middle School, and all divisions engage in musical performances and concerts throughout the year. Upper School students can also nurture interests in a cappella, solo vocal, and popular music through the “A-Ca-Pop 101” elective, building vocal skills as well as a self-confidence that extends beyond the stage. Working closely with the music program, the drama department seeks to incorporate dramatic elements in all concerts and performances, as well as to integrate theatrical expression across the core disciplines through classroom activities such as role-playing and character study. Drama is offered as a special subject in the Lower School, and middle schoolers with a strong interest can continue their involvement in theatre as a club activity throughout the school year. Each January, the eighth grade undertakes an immersive, weeklong “mini-semester” that incorporates dramatic study with full stage production and culminates in the hallmark eighth grade musical. Upper School students
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can continue their study in three spring courses: the introductory Exploration of Theatre, followed by Advanced Acting and Musical Theatre 101. All UA students are welcomed to audition for any of the theatrical productions put on during the school year including the one-act festival, an annual Halloween festival, and two co-ed musicals put on at Salesianum every spring and fall. In visual arts, UA students are encouraged to express themselves from the earliest ages, gaining introductions to a wide range of artistic modes and mediums as they progress through each division, from painting, drawing, and sculpture, to photography and digital art. The visual arts program seeks to make cross-curricular connections, drawing upon topics in history, literature, mathematics, science, and technology. Students explore and nurture their talents within an atmosphere that is both open and secure.
Global Education As a member of the Ursuline Education Network, UA is connected to more than 100 Ursuline schools throughout the world. Through this special relationship, Ursuline Academy offers many unique opportunities for students to engage with people, ideas, and issues beyond the borders of our state and country. In addition to the exceptional World Languages Program that begins in Early Childhood and carries through Grade 12, Ursuline also offers students the opportunity to interact virtually and face-to-face with peers across the world via student leadership conferences, summer study abroad programs, and exchange programs with sister schools in the Ursuline network. This global focus, combined with the community service requirements of the Upper School, fosters a deep sense of social consciousness integral to the Serviam mission and instills greater levels of confidence, empathy, and humility in students.
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STEM and Innovation Equipping students with the ability to gather and evaluate evidence and creatively solve complex problems is more important than ever. Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering are interwoven throughout Ursuline’s curriculum. Students engage in projectbased learning and exploration in the Lower School STEM Lab. In the Middle School, a partnership with Capital One provides a course on coding along with a deep dive into the scientific method through the 7th Grade Science Fair. The Innovation Center in the Upper School and a dual enrollment course with the University of Delaware for college credit encourage students’ creativity and require real-world applications of STEM skills in the execution of ideas. The culminating outcome of this focus on STEM learning has been remarkable: approximately 50% of Ursuline graduates enter STEM majors.
Governance and Leadership The Ursuline Academy Board of Trustees is made up of highly qualified and experienced members. Board members draw from many different Ursuline constituencies including alumnae, former parents, current parents, community members, and Ursuline Sisters. The main responsibility of the Board is to ensure that the School stays true to its mission and has the resources to meet that mission, to provide fiduciary oversight, and to offer a strong strategic planning effort in the creation and execution of the master plan.
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Physical Campus The campus at Ursuline Academy is located in the Cool Spring and Tilton Park section of the west side of Wilmington. Facilities include a Lower School Building, a combined Middle/Upper School Building, the Convent Building, and the Performing Arts Center (not currently in use for Ursuline programs). In 2016, Ursuline Academy began a capital campaign of $12 million that aims to better serve its students and to solidify its place in downtown Wilmington. The project focuses on redesigning the campus to enhance fun, learning, and safety for all students as well as to beautify the urban neighborhood. The renovations to the former convent will provide a new center for student life: a beautiful chapel, collaborative atrium, improved dining facilities, historic library, dedicated arts space, centralized administration, and additional classrooms. All campus renovations will be completed by September 2018. Full information about the capital campaign can be found here.
Wilmington, Delaware Established in 1731, Wilmington is the most populous city in Delaware. Together with Philadelphia, PA and Camden, NJ, it anchors the Delaware Valley Metropolitan Area. Wilmington’s location halfway between New York City and Washington, DC as well as its easy access to Philadelphia make it a central point between larger metropolises, but a long, storied history and independently strong economy qualify Wilmington as a city all its own. Nearly 18% of Wilmington’s student population attends one of the area’s several exceptional private primary and secondary level institutions—making Wilmington a topten city for private school enrollment nationwide.
