Notre Dame acaDemy · Notre Dame Academy is governed by a Corporation and Board of Directors. The...

Notre Dame acaDemyHiNgHam, massacHusetts

PresiDeNtPositioN start Date: July 1, 2018

ndahingham.com

overview

Notre Dame Academy, a Catholic, college preparatory learning community for young women in grades 7-12, seeks a spiritual and operational leader as president, effective July 2018.

scHool History

The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur established New England’s first all girls school in 1853, based on the teachings of their founder, Saint Julie Billiart. Boston Academy of Notre Dame, as it was called, quickly expanded and moved several times within the city over the next several decades, finally settling in Roxbury, where it remained until 1964.

As the city changed, many Boston families moved to the South Shore, increasing the need for a Catholic high school for girls in the suburbs. After a long search, the Sisters of Notre Dame purchased a large tract of land in 1965 in the beautiful and historic coastal town of Hingham where the school stands today.

tHe scHool

Today, the school enrolls 435 young women in grades 7-12. Saint Julie’s edict to “teach whatever is necessary to equip the students for life” has expanded to include Mandarin, neuroscience, engineering, and more. A highly recognized athletic program, expansive campus ministry program, and wide-ranging opportunities in the arts and after school programs make for a dynamic college and life preparatory environment.

NDA students come from more than 30 communities across Massachusetts including towns on the South Shore and points as far as Boston, Needham, Brockton, and Cape Cod. The average class size is 20 with a student/teacher ratio of 12:1. Of the 43 full-time faculty members, more than 99% have advanced degrees. Two Sisters of Notre Dame also work at the school.

The Academy is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

1The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com

Mission

Sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the Academy guides young women in their personal faith formation, challenges students to pursue academic excellence, and encourages social responsibility on behalf of global justice.


leaDersHiP

Notre Dame Academy is governed by a Corporation and Board of Directors. The Corporation is made up of Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur whose responsibilities include ensuring the growth of the school in accordance with the Roman Catholic tradition and the mission of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, electing the Directors, and appointing the chief administrator of the school. Board responsibilities include strategic planning, policy formation, finances, and public relations. The president reports to the Board of Directors and serves as the chief executive officer of the school.

acaDemics

At Notre Dame Academy, faculty and staff believe unequivocally in the gifts and talents of every student. It is their goal to help the young girls who pass through the school’s doors graduate as confident and compassionate women of impact who are ready to impress the world. NDA provides students a rigorous curriculum and places great emphasis on the development of the whole student. Faculty and staff encourage students to take risks, nurture their curiosity, and be open to the values and traditions of others. Technology supports learning at each grade level through a Bring Your Own Device program and Smart Boards in every classroom, and all faculty and staff are equipped with iPads and laptops.

Seventh and eighth graders in the Cuvilly program are provided a nurturing environment where they explore and develop their gifts and talents as they prepare to enter high school. Students study six core subjects—theology, English, math, science, social studies, and world languages (Spanish, French, or Mandarin)—and additional classes are offered in the visual and performing arts, technology, health and wellness, and guidance.


In high school, students follow a college-preparatory academic program with a curriculum integrated across disciplines. All students must take courses in theology, English, math, world languages (Spanish, French, or Mandarin), lab science, social studies, computer application, physical education, and visual and performing arts. A guidance course is taken every year in grades 9-12. Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) sections are offered in most subject areas. Currently 19 AP courses are offered.

At NDA, students embrace the world beyond their community, their borders, and their mindset through global education programs that encourage social responsibility on behalf of global justice. Service immersion programs in Tanzania, China, and Belize; academic exchange with NDA in Plymouth, England; and cultural experiences in Europe and North America challenge students to think globally and understand the world beyond the classroom.

This year NDA also expects to become the first private school in the area to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme, an established and globally recognized curriculum based on a European model of education. Over 4,200 schools world-wide offer this comprehensive and rigorous experience which seeks to develop life-long learners and internationally-minded students through inquiry, action, and reflection. It is particularly consistent with the mission of the Academy and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in that the goal is to develop the whole student through the unique IB Learner profile fostering risk-taking, open-mindedness, and balance.

