The Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program

Embraces the view of Bl. Basil Moreau, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, that "(z)eal is the great desire to make God known, loved and served and thus to bring knowledge of salvation to others." Ensures that all activities of the school, especially efforts to innovate, advance, sustain, and excel "(flow) from this virtue" and are rooted in "the cross, our only hope." Instills this burning desire in teachers so that they "fulfill the duties of their profession with enthusiasm, love, courage, and perseverance", enkindles this flame in students so that they can "contribute to preparing the world for better times than ours", and ignites this same spark in community members.

A Remick Leader who leads with zeal:

• Employs a distinctly Catholic worldview and anthropology that honors that dignity and interconnectedness of all
• Is physically present in all aspects of school life engaging students, families, and teachers/staff with joy and enthusiasm
• Embodies humility by putting others first and accepting responsibility for setbacks and crediting others for achievements and success
• Envisions innovative strategies, responds to challenges creatively, and takes calculated risks to ensure the dynamic and hopeful future of Catholic schools
• Maintains positivity, optimism, and hope in the face of challenges rooted in the Cross of Christ
• Names, develops, and leverages the gifts of all members of the school community (students, parents, parishioners, community members) in order to advance the mission of the school

Anchored in the Church’s social teaching and with the goal of actively establishing and enhancing the Kingdom of God here on earth, views every decision and action through the lens of equity and inclusion. Adopts a stance of radical mutuality and collective responsibility for others, preferencing those experiencing poverty and vulnerability. Continually learns and reflects on personal, interpersonal, institutional, and structural levels of racism and inequity and then takes action.

The Remick Leader who advocates for justice:

• Shifts systems and structures to provide access and an equitable experience to all who desire a Catholic education
• Empowers students, teachers, and families to act within the local, national, and global community to advance justice and inclusion
• Accompanies families and students throughout their educational journey

Pursues school transformation by taking up the call of St. Paul “to fan into flame” the gifts of others. Creates the conditions for continuous learning - both individual and collective - among teachers, staff, families, board/governing bodies, providing opportunities for ongoing growth and leadership.

The Remick Leader who builds capacity:

• Holds high expectations of faculty, staff, stakeholders, and self and allocates the necessary time, structures, and resources to meet those expectations (through PD, coaching, practice, collaboration) 
• Develops the skills and understandings of the school community to advance the mission of the school to educate the mind and the heart 
• Provides opportunities and systems for collaboration, deliberate practice, mentorship, delegation, and distributed leadership while offering appropriate support and guidance
• Reflects on own areas of expertise and areas of need and continues to learn in both

Actively forms oneself as a disciple of Christ through prayer, reflection, discernment, dialogue, and ongoing spiritual and theological learning and growth. Through witness and participation, invites others into a deeper relationship with Christ. 

The Remick Leader who forms disciples:

• Centers the entire educational project of the school (academic, athletic, artistic, spiritual, and cultural pursuits) on Jesus Christ 
• Makes prayer, liturgies, sacramental life, and retreats vibrant aspects of the life of faculty and staff, students, and families 
• Creates opportunities for the ongoing, communal faith development for adults
• Anchors and communicates actions and behaviors in Catholic social teaching and the Gospel
• Is devoted to growing in their personal faith journey with Christ through active participation in the Sacraments and personal prayer 

Internalizes Christ’s mandate, “Go forth and teach,” within the school’s mission and vision statements. Identifies and articulates the beliefs and values that animate the school community to promote an unapologetically child-first approach, affirming the humanity, sustaining the joy, and honoring the inherent dignity of each child. 

The Remick Leader who champions culture:

• Safeguards, enlivens, analyzes, and enhances an inclusive, equitable, joyful, and hopeful Catholic culture to ensure that it is communicated and lived with coherence and consistency through its norms, programs, policies, artifacts, places, and communications
• Presents, respects and celebrates the cultures of stakeholders across the school while honoring the charism and traditions of the school community 
• Effectively communicates to engage, inspire, and inform stakeholders through stories, artifacts, and ongoing messaging
• Intentionally calibrates decisions and actions with the beliefs and values of the school

Catalyzes efforts across the school community to advance its mission. Collaboratively articulates a compelling vision for the future and a data-informed, thorough delineation of the current reality. Sets audacious and feasible goals and designs habits, routines, and systems to engineer school progress. Situates improvement efforts within a systems-orientation, recognizing that schools are systems and also operate within larger systems.

The Remick Leader who engineers improvement:

• Participates and engages the community in iterations of continuous and disciplined inquiry to improve all practices within the school program
• Effectively manages change through the use of multiple forms of data and a user-centered lens to measure success
• Cultivates relationships with stakeholders and fosters shared ownership of change initiatives
• Uses knowledge of systems and how they operate to navigate the complexities of school-wide improvement and change to advocate for and advance the mission of the school

Stands as an exemplar of academic and ethical excellence and demonstrates this through all interactions, behaviors, and communications. Recognizing the breadth of knowledge a leader must attain in all domains, commits to continual growth and leverages their community of practice to build expertise. Honors both the profession of education and the educators in the school, treating faculty and staff with equal respect and dignity. Prioritizes relationship building with the family as we honor them as the primary educators of their children.

The Remick Leader who models professionalism:

• Is present, on time, and actively engaged in events and meetings that represent the life of the school
• Follows through on commitments, producing high quality work and meeting deadlines
• Maintains positive and productive relationships through frequent, honest, proactive, and respectful communication and problem-solving
• Actively works to provide mentoring to teachers, staff members, and emerging leaders
• Holds others to standards through clear expectations, modeling, and feedback, and support 
• Accepts feedback in a constructive manner and asks for help when needed
• Exhibits strong oral and written communication skills and considers the impacts of decisions and how they are communicated