Saint Mary’s Hall in San Antonio, TX has engaged DovetailED to lead a search for a Head of Middle School to start in the 2026-27 School Year. Interested candidates should review the Opportunity Statement and submit a cover letter, resume, and list of references as a consolidated PDF to Zack Lehman, President at DovetailED Talent Sourcing, at zack@dovetailedsourcing.com and Madison Sunley, Senior Recruiter, at madison@dovetailedsourcing.com.               
 
Saint Mary’s Hall Head of Middle School Opportunity Statement Link: https://bit.ly/smh-middle-school.

Position Overview: Saint Mary’s Hall seeks an experienced, dynamic, and student-centered Head of Middle School to lead our Middle School division (Grades 6-8). As a key member of the senior leadership team, the Head of Middle School provides visionary leadership, academic oversight, and community engagement to ensure a vibrant and nurturing learning environment.

This individual is responsible for faculty supervision, curriculum development, student growth, and family engagement, while upholding the mission and values of the school. The Head of Middle School reports directly to the Head of School and works closely with faculty, parents, and fellow administrators to cultivate a culture of excellence, inclusivity, and student-centered learning.

Required Qualifications: 

•  Master’s degree in Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field required.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of leadership experience in an independent school setting, preferably in a Middle School.
• Deep understanding of middle school education, including age-appropriate development, instructional best practices, and differentiated learning.
• Proven ability to mentor, evaluate, and support faculty professional growth.
• Strong background in curriculum design, student-centered learning, and innovative educational approaches.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills with faculty, students, and parents.
• Commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive school environment.
• High level of emotional intelligence, integrity, and discretion in handling sensitive matters.

Essential Functions:

 Responsibilities to the General Community:

•  Model core values of Saint Mary’s Hall and support its Mission Statement, Core Values, and Statement of Belonging.
• Provide strategic direction and oversight for the Middle School curriculum, ensuring alignment with NAIS and ISAS best practices and the school’s mission.
• Support and collaborate with faculty to enhance project-based, experiential, and inquiry-based learning.
• Ensure vertical alignment of the curriculum with Lower and Upper School divisions to create a cohesive academic experience.
• Act as the academic leader of the Middle School, responsible for its day-to-day operations.
• Partner with the Head of School, Assistant Head of School for Academics, Assistant Head of School for Student Experience, Assistant Head of School for Community and Belonging, and Division Leaders to set strategic goals and ensure the smooth daily operations of the Middle School.
• Develop and manage the Middle School budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and resource efficiency.
• Serve as the leader of instructional technology for the Middle School.
• Coordinate with the Assistant Head of Middle School to plan and facilitate assemblies, chapels, and special events.
• Serve as an active member of the Administrative Team, contributing to school-wide initiatives, strategic planning, and long-term visioning.
• Work closely with the Assistant Head of School for Academics, Lower, and Upper School leaders to ensure a seamless PreK-12 educational experience.
• Partner with the Assistant Head of School for Community and Belonging, Associate Director of Belonging, DEIB Committee, and DEIB Coordinators to integrate principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging to effectively support underrepresented students, families, faculty, and staff.
• Support and engage in faculty hiring, accreditation processes, and school-wide strategic planning.
• Attend Board meetings and committee sessions, providing reports and insights on Middle School progress, at the discretion of the Head of School.

Responsibilities to Students:

•  Foster a nurturing, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate learning environment that supports students’ academic, social, and emotional growth.
• Partner with the Student Success Team, Counselors, Health Team, and teachers to address the individual needs of students.
• Guide student behavior expectations, ensuring positive discipline practices and student leadership opportunities.
• Oversee and support student life programs, service-learning initiatives, and leadership development.
• Serve as a key liaison between the Middle School and parents, ensuring open, transparent, and proactive communication.
• Organize parent education programs, town halls, and informal gatherings to foster strong relationships and collaboration.
• Actively engage in admissions efforts, working with the Admission Office to recruit and retain mission-aligned families.
• Oversee special reporting to parents regarding student academic performance, such as progress reports, report cards, teacher commentaries, faculty web pages, etc….
• Work closely with the Assistant Head of Middle School to oversee effective, consistent, and fair discipline actions that integrate and uphold restorative practices.

Responsibilities to the Faculty:

•  Prepare agendas for faculty meetings and grade level team meetings; coordinate the efforts of curriculum coordinators in directing the academic programs within their respective departments.
• Partner with other school leaders in the hiring, mentoring, and evaluating a high-performing team of faculty and staff, fostering a culture of professional growth, collaboration, and accountability.
• Conduct classroom observations, provide feedback, and guide professional development initiatives.
• Coordinate and/or lead faculty meetings, workshops, and coaching programs to ensure instructional excellence.
• Promote diversity in hiring, teaching practices, and community engagement.
• Observe, supervise, and help evaluate the Middle School faculty in the development and implementation of curriculum and as a part of the Merit Pay program; supervise the teaching process with the curriculum coordinators, and when necessary, discuss teaching performance with faculty members.
• Oversee selection and work of Curriculum Coordinators and Form Level Sponsors.
• Oversee programs for the orientation of new teachers and for in-service training of all teachers.
• Oversee the grading methods and reporting standards used by teachers in measuring student achievement to foster fairness, consistency, and furtherance of the School’s mission.
• Serve as a consultant to teachers in matters of classroom management, teaching methods, and general school procedures.
• Encourage and support the professional development of the faculty through their attendance at seminars, workshops, conferences, and other programs providing support to educators.

Additional Essential Functions of the Head of Middle School:

•  Directly supervise and formally evaluate the Assistant Head of Middle School, Assistant to the Head of Middle School, and Middle School Faculty.
• Share in the performance evaluation of the physical education staff.
• Attend the following committees and provide leadership on behalf of the Middle School: Admissions Committee, Department Chairs and Curriculum Coordinators, and Curriculum Council.
• Support the Director of Fine Arts in programming for Middle School.
• Support the Athletic Director and Middle School Sports Coordinator in the planning and implementation of the Middle School Athletic Program.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

 Full-time, 12-month administrative position with on-campus presence required.

• Work in a fast-paced environment dealing with a wide variety of challenges, deadlines, and contacts.
• May work at a desk and computer for extended periods in a traditional climate-controlled classroom environment.
• Occasional evening and weekend work required for school events, parent meetings, and board sessions.
• Ability to move around campus, attend off-campus events, and engage with students in classrooms and outside spaces intermittently in outside weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold.

Other Information:

 This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.