Head of Middle School - Convent of the Sacred Heart : Job Details

Convent of the Sacred HeartNew York, New YorkHead of Middle SchoolStart Date: July 2025Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York City's oldest independent school for girls in grades Pre-K-12, seeks a well-seasoned and mission-aligned education professional to serve as the school's next Head of Middle School. Reporting to Head of School Kate Adams, this position is responsible for the overall spiritual and academic leadership of the Middle School. The Head of Middle School maintains congruence between the School's mission and all activities and operations of the Middle School, serving as a member of the Senior Administrative Team. In addition, the Head of Middle School acts as the educational leader of the division, is responsible for its day-to-day operation, and functions as the chief articulator of programs, expectations, behavioral guidelines, and other information necessary to ensure that all constituencies are fully informed.Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York City has engaged DovetailED to lead a search for a Head of Middle School to begin in the 2025-26 school year. Interested candidates should review the Opportunity Statement ( and submit a cover letter, resume, and list of references as a consolidated PDF to Zack Lehman, President at DovetailED Talent Sourcing, at [email protected], and Ashlyn Chillemi, DovetailED Recruiter, at [email protected] OverviewConvent of the Sacred Heart, 91st Street, is a Catholic, independent all-girls school serving grades Pre-K-12, and is the oldest independent all-girls school in New York City. As a member of the international network of Sacred Heart schools, the school's mission calls for the creation of a welcoming and inclusive community where each student is empowered to find, develop, and share her passion and purpose. The school enjoys great affection from all its constituencies and a deep commitment to its mission, goals, and criteria. Since 2000, Sacred Heart has realized unprecedented growth and success. The school's impressive physical campus has expanded by more than 50% to include a state-of-the-art Athletics and Wellness Facility and newly renovated Science and Technology facilities.The OpportunityThe next Head of Middle School will lead and foster a learning environment that is joyful and mission-focused with a well-established, dedicated team. The most promising candidates will be highly visible, relational, collaborative, mission-focused educators who are passionate about middle school girls' education.The successful candidate will:

• Lead all aspects of the division, including the following:
  • Observing, evaluating, and coaching the faculty in all aspects of teaching and learning
  • Developing plans for meeting every learner's needs
  • Being the lead pedagogical expert
  • Overseeing and guiding the activities of the division
  • Maintaining a mission-focused and age-appropriate approach to student conduct and discipline
• Make recommendations to the Head of School regarding the hiring, retention and assignment of faculty
• Work closely with the division heads and Head of School to help the school become more institutionally consistent with pedagogical practices, communication styles, and operations
• Partner with the Head of Athletics and Wellness to continue to deliver a mission-focused, robust Middle School athletic program
• Partner with the Head of Admissions and Enrollment Management to attract, admit, enroll and retain new students
• Demonstrate understanding and appreciation of current school traditions as well as the courage and vision to continue to enhance the educational experience of faculty and students
• Support a world-class, experienced, mission-focused faculty and build a positive school culture
• Serve as a key spokesperson for 91st Street's academic program with internal and external constituencies
• Ensure effective communication between and among Middle School parents, faculty and students

Qualifications and Personal Attributes

• Alignment with Sacred Heart's mission, articulated in the Goals and Criteria, and the ability to articulate them as well as to inspire and lead the faculty in implementing them
• Prior experience with leadership in a Catholic school and/or deep knowledge of Catholicism, the Catholic community, and an understanding of and respect for Sacred Heart mission, goals, and criteria
• Strong familiarity with current best practice in teaching and learning, including evolving trends in education around neurodiversity, mental health and artificial intelligence
• Prior teaching experience
• Prior experience leading and supervising a faculty with an ability to coach and mentor faculty at all stages of their careers
• Demonstrated understanding of our school's values around diversity, equity and inclusion
• Advanced degree in a related field
• Enthusiasm and joy for working with adolescents
• Excellent communication skills

The ideal candidate will have:

• A personal commitment to the Catholic faith
• Prior middle school teaching experience
• The ability to cultivate and build strong and authentic relationships with colleagues, families, students, faculty, and staff
• Extensive organizational and people skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Interest in engaging in a lively and busy school environment and a genuine enthusiasm for being a highly visible member of the community
• A joyous spirit and a sense of humor
• A growth mindset and commitment to ongoing professional development
• Prior experience with leadership in an independent school
• Knowledge of current research and best practices in all girls educational environment

It is the policy of Sacred Heart to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants. This means that all employees and applicants will be treated on an equal basis without regard to race, religion, color, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender status, national and ethnic origin, ancestry, disability, age, military or veteran status, marital and partnership status, citizenship status, caregiver status, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, sexual and reproductive health decisions, height or weight, predisposing genetic characteristics, criminal history, actual or perceived domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable state, federal or local law (collectively referred to herein as 'Protected Classifications').

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