Head of School
SEARCH PROSPECTUS
Pope Francis High School
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
WWW.POPEFRANCISHIGH.ORG
START DATE – JULY 2017
Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions, LLC The School and its Legacy Mission Statement Pope Francis High School is a four-year, Catholic co-educational college preparatory school which instills Gospel values and fosters academic excellence in a diverse community of To challenge students learners. Its name, chosen by student leaders as Cathedral High School and Holyoke Catholic to grow spiritually, High School came together this past year, stands as the frst Catholic secondary school in intellectually, socially, and the United States to carry the name of our current Pope. Rising in the Diocese of Springfeld, physically to become critical Massachusetts as the result of a devastating 2011 tornado that destroyed Cathedral, coupled thinkers and faith-based with the realization that both Cathedral and nearby Holyoke Catholic would be best served as leaders who embody justice, one regional school in a brand-new facility, the new $55 million education complex will open peace, service, and mercy in on Surrey and Wendover Roads in Springfeld with an expandable initial capacity of close to the global community. 500, and in time to begin the 2018-’19 school year. Tis past September, in its inaugural year, Pope Francis High School welcomed 367 students at the former Holyoke Catholic High School facility in nearby Chicopee, MA. Tis blessed and excited school community is truly the tale of two of the most distinguished schools in the Diocese. With its legacies deeply rooted in the Pioneer valley since 1883, Pope Francis High School draws from over 30 towns in the Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut region, while accepting students of various cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. Additionally, the school currently serves international students from four nations and continues to grow. Cathedral and Holyoke Catholic each bring their own rich traditions and unique stories, their shared common mission to provide an exceptional Christ-centered and faith-flled Catholic educational experience from which form the foundation from which Pope Francis High School students have come together to learn and excel, both in the classroom and in the community. Since their frst graduating class in 1885, the legacy schools have instilled academic excellence in its students, evidenced by nearly 50,000 combined alumni that stretch across the nation. You’ll fnd their graduates as your doctor, your nurse or your lawyer, as your college professor or child’s teacher, as your priest or a religious sister in your parish. You might read about them as CEOs of international corporations or see them on the Broadway stage, a Hollywood screen or a professional ball feld. Respected both near and far, they are touching the everyday lives of people in the communities in which they live. Tey are simply everywhere!
2 Pope Francis High School Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions, LLC FAST FACTS 100%
College Acceptance Rate
Academics and Activities 9Wcfki:_l[hi_jo
Pope Francis High School blends the academic traditions of its legacy schools, ofering challenging courses and co-curricular activities in a faith-based and community service 29% oriented environment. Its program of studies includes a robust selection of academically rigorous programs and courses in religious studies, English, math, science, social studies, world _dYbkZ_d]¾ language, visual and performing arts, technology and business, and more. Students will fnd a challenging college preparatory curriculum that accommodates a wide range of academic backgrounds. High-achieving students are provided the opportunity 45 to engage in a rigorous academic program that includes: Honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme and over 200 Virtual High School ?dj[hdWj_edWb courses. In addition, Pope Francis High School continued Holyoke Catholic’s dual enrollment IjkZ[dji program at Elms College, ofering