A dedicated guidance and college counseling staff supports each student in her personal, academic, and social growth. Starting in the sophomore year, a robust college counseling program works to find the best-fit school for each student. NDA students have a 100% acceptance rate into four-year colleges and universities.


stuDeNt life

Student life at NDA extends far beyond the classroom. From co-curricular clubs and athletics to campus ministry opportunities and the arts, young women are encouraged to create new experiences and explore their passions.

Each afternoon, NDA students take part in a wide variety of co-curriculars clubs and activities. Students may find themselves discussing global issues, designing computer code, or using their artistic talents on stage or in the art studio in clubs such as Chinese Club, Creative Arts Club, Debate Team, Model U.N., and Yearbook. NDA offers more after school opportunities for girls than any other school on the South Shore.

Campus MinistryAn integral part of the Notre Dame Academy educational experience is growth in one’s relationship with God. Campus Ministry is central to fostering that growth through community prayer and worship, retreats, guided discussions, and service opportunities. NDA believes that theological reflection is a life skill in which students are encouraged to examine their choices and decisions in the light of not only their faith, but the needs of the world community. There is 100% participation in community service, and an average of three local volunteer opportunities are available each week. Nine spiritual retreats are offered annually, and 20 Masses and prayer services are celebrated as a school. Campus Ministry also offers a variety of Immersion Experiences to support students’ spiritual development.

ArtsBy offering a diverse range of courses and co-curricular activities, NDA aims to encourage and empower students to become bold, creative, and thoughtful artists. In the Visual Arts, students have the opportunity to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional artwork that challenges them to


explore, problem solve, and take risks. Music students perform twice a year in both a winter concert and a spring concert, where their talents are showcased for the entire school community, and a full-scale musical is produced each year. Thespians at NDA have the opportunity to perform in three fully-staged productions, of which past performances have included The Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music.

AthleticsNDA’s athletic program places an emphasis on a Christ-like attitude above winning at any cost, and considers it a key part of the educational experience of the institution. It is not only a highly successful and regionally recognized program, but it is a key part of over 80% of the student body’s experience at NDA. A staff of over 50 coaches supervise interscholastic teams in 18 sports and 35 levels including basketball, ice hockey, indoor track, gymnastics, alpine skiing, dance, cross country, diving, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, cheerleading, golf, sailing, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. NDA is proud of recent achievements on the field, ice, track, court, and course, including 33 state championships, multiple league and conference titles, and Coach of the Year awards, but is most proud of winning the Neil Singelais Award for 27 of the past 30 years which is presented to the all-girls school that has amassed the highest winning percentage and exhibited the most admirable sportsmanship.


American UniversityAssumption CollegeAuburn UniversityBabson CollegeBates CollegeBaylor UniversityBentley UniversityBoston CollegeBoston UniversityBrandeis UniversityBryant UniversityBucknell UniversityCase Western Reserve UniversityClark UniversityClarkson UniversityClemson UniversityCollege of CharlestonCollege of the Holy CrossCollege of William and MaryColorado CollegeColorado State UniversityConnecticut CollegeCornell UniversityCreighton UniversityDartmouth CollegeDePaul UniversityDickinson CollegeDrexel UniversityDuke UniversityDuquesne UniversityElon UniversityEmmanuel CollegeEmory UniversityEndicott CollegeFairfield UniversityFordham UniversityFranklin & Marshall CollegeFurman UniversityGeorgia Institute of TechnologyGettysburg CollegeGonzaga UniversityHarvard UniversityHaverford CollegeHigh Point UniversityHobart and William Smith CollegesHofstra UniversityIndiana University at BloomingtonIthaca CollegeJames Madison UniversityLafayette CollegeLe Moyne CollegeLehigh UniversityLoyola Marymount UniversityLoyola University ChicagoLoyola University MarylandLoyola University New Orleans

