Principal

SUMMARY:

Mother Caroline Academy seeks a dynamic, collaborative educator whose leadership will ensure the continuation of an outstanding academic program and who will continue to promote the mission, vision, and core values of the school.

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 an independent, tuition-free school for girls in grades 3-8 from limited financial means. It serves girls of all faiths, races, and cultures from Boston neighborhoods. The mission of the school is to provide a high-quality education that develops the individual gifts of each student and prepares her for success in competitive secondary schools, college, and beyond. Rooted in the Catholic tradition that recognizes the dignity of each person, the Academy emphasizes the importance of scholarship, leadership, spiritual, social, and moral development. 

Focusing on the needs of the whole family, through the years MCAEC has provided a range of educational programs for parents and adult family members of Academy students. To this day, MCA students aspire to be doctors, engineers, designers, artists, business owners, educators, and community leaders. Through an excellent education in a safe environment, our students 

develop the academic skills, resiliency, self-confidence, and strength of character needed to prepare themselves for lives of purpose. Knowing that education has the power to transform lives, our families are invested in setting their daughters on a path of promise that leads to high school, college, and a life of opportunity. With no other tuition-free independent school option for girls in the City of Boston, MCA opens a door to lifelong opportunities for girls and their families. We believe our mission can best be achieved by focusing on the needs of the whole family and by preserving a spirit of volunteerism and commitment among all those who aid, support, and benefit from MCAEC. 

Our students attend extended, enriched days during the regular school year. They enjoy classrooms with a 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio. This holistic educational approach has accrued a remarkable track record: Our graduates attend a multitude of quality secondary schools, including Boston Latin School, Boston Latin Academy, Commonwealth School, Fontbonne Academy, The Newman School, Milton Academy, Newton Country Day School, Noble & Greenough School, Ursuline Academy, The Putney School, and Woodward School For Girls. Since opening its doors, MCA boasts a 100% high school graduation rate. Ninety-six percent of Mother Caroline’s graduates enroll in college. Mother Caroline Academy & Education Center is 100% privately funded. Our alumnae community is robust, and many MCA graduates are sought-after professionals in the fields of finance, education, law, business administration, and more. 

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.

Position Responsibilities and Expectations:

The Principal is primarily responsible for the academic and student-centered life of the school and must be committed to executing the values and philosophy of Mother Caroline Academy and its founding mission. Specifically, the Principal should be a collaborative and forward-thinking instructional leader and skilled organizational manager. Reporting to the Head of School, the Principal plays a critical role in advancing the school’s mission of academic excellence, social-emotional growth, holistic development, and empowering young women to become powerful and compassionate leaders who strive to make a difference in the world. Core job responsibilities include:

• Oversee day-to-day school operations, ensuring a safe environment that is conducive to learning. 
• Embraces and communicates MCA’s mission through daily interactions with students, parents, faculty/staff, and other stakeholders. 
• Provide collaborative and strategic leadership to enhance academic programs, ensuring a curriculum that meets the highest standards of excellence while creating a positive environment that fosters learning and leadership. 
• Observe, supervise, and help evaluate the faculty in the implementation of curriculum; supervise the teaching process, and review and evaluate academic programs. 
• Lead recruitment, hiring, and retention initiatives for faculty and positions reporting to the Principal. Make recommendations to the Head of School regarding the hiring, and course/duty assignments of the faculty. 
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and student-centered learning that involves evaluating faculty and other direct reports to ensure that standards are achieved, and performance is maximized. 
• Establish programs for the orientation of new teachers, in-service training of all teachers, and evaluation of classroom teachers, to ensure that teachers are familiar with and adhere to school policies in all areas of the school operation. 
• Plan and facilitate regular faculty meetings to address routine school matters and foster the exchange of ideas on educational and philosophical topics. Effectively design and implement professional development days focused on areas such as school culture, data-driven instruction, response to data, and evidence-based instructional practices, ensuring alignment with school goals and staff needs.
• Support teachers to promote constructive conversations and interactions with students and families. 
• Attend all family/caregiver meetings where appropriate. 
• Maintain positive daily interactions with the entire school community in a reliable manner that ensures confidence and an enthusiastic esprit des corps. 
• Oversee certain department budgets and spending
• Seek appropriate venues for personal growth and professional development. 
• Maintain healthy boundaries between professional and private life. 
• Oversee the coordination of the school’s co-curricular and extra-curricular activity programs; assist in the planning and presentation of school assemblies and programs; assist in maintaining a comprehensive calendar of school events; keep the entire school community informed of various school programs and activities. 
• Prepare a master school class schedule and assign teachers and students to classes and other obligations. 
• Assist in the admission process for the testing, interviewing, and evaluating of applicants for enrollment. 
• Work collaboratively with other Academy staff to support school and secondary school placement programs, student life initiatives, and disciplinary actions, when necessary, to foster student wellbeing and to maintain a safe and positive learning environment. 
• Other duties as necessary and assigned by the Head of School.

Traits and Qualities:

At MCA, we believe that an excellent staff member does the following:

• Has an unwavering commitment and belief in the mission of Mother Caroline Academy
• Believes that all of us can and will learn.  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; 
• Exudes joy and a love of learning every single day; 
• Demonstrates a growth mindset and a desire to continually improve through feedback, coaching, and professional development; 
• Ability to persevere with a sense of optimism, strong problem-solving skills, and a desire to learn and grow in a collaborative professional learning community. 
• Willingness, and commitment, to go above and beyond to prove what is possible for students. 
• Willing and able to play different roles at the school to meet the varied and constant needs of the students and staff at MCA. 
• Models positive and healthy character traits and habits, as well as the values of MCA. 
• Willing to do whatever it takes to help our students achieve academic excellence. 
• Constantly assesses progress, communicates results clearly, and uses data to inform decisions and set ambitious goals. 
• Has a strong work ethic and commits to ensuring students excel, including committing to an occasional extended work day while sustaining a safe, supportive environment for students, their families, and school staff and remaining available to colleagues, students, and families outside of school hours.

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.