A College Preparatory Catholic High School

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President / CEO Search

About St. Mary's Ryken High School

The school’s rich history of Catholic education dates back to 1889 when the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth opened St. Mary’s Academy for girls.  In 1981, it merged with the Xaverian Brothers’ Ryken High School, an all-boys school founded in 1956.  With that, St. Mary’s Ryken was born.

As a Catholic college preparatory high school, St. Mary’s Ryken is a community of faith and service.  SMR embodies Xaverian values by recognizing each student as a unique individual with God-given talents that can be nurtured by a committed and compassionate faculty.  The school
steadfastly pursues the Xaverian Brothers’ educational goals: to form enduring personal relationships and to create a community that fosters the values of compassion, simplicity, humility, trust and zeal.

Located in the heart of Leonardtown, Maryland, SMR is 55 miles southeast of Washington, D.C.  The 87-acre,
waterfront and 100 percent wireless campus overlooks Breton Bay and models a small college with four academic buildings. Construction on the Donnie Williams Center,

which will provide 48,000 square feet of modern, spacious facilities for student life and sporting events, is underway. Renovation will begin soon at Pascal Hall to transform it into the SMR Innovation Lab, with classrooms, labs, and build and collaboration spaces modeled after university-level STEM labs.

Academic and scholastic enrichment opportunities are available to students through partnerships with the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, College of Southern Maryland and St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

A strategic planning process was recently completed and re-accreditation by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is in progress.

While SMR prides itself on its many unique programs and record of accomplishment, it is the culture, the atmosphere, the spirit of community that students, faculty, administration and staff create that is valued most.  The new President/CEO will be entrusted to safeguard this legacy for generations to come.

SMR SCHOOL STATS
700

students

13:1

student:teacher ratio

22

average class size

52:48

male:female ratio

Highest SAT scores in the tri-county area
1345 (out of 1600) average SAT score of students in the top 30% range

Consistently receive the highest scores in State Chorus, Band Solo and Ensemble competitions.

OPENING
in 2019!

NEW LABS for physics and chemistry

&

THE DONNIE WILLIAMS CENTER
at 48,000 sq. ft. facility for school, community, and athletic events

SCHOLARS PROGRAM

STEM, Biomedicine, Fine Arts, Humanities and Global & International Studies pathways all on one campus!

Choral, Music, Dance, Drama/Theatre, Instrumental Music (including Orchestra and Jazz Band)

Diploma Distinctions:

AP CAPSTONE

BILITERACY

SCHOLARS

Matlab
available

CAMPUS MINISTRY

All faiths welcome

60%
of students are Catholic

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION PROGRAM

OFF-CAMPUS RETREATS

MONTHLY SCHOOLWIDE MASS AND OPTIONAL DAILY MASS

CHRISTIAN SERVICE PROGRAM

Role of the President / CEO

The President/CEO is the faith leader of the SMR community, maintains the integrity of the mission and vision of the school, and manifests an inspiring Catholic identity and message. The President is entrusted to preserve the history, traditions, culture and Xaverian charism, while leading the school to grow and move forward. Directly responsible to the Board of Directors, the President/CEO manages the external relations of the school including admissions, development, marketing, alumni, community/civic/board relations, and represents the school to an ever-growing audience of prospective families and donors.

Priorities for the President/CEO include… 

  • Enrollment Management: Determine optimal enrollment numbers and composition and develop an aggressive   marketing/recruitment posture, including a compelling  value proposition that clarifies the advantages of a St. Mary’s Ryken education.
  • Finance/Fundraising: Address affordability and accessibility; increase external support for operations,  enhancement and endowment, while maintaining  responsible management of the overall finances.
  • School Improvement: Implement the initiatives and recommendations issuing forth from the strategic plan  and accreditation process to ensure that the strategic vision of the school is fulfilled.
  • Campus/Facilities: Complete the Donnie Williams  Center construction and Pascal Hall renovation, along   with programming plans for each, and enable the school  to capitalize on these assets. Steward the campus and its resources while ensuring the safety and security 
    of the students.
  • Human Resources: Attract and retain well-qualified and mission-driven faculty and staff, elevate professional  development and achieve greater organizational effectiveness.

Qualifications

The new President/CEO at St. Mary’s Ryken High School will be a…

  • Practicing Catholic, strong in faith, and resiliently able to address the contemporary challenges in the Catholic Church.
  • Mission-driven decision-maker who embraces the Xaverian charism and the diversity of the school community.
  • Charismatic, dynamic leader, able to bring people together and empower them to take action.

Candidates for this position should possess:

  • Advanced education at the master’s degree level or above;
  • Business and financial acumen, a sense of stewardship and skills that include risk management, financial  management and complex facility management;
  • Well-honed advancement expertise to market the school for enrollment and resources;
  • Significant management experience; educational leadership experience preferred;
  • Understanding of and commitment to the  
    president-principal model of administration;
  • Experience working with board governance;
  • Superb communication skills and executive presence to effectively represent the school.

Applicants must be...

  • Passionate about Catholic education for young women and men.
  • Ethically above reproach.
  • Innovative and creative; able to lead change and help others adjust to change.
  • Compassionate, welcoming and approachable.
  • Willing to relocate to southern Maryland and to understand and embrace the community.

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time 12-month position. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Application Process

Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically a letter of introduction; a resume; the names, emails and telephone numbers of five professional references; and a statement of approximately one page addressing The Role of the President/CEO in Advancing a Xaverian, Catholic Coed High School to:

Mary J. Foley
Catholic School Management
csmoffice@cbservices.org

Review of applications begins immediately and will conclude November 2, 2018.

Xaverian Brothers Tradition

St. Mary’s Ryken is a Catholic school in the Xaverian Brothers tradition. Recognized in the Xaverian charism are certain values that distinguish the spirituality of the Brothers and are rooted deeply in their history and traditions.

These values are:

HUMILITY
TRUST
ZEAL
COMPASSION
SIMPLICITY