Headmaster of Chesterton Academy of Saint Joan of Arc

Headmaster Job Description for Chesterton Academy of Saint Joan of Arc in Muncie, IN

**Please include a cover letter and resume**

Position Details:

As the founding headmaster of Chesterton Academy of St. Joan of Arc, this position will have a substantial and immediate impact on the development of our school. Therefore, we are seeking a faithful, joyful disciple of Jesus Christ, who has a passion for classical education. The Headmaster should be a prayerful servant leader, capable administrator, and nurturing educator with an ability to form the character of young people.

As the public face and educational leader of the school, the Headmaster will inspire the joyful, sacrificial service of students, parents, staff, and our broader community through his or her own Christian example and faithful zeal.

Administrative Model:
The Headmaster leads the administrative team, which operates under the Board of Directors of Chesterton Academy of St. Joan of Arc in Muncie, Indiana. This leader will be responsible for nurturing and maintaining the mission and traditions of the Academy and ensuring fidelity to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. The Headmaster is hired by, and reports directly to, the Board of Directors.

Headmaster’s Role:
Summary:

The Headmaster is responsible for implementing the Academy’s academic vision and mission, discipline policies and traditions, as well as upholding the Chesterton Schools Network curriculum and requirements.
The Headmaster is responsible for the hiring, mentoring, and training of teachers.
The Headmaster works in collaboration with the Executive Team (Board of Directors and ex officio directors), which is responsible for the image, public relations, fundraising, enrollment/tuition, activities, events, recruiting, and marketing of the Academy. The Headmaster also works with the Executive Team on building strong parent-school communication and relationships.
Continuous improvement is a commitment each Chesterton Academy seeks to promote among staff and students. The Headmaster will uphold values and expectations of continuous improvement for the Academy, as outlined by the directives of the Chesterton Schools Network.
A collaborative relationship between the Headmaster and the Board is a requirement.
The Headmaster serves as the leader of all teachers and is responsible for guiding them as they provide a safe learning environment that adheres to the teachings and beliefs of the Catholic Church, and meets the approved curriculum and mission of the Academy. By training our faculty to be better teachers and to uphold the policies of the Academy, the Headmaster plays a crucial role in creating an environment that attracts and retains students and families. The role is focused on inspiring teachers in the classroom and igniting support and enthusiasm for classical education among our faculty, parents, and stakeholders. The Headmaster should be present in the classrooms and hallways of the Academy for the majority of the school day.

In addition to any teaching responsibilities, the primary responsibilities of the Headmaster include:

Ensuring the Catholic Faith is integrated into the culture of the Academy
Understanding, Promoting, Protecting, and Implementing the Chesterton Schools Network Curriculum
Building the Morale of the Faculty
Formation of Well-Rounded, Faithful Students
Develop relationships with potential donors

To those ends, the Headmaster is responsible for the following:

Curriculum and Academic Excellence:

Commitment to upholding Canon Law, through academic teaching, resources, behavior modeling, and personal and professional relationships and business conduct in relationship with the Academy
Implement the Chesterton Schools Network curriculum as provided on Chesterton Online, the Network’s Learning Management System (LMS), and in the specified timeframes
Ensure teachers use the proper course materials for each class
Participate in Chesterton Schools Network curriculum discussions and Headmaster calls
Assist with annual supply ordering by making sure all teachers prepare material requests for the following year during the end-of-year in-service
Explore opportunities to provide more robust academic challenges to students, e.g., National Latin Test, etc.
Promote the Franciscan University of Steubenville Academic Partnership with current and prospective families
Help the Academy develop ways to teach students about academic integrity

Instruction and Hiring of Teachers:

Oversee faculty hiring, management, evaluation, rehires, terminations, and teaching assignments
Oversee classes’ adherence to curriculum and ensure that classes are academically rigorous
Help faculty to cultivate an authentic Socratic classroom
Help faculty better appreciate our namesake, G.K. Chesterton, and better understand how the Academy can embody a Chestertonian spirit
Conduct weekly 1-1 meetings with each teacher covering the following: pacing, adherence to the curriculum and appropriate assignments, homework load, classroom management, and professional development
Thoroughly review academic policies with teachers at in-services and weekly meetings; e.g., attendance and tardiness, the appropriate time and procedures for make-up work/tests, sports eligibility, managing tests and papers around events, graduation eligibility, etc.
Conduct classroom observations of faculty members as part of their evaluation process and arrange for master teachers and school leaders to conduct observations; the Academy expects at least one informal observation and one formal observation of each teacher per year
Be present in hallways, classrooms, and at events
Work with the Executive Director to assign teachers to supervisions and duties for before, during, and after school. Assign extra duties to faculty as needed to assist with building management and academic needs (e.g., after-school math assistance, Latin mastery, etc.)

