Challenge Profile
Principal
St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Dover, NH
THE SEARCH
The Search Committee invites applications for the position of Principal of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. As the leader and chief administrator of the school, the Principal exercises broad executive powers over the instructional, student life, and community relations of the institution. The Principal works with the Executive, Advancement and Finance Committees as well as the School Board. The Principal supervises the Deans of Students and Studies, Directors of Admissions and Advancement, the Campus Minister, Athletic Director, Business Manager, Director of Technology, Guidance Director and the Plant Manager. The Principal will lead the school community in planned development, enhanced external relations, and will play a major role in strategic planning for STA.
SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS HIGH SCHOOL
Saint Thomas Aquinas is a premier Catholic high school in Dover, New Hampshire. Saint Thomas operates under the auspices of the Diocese of Manchester and its serves the communities located in the seacoast area. Founded in 1960 and originally staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Saint Thomas has grown rich in tradition. Today at the threshold of our fifth decade, it enjoys a reputation of excellence within the state and the seacoast area-at-large. Saint Thomas is a coeducational high school that offers a strong college preparatory program within a value-centered environment.
THE SAINT THOMAS MISSION STATEMENT
To transform the lives of our students through a rigorous Catholic education guided by the light of the Gospel. We strive to offer to our students the opportunity to develop their unique gifts, strengthen their personal faith and integrity, and help foster within them a commitment to justice, service, and moral leadership.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE NEW PRINCIPAL
The next Principal will assume the leadership of an excellent institution, with clearly established strengths, a strong tradition and a deeply committed staff and extended community. The school looks to its new principal to work with constituency groups to develop a strategic plan to maintain the clarity of its mission, and to emphasize the values, and the academic priorities of the school as it sets its course for the future. The school must realize its potential for shaping a strong community with active participation of teachers, students, parents, alumni and friends
The principal will be called upon:
• To oversee and improve upon Saint Thomas Aquinas High School’s reputation as a superb academic institution.
• To provide leadership and nurture a culture of collaboration that truly values the talents and contributions of all members of the school community.
• To nurture a relationship of mutual admiration and respect which demonstrates to students that they are truly valued and instills in them a lifelong connection and commitment to the Saint Thomas Aquinas Community.
• To inspire faculty, staff, parents, students, alumni, and supporters with a shared vision of the school’s future which in turn encourages each of them to offer their talents and efforts to the fulfillment of that vision.
• To work with the school board on issues of advancement, facilities, finance and strategic planning.
• To maintain a strong working relationship with the Diocese of Manchester in all aspects of school administration.
• To work with the Diocesan elementary schools to foster a greater sense of shared community, a common purpose in educating the seacoast’s Catholic children and build mutual respect and assistance between all of the school’s faculty and administrators.
• To work in a directly collaborative way with the city of Dover and surrounding communities to help strengthen the school’s position in the Seacoast.
• To actively participate and provide leadership in the continued development of the school’s strategic planning process.
QUALIFICATION AND CHARACTERISTICS
The new Principal should possess a combination of personal qualities and professional experience that fully matches the critical and ambitious expectations of the Saint Thomas community, the Diocese and the School Board. The candidate should be a person of tried and tested ability and possess the interpersonal skills necessary to bridge constituencies within and outside of the school. Competitive candidates should exhibit the following qualifications and characteristics:
• A Master’s Degree in School Administration and eligibility for New Hampshire certification as a school principal.
• A minimum of five years teaching experience in a Catholic school.
• Previous experience in school administration.
• A commitment to and active practice of Catholicism.
• A commitment to the development of the Christian spirit and a Catholic community of faith within a diverse school community.
• An abiding and demonstrated commitment to students, all aspects of their education and welfare, and a readiness to support them, including participation in student activities and events.
• A demonstrated ability to communicate and interact effectively with students, faculty, staff, alumni, diocese and community, business and professional leaders.
• A leadership style that combines consultative and participatory governance with well-considered timely and responsible executive decision making.
• A successful record of achievement in the leadership of educational institutions including academic, fiscal, facility, and human resource operations and to articulate the mission of STA.
• A strong successful record of development and institutional advancement including experience in fundraising, an understanding of the role of the principal in development, and a proven ability to work with multiple constituencies to enhance the resources needed for the school.
• A demonstrated ability to translate a vision rooted in the Gospel into an agenda that will advance the school’s long term goals and the discipline and the courage to carry it forward.
• A capacity to learn quickly and to foster a sense of shared purpose, respect and encouragement throughout the school community.