college accePtaNces

Manhattan CollegeMarist CollegeMarquette UniversityMassachusetts College of Art and DesignMcGill UniversityMCPHS - Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health SciencesMerrimack CollegeMiami University, OxfordMichigan State UniversityMiddlebury CollegeMount Holyoke CollegeNew York UniversityNortheastern UniversityOccidental CollegePace University, New York CityPennsylvania State UniversityPepperdine UniversityProvidence CollegePurdue UniversityQuinnipiac UniversityRegis CollegeRegis UniversityRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteRochester Institute of TechnologyRoger Williams UniversityRollins CollegeSacred Heart UniversitySaint Anselm CollegeSaint Joseph’s UniversitySaint Louis UniversitySaint Michael’s CollegeSalve Regina UniversitySanta Clara UniversitySavannah College of Art and DesignSeton Hall UniversitySimmons CollegeSkidmore CollegeSt. John’s University - Queens CampusSt. Lawrence UniversitySt. Olaf CollegeStevens Institute of TechnologyStonehill CollegeSuffolk UniversitySyracuse UniversityTemple UniversityTexas Christian UniversityThe American University of ParisThe Catholic University of AmericaThe Citadel, The Military College of South CarolinaThe George Washington UniversityThe Ohio State UniversityThe University of AlabamaThe University of ArizonaThe University of North Carolina at

The following is a partial list of college acceptances from the past five years.

Chapel HillThe University of ScrantonThe University of TampaTrinity CollegeTulane UniversityUnion College (New York)United States Naval AcademyUniversity of California, DavisUniversity of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, San DiegoUniversity of California, Santa BarbaraUniversity of California, Santa CruzUniversity of Colorado at BoulderUniversity of ConnecticutUniversity of DelawareUniversity of DenverUniversity of FloridaUniversity of Hawaii at ManoaUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of LimerickUniversity of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of Massachusetts, AmherstUniversity of Massachusetts, BostonUniversity of Massachusetts, LowellUniversity of MiamiUniversity of New Hampshire at DurhamUniversity of Notre DameUniversity of PittsburghUniversity of Rhode IslandUniversity of RichmondUniversity of RochesterUniversity of San DiegoUniversity of San FranciscoUniversity of South CarolinaUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of St AndrewsUniversity of Toronto (undergraduate)University of VermontUniversity of VirginiaUniversity of WashingtonVillanova UniversityVirginia Military InstituteVirginia TechWake Forest UniversityWashington and Lee UniversityWentworth Institute of TechnologyWesleyan UniversityWheaton College MAWorcester Polytechnic InstituteXavier University

To view a full list of colleges, please visit www.ndahingham.com.


camPus

The academic building includes a chapel, auditorium, library, 23 classrooms, two art studios and a graphic arts computer lab, a choral room and a music lab, two computer labs, a guidance center, a gymnasium, a dining hall, and a wellness center/workout room.

The building also offers five state-of-the art science labs and a greenhouse as well as a large and welcoming campus ministry center.

The 68-acre campus includes three athletic fields (one with artificial turf), an eight-lane track with Lynx timing technology, and five tennis courts.

HiNgHam, massacHusetts

Hingham is a historic town in metropolitan Greater Boston on the South Shore of Boston. With a population just over 22,000, the town lies on the southwest corner of Boston Harbor. The Town of Hingham covers an area of 22.5 square miles and is approximately 15 miles south of Boston. The town’s history is reflected in its many immaculately kept antique houses, including the “Old Ordinary” on Lincoln Street, which now houses the Hingham Historical Society Museum. Hingham has created six historic districts which will help the town maintain its unique character in the future.

Hingham is proud of its location on the water, including 21 miles of shoreline, and new park that further expands the public use of Hingham Harbor. The acquisition of the South Shore Country Club by the municipality provides additional recreation opportunities for residents while preserving the


suburban character of this historic seaside community. Recreational areas include Bare Cove Park which has biking and walking trails around its 500 acres along Back River, World’s End which is a 250-acre peninsula overlooking Hingham Harbor with breathtaking views of Boston, and Wompatuck State park which includes 3,000 acres of woodland are and the largest public campground in the metropolitan Boston area.

