SUMMARY:
Mother Caroline Academy (MCA) seeks a driven, well-qualified Director of Secondary School Placement & Graduate Support to join its robust faculty and staff.
Our MCA scholars develop a willingness to try, an ability to do, and a drive to care. Mother Caroline Academy provides an educational experience which celebrates the diversity of our community and prepares students with the skills they need to connect and thrive in our diverse world. We believe that a broad range of experiences and viewpoints enhances learning and enriches life for students and faculty alike.
Mission Statement:
Mother Caroline Academy empowers girls in grades 3-8 to think bigger, bolder, and beyond, through educational excellence, leadership development, and community stewardship in a safe space that fosters social and emotional learning. Our aim is to empower students and families to achieve generational growth and development where all can imagine a future with limitless possibilities.
About Mother Caroline Academy and Education Center:
Mother Caroline Academy is a tuition-free, independent school for girls in grades 3-8 from Boston’s underserved neighborhoods. Serving girls of all faiths, races, and cultures, the school provides a high-quality education that nurtures each student’s unique gifts and prepares her for success in competitive secondary schools and college. Rooted in Catholic tradition, MCA emphasizes scholarship, leadership, social, and moral development. The Academy supports its graduates through secondary and college education, with a 100% high school graduation rate and 96% college enrollment rate.
In addition to its academic focus, MCA offers educational programs for families, helping to ensure a supportive community. With a 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio and extended school days, Mother Caroline Academy provides a holistic education fostering academic skills, resilience, and character. Graduates attend top schools such as Boston Latin, Commonwealth School, and St. Paul’s. Our graduates also aspire to careers in medicine, engineering, business, education, and more. As Boston’s only tuition-free independent school for girls, MCA Mother Caroline Academy opens doors to lifelong opportunities for students and their families.
The Academy is entirely privately funded. We believe our mission is best achieved by focusing on the needs of the whole family and preserving a spirit of volunteerism and commitment among all those who aid, support, and benefit from MCAEC.
OUR STUDENTS: MCA students are brilliant scholars who represent various Boston neighborhoods. Mother Caroline Academy & Education Center serves 70+ girls, who are 80% African American, 13% Hispanic, 7% mixed race. While MCAEC is a school rooted in the Catholic tradition, students come from a multitude of religious traditions. The school overview can be found at: https//www.mcaec.org/about/
Position Responsibilities and Expectations:
Secondary School Placement
- Monitor student achievement records throughout the students’ MCA experience to determine best fit secondary schools.
- Provide targeted support to families in completing school-based and financial aid applications.
- Develop and maintain relationships with MCA students and families through consistent communication, up to several times a week during peak secondary school placement timeframes. The director must be prepared to navigate potential communicating with families from multilingual households.
- Organize and attend high school-related events, including student visits, school fairs, and networking opportunities, to engage with prospective schools and provide guidance to students and families.
- Develop a curriculum for weekly High School Prep classes for 7th and 8th grade students.
- Coordinate and maintain a well-organized system to monitor school visits, interviews, and other external components of the secondary school placement process, including acceptance and matriculation data.
- Coordinate the framing and completion of reference letters and academic reports from teachers.
- Cultivate and communicate criteria for success for student interviews; engage volunteers and community members to prepare and support students and families.
- Establish and monitor the effectiveness of a test preparation curriculum, including communication and remission of payment to test prep companies/organizations.
- Carefully track and ensure students complete all testing requirements and meet all admissions requirements and deadlines
- Deliver information sessions to MCA community beginning in 5th grade to expose students and families to the secondary school placement process
Graduate Support
- Assist in the development and implementation of the 9th-grade transition process for recent MCA graduates
- Collaborate with high school counselors, teachers, and support staff to monitor students’ progress, track grades, and conduct student visits.
- Facilitate and manage college preparatory programs to ensure alumnae are equipped with the tools they need for successful higher education experiences
- Communicate opportunities for scholarships, internships, employment or education programs for alumni in high school, college, and beyond
- Maintain contact with post-grad alumnae and provide letters of reference as needed.
- In collaboration with the Alumnae Council, coordinate and manage alumni networking events, career panels, and social gatherings to strengthen community engagement and maintain ongoing connections with MCA
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s in Education or Counseling preferred.
- Prior experience with independent high schools and/or admissions is a preferred or 3-5 years or more of professional experience in schools, non-profiit organizations and/or the public sector
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Highly organized and detail oriented
- Successful multi-tasker who thrives when managing concurrent projects under tight deadlines.
- Excellent communicator with students, families, and external partners from diverse backgrounds.
- Receptive to feedback and unafraid to take proactive steps to find solutions or make improvements
Traits and Qualities:
At MCA, we believe that an excellent staff member does the following:
- Has an unwavering commitment to and belief in the mission of Mother Caroline Academy
- Believes that all of us can and will learn and creates a positive learning environment with high expectations for all students and staff throughout the school
- Thrives as part of a team-oriented, mission-driven culture
- Demonstrates a growth mindset and a desire to continually improve through feedback, coaching, and professional development
- Demonstrates professionalism, is approachable, self-motivated, well-organized, and solution-focused
- The skills, grace, and compassion to manage difficult conversations with care
- Ability to persevere with a sense of optimism, strong problem solving skills, and desire to learn and grow in a collaborative professional learning community
- Models positive and healthy character traits and habits, as well as the values of MCA
- Constantly assesses progress, communicates results clearly, and uses data to inform decisions and set ambitious goals
- Has a strong work ethic and commits to doing whatever it takes to excel, including committing to an extended work day and remaining available to colleagues, students, and families outside of school hours
- Eager to grow quickly and excel in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrates persistence and constant willingness to proactively approach colleagues, students, and families to collaborate, engage in dialogue, and build strong relationships
Compensation: Mother Caroline Academy & Education Center offers an attractive benefits package including but not limited to: 403(b), medical, dental, life, and disability insurance, and support for professional development.
MCA School Hours:
Daily 7:30 am-4:00 pm
Vacations and school closures generally follow Boston Public Schools.
How to Apply:
To apply, please submit your resume and CV along to:
Dr. Carla Haith, Head of School, chaith@mcaec.org and Donna Felix, Special Assistant to the Head of School, dfelix@mcaec.org
After we receive your information, you will be contacted about next steps.
Non-Discrimination Policy: Mother Caroline Academy & Education Center is committed to a diverse and inclusive community concerning race, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, family status, economic circumstance, age, and physical disability in its student body, faculty, and staff. Mother Caroline Academy & Education Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, and athletic and other school-administered programs. We strongly encourage applications from women and minority candidates. Mother Caroline Academy & Education Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