Parent-School Partnership:

Promote and uphold the Academy’s discipline and uniform policies, and help students and parents to better understand said policies
Ensure that faculty members communicate with parents regarding students’ academic progress via regular communication and conferences
Help the faculty manage student workload by holding all teachers accountable to using the annual academic calendar to share dates of major quizzes, tests, and papers; review dates to ensure they are in keeping with the Academy’s mission of supporting family life
Review each course’s homework load with teachers at weekly 1-1 meetings
Review homework load with students periodically and communicate with teachers and/or Student Success Coaches about concerning trends in workload, academic integrity, and executive functioning concerns

Admissions and Enrollment:

Work with Executive Director and leadership team to review prospective student applications
Conduct a 10-minute interview with each student who shadows and participates in family interviews
Review placement tests with other admissions decision-makers and contact parents if a student must undertake remedial work
Deliver presentations to prospective parents and students at open houses and selected Academy events
Work with students during the admissions and enrollment phases, requesting accommodations for learning disabilities or other conditions (must be documented by a physician)
Conduct exit interviews with all families of students who leave prior to graduation
Faith Formation:

Oversee teacher and student faith formation
Actively lead and live out the Catholic faith as a model for Chesterton Academy of St. Joan of Arc
Lead school prayer every morning and at the close of the day
Ensure the Catholic doctrine is being upheld and taught in all areas of the curriculum
Actively participate in Catholic practices such as attending daily mass, weekly confession, and provide spiritual guidance, as necessary, for faculty and students
Observe all Catholic Holy Days of Obligation

Teaching Responsibilities:
The Headmaster is expected to teach at least one course per semester, with additional courses in the earlier years of operation. In the event that a teacher cannot be present to teach the assigned course(s) on any given day, the Headmaster and Executive Director will work to replace the teacher with a substitute, or the Headmaster may fill in temporarily, as needed.

Relationships:
The Headmaster maintains the following working relationships:

The Headmaster reports directly to the Board of Directors and is a member of the Academy’s Executive Team.
The Headmaster works closely with the Executive Director and staff members to advance the Academy’s mission, having a supervisory role over all faculty.
Clergy and spiritual leaders are imperative to the religious initiatives of the Academy, and as such the Headmaster will work to develop a positive relationship with said members of the Catholic community, as permitted by the relevant Bishop.

Requirement Qualifications:

The Headmaster must be a practicing Roman Catholic in good standing with the Church and demonstrate a commitment to Catholic secondary education
Bachelor’s degree conferred from an accredited college or university
Current certification to teach in the state of Indiana, or ability to obtain an Indiana license, with accompanying secondary teaching experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Teaching experience in a classical school environment
Previous experience in secondary school administration
Management and/or team lead experience with demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and lead through conflict resolution
Familiarity with the mission of Chesterton Academy of St. Joan of Arc and the teachings of the Catholic Church
Needed Skills:

Exemplary verbal and written communication skills
Ability to adapt to various challenges
Strong interpersonal skills
Comfortable leading, teaching, and speaking to teens
A vibrant personal prayer life
Comfortable public speaking
About the Employer

Chesterton Academy of St. Joan of Arc is a new, independent classical high school steeped in faith, opening in Muncie, Indiana, in Fall 2024. Inspired by the beauty and richness of the Christian faith, Chesterton Academy seeks to form young men and women to be joyful saints. By introducing them to great thinkers such as Socrates, Thomas Aquinas, and Dante. In having our students attend daily Mass and take four years of theology, we lead students to choose for themselves the adventure of being a disciple of Christ.

**Please include a cover letter and resume**