students the chance to earn college credits while still in high school. Students requiring extra attention will fnd one-on-one support from not only its dedicated and passionate faculty and guidance counselors, but also administration and staf as well. Academic excellence is a hallmark of Pope Francis High School. In addition to its academic curriculum, Pope Francis students can explore their own potential through an extensive variety of 29 co-curricular clubs and character-building activities, and 25 competitive athletic teams in 12 diferent sports – many of which are annual participants in State level championship competitions. Te school is committed to developing and nurturing the whole student, whether in the classroom, on the feld, as a member of a co-curricular activity, or out in the community. Tey strive to develop students who are respectful and responsible role models inside the school and Course Levels out. 9ebb[][Fh[fWhWj_ed By encouraging its students to participate in leadership and service opportunities that >edehi challenge them to demonstrate compassion for others, Pope Francis High School students 7ZlWdY[ZFbWY[c[dj utilize their time here to prepare themselves for the future, developing their potential and preparing for post-secondary plans to grow into future leaders, grounded in a Christ-centered ?dj[hdWj_edWb spirituality. 8WYYWbWkh[Wj[
Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions, LLC Pope Francis High School 3 Partial List of College Acceptances in recent years
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4 Pope Francis High School Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions, LLC FAST FACTS
16 7l[hW][9bWiiI_p[ Challenges and Opportunities
With site-work commencing in September at the new Springfeld location, many of the pre-construction challenges to make the school building project shovel-ready have already been met. While the initial academic, student service and operational mechanisms required to integrate the Cathedral and Holyoke Catholic learning communities have already been implemented by its passionate and experienced Interim Head of School, additional challenges remain that will require the immediate focused attention and expertise of the permanent Head of School upon his or her arrival. Candidates will be expected to bring an extensive and broad-based skill set that will enable the continued melding of stakeholders from its legacy schools, along with community and philanthropic leaders throughout the Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut 10:1 region. While respecting the past, he or she must enthusiastically embrace the future as the IjkZ[dj# Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions, LLC Pope Francis High School 5 Desired Qualities and Qualifications of the permanent Head of School t 4USPOHQSBDUJDJOH$BUIPMJDJO communion with the Church, required t 'BJUIĕMMFE $ISJTUDFOUFSFE servant leader who embraces, models and champions the school’s Catholic values and A quote from mission Pope Francis t "EWBODFEEFHSFFJOBO educational feld with “Weary from his journey, Jesus signifcant and proven does not hesitate to ask the instructional, advancement Samaritan woman for something executive administration to drink. His thirst, however, is experience in a college much more than physical: it is preparatory setting also a thirst for encounter, a desire t ćFFYFDVUJWFQSFTFODFUPJOTQJSFDPOĕEFODF QBTTJPOBOEQFSTJTUFODFBNPOHTUBMM stakeholders in an ambitious, fast-paced, and results-oriented period of cultural change and to enter into dialogue with that institution-building woman and to invite her to make t &YDFQUJPOBMDPNNVOJDBUJPO JOUFSQFSTPOBM BOEQVCMJDTQFBLJOHTLJMMTXIJMFTFSWJOHBTUIF a journey of interior conversion. highly visible public face of Pope Francis High School in building constructive relationships Jesus is patient, respectful of the with all stakeholders that inspire crucial support in its fundraising and enrollment initiatives person before him, and gradually t 1SPWFOFYFDVUJWFMFBEFSTIJQUIBUQSPNPUFTBTQJSJUFEBOEXFMDPNJOHGBNJMZFOWJSPONFOU reveals