Four other private schools call Hingham home, including Derby Academy, Saint Paul Parish School, Old Colony Montessori School, and Su Escuela Language Academy.

oPPortuNities aND cHalleNges

This is an exceptional opportunity for a visionary leader with passion for mission and all-girls education. The school’s all-girls mission and Catholic identity, as well as its high performing academic reputation, are powerful elements that position the school distinctly in the South Shore community. The faculty is very strong, loyal, highly credentialed, and eager to embrace new leadership and help take the school to the next level. Numerous families have been engaged with the school for generations, and current parents are genuinely proud and enthusiastically engaged and supportive. The school is also well capitalized and ready for further growth and prominence.

In the near term, the next president will need to be mindful of the following opportunities and challenges:

• For all of its proud history, the school was led by a consecrated member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Two years ago, the school transitioned to its first lay leader. Today, an outstanding president and alumna is currently serving on an interim basis and has restored the confidence of the community and its enthusiasm for the school. The next president will need to recognize this

transition and provide the kind of collaborative, servant leadership that will continue the current momentum, maintain the shared communal commitment to the school’s mission and SND values, and secure the legacy and heritage of developing young women of faith, character, and scholarship.

• While enrollments are always a challenge for independent schools and have declined modestly at NDA in recent years, the local demographics and opportunities for community engagement are positive and should be responsive to executive attention and renewed priorities. The school also enjoys exceptional market position, which the next president should capitalize on.

• The Board and Administration have invested heavily in the adoption of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, which is very close to implementation. The NDA community is excited about this IB program and will be looking to the next president to support its implementation and provide the necessary leadership and resources to make it happen. A strong principal and IB team are in place and look forward to the support of the next president.

• NDA has a loyal and large alumnae base of close to 6,000 people who care deeply about the school, the mission, and continued success. Establishing a more consistent and professional engagement strategy is one of the largely untapped resources of the institution.

DesireD QualificatioNs aND Qualities

The school operates in the President/Principal Leadership Model. This model has emerged in recent years as the leadership structure of choice for most Catholic secondary schools in the country. In this bifurcated model, the principal serves as the chief academic officer, reporting to the president, and overseeing day to day academic operations as well as the quality of the student experience. This enables the president to focus on vital institution building activities including fundraising, friend raising, vision-setting, board relations, and raising the profile and value proposition of the school throughout the community.


[email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com 10The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com

At this particular time in its storied history, the school seeks the following qualities and characteristics in its next president:

• A faith-filled, entrepreneurial leader who will embrace and promote SND de Namur values and traditions and model these qualities in day to day leadership practice.

• A high profile, fundamentally relational leader who will engage with all key constituents, internally and externally, tell the compelling NDA story, and create demand for its unique gifts and student experiences.

• An “institution builder” who understands what it means to serve as CEO of a high performing educational institution and will provide the necessary leadership and resources to maintain and enhance this extraordinary culture of excellence. In addition to fundraising, effective institution builders know the importance of focusing on enrollments, Catholic identity, and the quality of the student experience.

The Board welcomes with enthusiasm candidates from varied career platforms who can meet these core leadership requirements. This may include accomplished leaders from other independent and Catholic schools as well as higher education and non-profit or civic organizations such as foundations, associations, charities, and the like. While domain knowledge of secondary education would be an advantage, the qualities most ardently sought by the Board are exceptional entrepreneurial leadership, passion for Catholic identity, and a deep commitment to the mission of all-girls education.


to aPPly

Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically as separate documents (preferably asPDFs) the following materials:

• Formal cover letter expressing interest in the position and aligning your skills and experiences with the leadership needs of the school;

• Current résumé with all appropriate dates;• Brief statement of educational or leadership philosophy and practice;• List of at least five references with name, title, phone number and email address of each (References

will not be contacted until a serious mutual interest is established, and not without the candidate’s permission).

Please forward these materials to:

Bob ReganPractice Group Leader, Catholic Schools [email protected]

Beth DietzSearch [email protected]

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