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Wilmington’s layout offers residents comfortable, affordable suburban living in a temperate climate with quick access to the many cultural offerings of a bustling urban center. The city’s riverfront has undergone extensive renewal, transforming from a shipyard into a charming 1.2-mile river walk lined with outlet shops, restaurants, boutiques, and cafes, as well as the new Delaware Children’s Museum. Rodney Square—the symbolic center of downtown—provides gathering space for outdoor events, while the blocks surrounding it feature some of the city’s most noteworthy buildings: the Wilmington Public Library, the DuPont Building, the Wilmington Mansion, the Post Office Building, and the Delaware Trust Building. Other points of interest include Market Street Mall’s six pedestrian-friendly blocks of tax-free shopping, the Delaware Art Museum, Rockford Park and Tower, the historic Old Swedes Church, and Brandywine Park and Zoo. Businesses from across the country and world are drawn to Delaware’s liberal tax laws and efficient judicial system, prompting some to call Wilmington the “Corporate Capital of the World.” Financial institutions in Wilmington include Barclays, Bank of America, Chase Card Services, Capital One 360, and HSBC. The city was also home to the DuPont Corporation, whose chemical and industrial production accounts for much of the city’s rapid growth in the last century. The legacy of the philanthropic DuPont family has also left a lasting imprint on Wilmington’s cultural identity. The Hagley Museum preserved the DuPont family’s first home in the United States, a Georgian-style mansion situated on 235 acres on the banks of Brandywine Creek. The museum also features a Renaissance Revival garden, powder yards, and 19th century machine shop. Home to a highly diverse population of over 72,000, Wilmington’s many ethnic groups have greatly shaped its culture. The city is host to several large arts and culture festivals throughout the year, including the Italian Festival hosted by the St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church every June, as well as Greek and Polish festivals, a jazz festival, blues festival, and the Peoples’ Festival honoring one-time resident Bob Marley. Wilmington also hosts the Big August Quarterly, the nation’s oldest African American festival celebrating religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right of assembly. In addition, the Grand Opera House and Delaware Theater Company offer much in the way of arts entertainment.
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Strengths of the School • UA is consistently regarded as a high performing school in all areas of student
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life—in the classroom, on the playing fields, and in other co-curricular activities. High expectations supported by outstanding faculty and staff are commonly held values across the campus. The UA community is proud of the school’s long and storied history of serving Wilmington area children and families. This rich sense of history, tradition, and family legacy is enthusiastically embraced by the UA constituency and represents a source of great pride. The school is completing a highly successful $12 million capital campaign. The multi-divisional structure of the school—with coeducation at the Early Childhood and lower school levels and single gender/all girls at the middle and upper levels— is consistent with current research into best practices in student development and achievement. There is also widespread appreciation for UA’s wholesome sense of community: its proud “sisterhood”; its socio-economic, ethnic, and religious diversity and inclusiveness; and its close student and faculty relations. “Women as Leaders” is a distinguishing theme often expressed by parents and faculty and imbues the middle and upper school experience. Global Education also adds a unique aspect to the student experience, enabling students to connect with peers at other Ursuline institutions across the globe. Faculty and parents are united in their belief that UA is quite special in a fundamentally important and meaningful way: UA is a “premier independent school” enriched by “Ursuline Catholic values”. These twin pillars are exceptionally synergistic and distinguish UA as the school of choice for many families in Wilmington, Catholic and non-Catholic alike.
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Qualities and Qualifications Desired in the Next President of UA To qualify for serious consideration, you will need to be a faith-filled, practicing Catholic with the following qualities and qualifications:
• Outstanding communications and relational skills. • Joyful and collaborative servant leadership combined with a sense of urgency and
a track record of exceptional results in a private school or other mission-critical environment. • A team builder capable of inspiring faculty and staff and achieving consensus around key goals and priorities. • A strong marketing orientation and the ability to brand and position the school for success and to “create demand” for the uniquely compelling UA experience. • An entrepreneurial leader with passion for mission and outstanding institutionbuilding skills. This includes fundraising, friend raising, corporate and community relations, as well as enrollment management and family engagement. In addition, the following challenges and opportunities are anticipated: The school is in the middle of a highly successful $12 million capital campaign, having already secured $9 million. The next president will be expected to complete this important campaign and capitalize on the momentum by continuing to expand donor participation among all constituent groups. Wilmington is a highly competitive independent and Catholic school market. The next president will be expected to provide visionary leadership and be capable of differentiating Ursuline Academy from its worthy competitors. This will be a critical branding and positioning opportunity for the school and the next president. In line with this branding and positioning strategy, the next president will be expected to raise the profile of the school in the community and communicate with conviction and eloquence the unique strengths and compelling features of the “UA Experience.” While the president will be supported by a team of academic professionals at each level of school operations, s/he should also be committed to a culture of best practices in teaching and learning and be capable of supporting and inspiring excellence in all areas affecting the quality of the student experience. Internally and externally, the president must be a high profile, inspirational leader and champion of student achievement. This is truly an outstanding leadership opportunity, and we welcome candidates who can meet these high expectations.
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To Apply Interested candidates should submit the following materials by February 1:
• Cover letter expressing interest in the leadership position and aligning your skills and experiences with the leadership needs of Ursuline Academy at this time; • Current résumé with all appropriate dates; • Brief statement or educational or leadership philosophy and practice; • List of five references with name, phone number, and email address for each. (References will not be contacted until a mutual interest is established and only with the candidate’s permission.) Please send all materials to: Bob Regan Senior Search Consultant Group Practice Leader, Catholic Schools Practice
bob.regan@carneysandoe.com Carney, Sandoe & Associates 44 Bromfield St. Boston, MA
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Your CS&A Search Consultant
Bob Regan
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