himself to her. His while ensuring academic excellence for all students in a data-driven and strength-based example encourages us to seek curriculum that instills life-long Catholic values and a strong commitment to community a serene encounter with others. service programs To understand one another, and t 4LJMMFEBUJEFOUJGZJOH BUUSBDUJOH EFWFMPQJOHBOESFUBJOJOHIJHIMZFČFDUJWFBENJOJTUSBUJWF to grow in charity and truth, we faculty and support staf with a commitment and passion for excellence in achieving the school’s mission need to pause, to accept and listen t 1SPWFOMFBEFSTIJQJOPOHPJOHQSPGFTTJPOBMEFWFMPQNFOU GBDVMUZBOETUBČFWBMVBUJPOBOE to one another. In this way, we student assessment already begin to experience unity. t *OTQJSBUJPOBM IVNCMFBOEBVUIFOUJDNFOUPSXIPJOTUJMMTMFBEFSTIJQRVBMJUJFTUISPVHIPVUUIF Unity grows along the way; it never learning community and external constituencies stands still. Unity happens when t $IBSJTNBUJD IJHIFOFSHZBOEFYUSFNFMZWJTJCMFMFBEFSXIPJTBQQSPBDIBCMFBOEBDDFTTJCMF we walk together.” t "SUJDVMBUFBOEDPMMBCPSBUJWFXJUITVQFSCPSHBOJ[BUJPOBMBOECVTJOFTTNBOBHFNFOUTLJMMT Homily at second Vespers on the t 'BJS GVOBOEDPNQBTTJPOBUFoBCBMBODFEBOEĘFYJCMFUFBNQMBZFS solemnity of the conversion of St. Paul, t 'BNJMJBSJUZXJUIFYUFOTJWFTDIPPMDPOTUSVDUJPOQSPKFDUTBOESFMBUFESFMPDBUJPOMPHJTUJDTJTB Jan. 25, 2015 plus 6 Pope Francis High School Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions, LLC FAST FACTS About Springfield and the Pioneer Valley Springfeld is the third largest city in Massachusetts and fourth largest in New England (behind Boston, Worcester, and Providence). Historically the frst Springfeld in the United States, it’s notable as the birthplace of Teodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, as well as the city in which James Naismith invented basketball. It is home to the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Springfeld Tunderbirds AHL hockey team. In the Pioneer Valley, you can explore the vibrant nightlife of big cities, the lively college IjkZ[dji7ii_ij[ZXo towns of Northampton and Amherst plus traditional New England towns and historic villages. <_dWdY_Wb7_Z Along the way, you’ll discover varied fun- flled attractions and distinctive distractions. Getting around the region is easy too, thanks to major interstate highways 90 and 91, as 39% well as scenic country roads that invite you to fnd out what’s just around the bend. Known as the Crossroads of New England, the region is close enough to everything-only a 30 minute drive from Hartford, CT, 90 minutes from Boston, and 2.5 hours from New York City. Te Berkshires, and its four seasons of culture, history and outdoor adventure is a short 60 minute drive away. If air is your preferred form of travel, Hartford’s Bradley International Airport afords residents the opportunity to travel the world and is only 30 minutes away. In an economic and cultural partnership with Hartford, Connecticut, the Springfeld- Hartford region constitutes what is known as New England’s Knowledge Corridor - the second-largest concentration of institutions of higher learning in New England (afer nearby 36 Greater Boston) ofering proximity to some of the most prestigious universities in the country. Ofen called “Te City of Homes” because of its abundance of historic and contemporary Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions, LLC Pope Francis High School 7 To Apply Fb[Wi[ikXc_jj^[\ebbem_d]cWj[h_Wbi"YedÒZ[dj_WbboWdZWii[fWhWj[F:< WjjWY^c[dji_ded[[cW_bjeC_Y^W[b C_Y^W[b 8 Pope Francis High School Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions, LLC FWhjd[hi_dC_ii_edIY^eebB[WZ[hi^_fI[WhY^ Iebkj_edi_iWZ_l_i_ede\FWhjd[hi_dC_ii_ed"j^[ dWj_edÉib[WZ_d]\kbb#i[hl_Y[Yedikbj_d]Òhc\eYki[Z [nYbki_l[boedZ[l[bef_d][nY[bb[dY[_d9Wj^eb_Y iY^eebWZlWdY[c[djWdZb[WZ[hi^_f$I_dY[(&&." ekhZ[Z_YWj[Zj[Wce\fhe\[ii_edWbiÉ^Wl[fWhjd[h[Z m_j^Yb_[djijeWZlWdY[j^[_hc_ii_ediXofhel_Z_d] Yecfh[^[di_l[WdZ[\\[Yj_l[iebkj_edijeWZZh[ii j^[Y^Wbb[d][ij^[o\WY[[l[hoZWo$ FWhjd[hi_dC_ii_edIY^eebB[WZ[hi^_fI[WhY^Iebkj_edi"BB9 '(*IoYWceh[:h_l["M[ijmeeZ"C7&(&/& www.partnersinmission.com