Alliance for Catholic Education
Job Summary/Description:
Primary Function: Under the direction of the Superintendent of Catholic Schools, the
principal serves as the school’s spiritual and academic leader, fostering Catholic Identity in
accordance with the school’s mission and vision while also promoting high expectations for
academic excellence.
The principal also ensures the effective operation of the school’s Catholic education
program by providing leadership in curriculum development and implementation; data
and mission-driven decision making; professional development planning; relationship
building and communication; personnel management; effective supervision of instruction
and assessment; public relations; facility maintenance; financial planning; and
development. The purpose of the Board is to further the educational mission, and the
school leader, (principal) is required to consult the board before making decisions on
matters of finance, buildings and grounds, advancement, and fund raising.
Finally, the principal is responsible for supporting the Diocese of St. Augustine in its
mission to evangelize and catechize youth in a Catholic school environment.
BACKGROUND
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Principal | GUARDIAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Legacy Schools
The legacy of Guardian Catholic Schools began with the separate operations of St. Pius V
Catholic School (1921-2017) and Holy Rosary Catholic School (1958-2017), with both providing
quality education and spiritual support for families on Jacksonville’s Northside and inner city. In
the early 1990s, both schools faced the threat of closure due to financial pressures.
In 1995, a group of concerned community leaders founded The Guardian of Dreams, later
known as The Guardian Catholic Schools, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In 2005, the Board
of Trustees assumed governance for the two schools to provide financial support and preserve
the legacy of educational excellence. For almost 30 years, their advocacy, resources, and
governance enabled the schools to provide educational and spiritual opportunities to children
and families regardless of financial situation or religious preference.
In 2016, Guardian Catholic Schools launched a capital campaign to raise funds that would
combine the two aging facilities into one new school. “Build the Dream, Guard the Legacy”
successfully raised more than $10 million to build the new Guardian Catholic School campus,
ultimately decreasing operating expenses and ensuring a high-quality Catholic education in a
state-of-the-art facility with a capacity for 472 students annually.
Staff
60 staff/faculty including Head of School, Assistant Principal, Director of Early Learning, Teacher
Assistants, Scholarships and Admissions, Operations Manager, Bookkeeper, School Counselor,
Learning Support, Receptionist, Nurse, Director of Advancement, Donor Coordinator, and
Custodial staff.
Students
Of the current student population of 360, the breakdown is as follows:
a) Ethnicity: 30 Hispanics, 330 Non-Hispanics
b) Race: 315 Black/African Americans; 45 Two or more races, White/Asian
To learn more about this amazing school, visit our website.
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Principal | GUARDIAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Essential Responsibilities:
• Recognize and support the unique Catholic Mission of the school by speaking, acting,
and instructing in a manner consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church; a
school principal may not espouse any doctrine inconsistent with the teachings of the
Church.
• Integrate gospel values and Catholic social teaching into the curriculum and the life of
the school; create an environment where the content and methods of religious
education can be applied.
• Ensure the school upholds all standards and benchmarks propagated in the National
Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools.
• Be responsible for the planning, operation, supervision, and evaluation of the school’s
educational programs; promote a pleasant, effective, and safe teaching and learning
environment.
• Exercise leadership in all phases of education, including co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
• Govern the school in accordance with diocesan and local school policies, applicable
state law, and the policies and standards of applicable accrediting agencies.
• Identify and effect needed change for school improvement.
• Hire, supervise, and develop competent faculty and staff in accordance with diocesan
and accrediting agency policies and evaluate teachers and staff as required.
• Promote recruitment and retention of faculty, staff, and students.
• Demonstrate professional responsibility in enforcing diocesan and school policies,
procedures, and regulations.
• Provide for the safety, welfare, and care of students; ensure development of faculty and
student codes of conduct which reflect gospel values; additionally, enforce established
discipline standards and promote a positive and proactive approach to school-wide and
classroom behavior management.
• Communicate effectively with students, parents, staff, and other professionals.
• Manage an effective and efficient records system maintaining complete, accurate, and
current personnel and student records in accord with diocesan school guidelines and
accepted standards.
• In consultation with the Board, manage the school grounds and facilities to maintain a
clean, safe, and orderly campus as required by diocesan school guidelines.
• In consultation with the Head of School and the Board, manage financial matters of the
school including preparation and adherence to approved budgetary guidelines.
• Oversee compliance related to, but not limited to, Early Learning (ELC, DCF), State
scholarships (FTC, FES), Federal Title programs, and the National School Lunch Program
(NSLP).
• Work cooperatively with the Head of School and school board in building a faith
community; give evidence of lived Gospel values by personal example and by being an
Qualifications & Requirements:
The successful candidate will be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Catholic Church
who exhibits the ability to continue the tradition of high academic achievement while
maintaining the school’s strong Catholic identity.
• Minimum of a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership.
• Minimum of three to five years of Catholic school administrative experience.
• Superior communication skills.
• A collaborative leadership style to lead others in the mission of Catholic education,
knowledgeable in current areas of professional development.
• Excellent instructional leadership.
The schools in the Archdiocese of Atlanta offer drug-free environments and are in full
compliance with federal statutes for non-discrimination in employment.
Salary: Salary and benefits are competitive with the local Catholic school
market and commensurate with experience.
Application Deadline: May 31, 2024
(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.)
To apply, please submit the following two documents as separate PDF attachments.
Please put “St. Jude” as the Subject.
1. Cover letter (no greater than two pages).
2. Current resume (include all work- and service-related experiences, dates, and education
related to the position).
Please email cover letter and resume to:
Marie C. Keith
Senior Director, Education and Recruiting
Catholic Recruiter Associates
Marie@catholicrecruiter.com
All inquiries, nominations, and applications will be treated with the highest degree of
confidentiality and the greatest respect.
Note: Only those selected for an interview with the search committee will be contact