President 2026-27

Position Summary:

https://catholicrecruiter.com/wp-content/uploads/CRA-Cardinal-Spellman-HS-President.pdf

The Spellman Board of Trustees is seeking candidates interested in and qualified to be School
President. The President is the school CEO, overseeing all aspects of the school’s operations,
assisted by a Principal (chief academic officer), a CFO, an Advancement officer, and other lead
administrative positions.
We remain committed to the original mission of the De La Salle Brothers and the Sisters of
Charity – to provide a first-class education to those who otherwise might not have such
opportunities. Spellman is an urban school with largely ethnic, working-class population
families whose students have the talent and aspirations to be among the best. Candidates
should be comfortable working in that environment.
Mission Statement of Cardinal Spellman High School
Cardinal Spellman High School is the premier, independent, co-educational, college
preparatory, Catholic high school in the New York Metropolitan area. Our mission is to promote
an aspirational culture of virtue in a Christ-centered environment that encourages superior
academic performance, leadership, and service. We strive to make our program available to all
qualified students. We emphasize personal development, and we foster a commitment to
others that empowers our diverse student population to become leaders who will make a
difference in our community, nation, and world.
Vision Statement of Cardinal Spellman High School
Cardinal Spellman High School provides a transformational college preparatory high school
experience. We stress academic accomplishment, complemented by social development,
athletic participation, and enjoyment of the arts, always remembering that we are a Catholic
family sustained by faith, respecting all people, and serving God and each other with love.

School Context:
Cardinal Spellman High School, New York City’s largest private school, serves 1,200 students in
grades 9-12. Cardinal Spellman offers a range of academic programs to meet the needs of our
diverse learning community, including Advanced Placement (AP) and college credit curriculum.
Each student must take the entire curriculum and sit for all required Regents exams. All AP
courses include the appropriate College Board examinations.
As part of our commitment to developing the whole student, all students are expected to
complete 40 volunteer service hours with a community organization of their choice. Our
passing grade is 70% and our students are required to take a 4th year of math. We also offer
students the opportunity to obtain the Seal of Biliteracy, which demonstrates proficiency in a
second language. Our GPA range is on a 100-point scale. We offer membership to both the
National Honor Society and National Honor Subject Societies.
Student Outcomes
• CSHS students have consistently scored higher on the SATs than their NYS/National
counterparts. In 2024, 194 students took the SAT exam, and the average score was 1092
(average math section score was 535; average reading/writing score was 557).
• Between 99-100% of CSHS students attend colleges and universities, with 100% of last
year’s graduating class applying to and attending college (92% attending 4-year
institutions and 8% attending 2-year institutions).
• The percentage of AP students scoring a 3 or higher has improved significantly over the
last 5 years.
• Student Achievement Awards granted: 2 QuestBridge Recipients, 24 African-American
and Hispanic students selected for College Board National Recognition Program, and
one National Merit Finalist.
Position Criteria
Catholic Identity
Spellman cherishes its history and purpose as a Catholic institution. The school president must
embrace and promote his/her ministry in education:
• Be a practicing Catholic
• Promote Catholic values
• Encourage faith formation and advancement
Strategic Vision and Strategy Leadership
Spellman is the premier secondary education institution in New York, but parents and students
today have far more options than in the past. Competition for college placement has become
even more challenging and donors have numerous worthy alternative demands. The Spellman
President must lead in the creation and implementation of a successful strategy for the school:
• Create/lead (with the Board and school leadership) a strategy for the school that is
differentiated:

o Winning strategy for attracting top student talent
o Winning strategy for college admissions
o Winning strategy and educational environment that is attractive to top tier
faculty
o Winning strategy that is attractive to all donor types
o A distinctive charism that embodies who we are/aspire to be
• Translate the strategy into action plans:
o Academic
o College admissions
o Athletics
o Arts
o Student life
o Administrative functions/plans
• Identify and build the capabilities needed to enact the strategy:
o Academic/Athletic/Arts programs and facilities
o College, academic, and personal student guidance
o Faculty
o Capital/Investment plans
o Goals and metrics
o Other
Financial Health & Operations
The President must ensure the financial and operational health of the school – near term and
long term.
• Develop a feasible annual budget and manage to the budget.
• Ensure proper financial controls are in place and utilized.
• Drive enrollment while maintaining academic and character standards.
• Enact financial metrics that identify potential emerging problems.
• Create a long-term financial vision based on the agreed strategy.
• Construct and execute a rolling 4-year financial and investment plan.
• Lead advancement:
o Alumni
o Other donors
o Grant sources
• Find and capture appropriate alternative revenue sources for the school.
• Manage the union relationship.
• Maintain and enhance a complex campus – 13 acres and 440,000 sq. ft. of building.• Oversee school support services, staff and vendors.
Leadership & Culture
No one person can do all the above alone. The school President will need to build a team and a
culture that reinforces the strategy. The President must set the tone for the entire institution
through actions, directions, engagement, and example.
• Infuse Catholic teachings throughout the day-to-day life of the school.
• Build, retain, and nurture a high-performance school leadership team and faculty.
o Insist on performance and accountability.
o “Lead” vs “manage” – empower team to act, coach them, and monitor outcomes,
ensure accountability, make them successful.
o Ensure a diverse team and inclusive culture.
• Ensure (with the Principal) …
o …the balance of demanding standards, discipline/behavior, and nurturing that
has long distinguished Catholic schools.
o …attentiveness to the “whole student’ to ensure each can grow to their fullest
potential.
External Relationships
The President will be the face of the school and our chief ambassador to the outside world
(aided by the Principal and other administrators as appropriate). The President should be a
compelling and inspiring communicator.
• Manage Spellman’s relationship with the Archdiocese.
• Build positive, productive relationships with the Bronx, broader NYC, and lower
Westchester communities.
• Create beneficial relationships with high school and higher education organizations.
• Ensure compliance with city, state, federal and certification agencies.Travel: Some travel for donor meetings and to conferences as required.
Salary: Commensurate with background and experience ($250,000+).
Comprehensive benefit program provided by the client (details
will be furnished to finalist candidates).
Application Deadline: December 31, 2025
(We reserve the right to shorten the deadline for applications
if we have sufficient interest. Please apply early to ensure your
background will be considered.)
For consideration, please email resume to:
Marie Keith
Vice President, Education
Catholic Recruiter Associates
Marie@CatholicRecruiter.com
Note: Only those selected for an interview with the search
committee will be contacted.