bishop fenwick high school PeAbOdy, massachusetts PresidenT start date: July 2019 www.fenwick.org
Mission Bishop Fenwick High School is a Catholic, academically rigorous and supportive coeducational college preparatory school. The school is dedicated to creating an environment where all students can strive for and achieve excellence intellectually, spiritually, and creatively, as well as recognize their responsibility to serve others. Vision Bishop Fenwick graduates will enter the world prepared, inspired, and able to excel in all they do, embracing the importance of service to others. Overview Since its founding in 1959, Bishop Fenwick High School has been recognized as one of the finest college preparatory schools in Boston s North Shore region. Coeducational from its founding, Fenwick is located on 59 acres in the town of Peabody, 20 miles from the center of Boston. Because of its excellence and accessible location, the school draws students from over 40 communities in Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. As Fenwick approaches its 60th anniversary, it remains firmly committed to its longstanding mission as a Catholic school that provides greater opportunity for greater achievement for all students. Fenwick teachers and staff inspire students to achieve academic excellence and deep spiritual growth. They emphasize the importance of understanding the value of knowledge and critical inquiry and help students excel through a wide range of challenging courses and extracurricular programming, as well as through ongoing service to the community. The Position Bishop Fenwick High School seeks a dynamic leader as its next President starting July 2019. The Board has elected to optimize the school s leadership structure to a President/Principal model and capitalize on a legacy of strong Heads of School, including the recent distinguished and momentumbuilding work of Brother Thomas Zoppo, FSC. In this leadership design, the President functions as the chief executive officer, reporting to the Board of Trustees. Because the Principal is focused primarily on day-to-day operations and the overall quality of the student experience, the President is enabled to serve as the chief strategist, visionary, and institution builder, setting the tone, securing all 1
Fast Facts Year established: 1959 Total enrollment: 585 Student/teacher ratio: 13:1 Faculty with advanced degrees: 74% Average faculty tenure: 13 years Percent of non-catholic students: 25% Percent of students receiving aid: 60% Technology: 1-to-1 laptop program Motto: Goodness and Loyalty necessary resources, and maintaining campus-wide accountability for results and fidelity to mission. The President also has primary responsibility for fostering a climate of spiritual growth among students, faculty, and staff. This is an exceptional opportunity to lead a high-quality secondary school with deep ties to its community and an unwavering commitment to its Catholic mission. School History Bishop Fenwick High School is the first coeducational Catholic high school in Boston s North Shore region. It was founded in 1959 by the late Richard Cardinal Cushing and named for the second Bishop of Boston, Benedict Joseph Fenwick, S.J. Originally staffed by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, an international Catholic religious congregation, the school thrived under the Sisters deep commitment to education. The Sisters fostered the motto of their foundress, St. Julie Billiart, to teach whatever is necessary to prepare the students for life. With shifting demographics in education and the world at large, the school evolved over the decades. Today, the faculty is composed primarily of lay faculty and staff who remain committed to the strong academic and extracurricular life of the school started by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Over the years, improvements have been made to support the arts, technology, science and athletics all the while keeping committed to the school s core mission and values, which emphasize intellectual inquiry and integrity, a strong sense of community, a commitment to justice and peace, and service to others. In 2013, the school launched a strategic plan, Faith in Fenwick, to define its future vision. The 2014-2018 plan outlined a path forward that includes evolving the school s strong academic and 2
extracurricular program, ensuring access to Catholic spirituality, developing a facilities master plan, improving enrollment and marketing practices, supporting a talented faculty, and ensuring financial stability and growth. The Board of Trustees recently released an update to the strategic plan, describing a vision for the school and priorities for the next five years. Fenwick continues to remain highly committed to its mission of helping every student achieve his or her personal best. Scholarship, character, faith, service, goodness, and loyalty remain the school s core principles. The School Bishop Fenwick High School s enrollment stands at 585, with students coming from 47 communities and five foreign countries. The experienced faculty and staff remain committed to creating an academically and personally challenging environment and providing a holistic, values-centered education. With its impressive college acceptance rate, Fenwick offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, including a wide range of honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, 27 athletic teams, and 30-plus clubs and organizations. Campus Ministry, technology, student activities, athletics, and development have all evolved in recent years, and continue to grow as needs arise. Enhancements to the school s science and technology infrastructure, art and athletic facilities, the O Rourke Library, and the school chapel demonstrate Fenwick s focus on modernizations that keep the school in the forefront of Catholic, collegepreparatory education. During the summer of 2018, Fenwick underwent significant renovations, including the installation of new energy-efficient windows, enhanced sound and lighting systems 3
in the theater, new turf on the main athletic field, and resurfacing of the tennis courts. Additional renovations are planned. On August 1, 2018, Fenwick also announced it was assuming sponsorship of St. Mary of the Annunciation School a pre-k to 8th grade school located in nearby Danvers. Like Fenwick, St. Mary s maintains an important tradition of excellence that will continue to grow through this exciting partnership. While Fenwick s President formally administers St. Mary s, the school s recently appointed principal handles its daily operations. As Fenwick continues to evolve, the school remains committed to its Catholic educational mission and to creating an environment in which all students can strive for and achieve excellence intellectually, spiritually, and creatively. At the same time, the school is deeply committed to helping students recognize their responsibility to serve others. Fenwick is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The school accepts a small number of international students each year through a partnership with New Oasis International Education and the Cambridge Network. Academics Pope Francis says that an education in the fullness of humanity should be the defining feature of Catholic Schools. To this end, Fenwick offers a challenging but flexible curriculum that, in addition to preparing students for college, puts a premium on fostering lifelong skills of curiosity, critical thinking, and independent judgment. All areas of study in the liberal arts curriculum including English, 4
Social Studies, Science, Mathematics, Foreign Language, and the Arts are designed to help students grow as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and contributing members of society. A signature program at Fenwick is its Personal Best Program a four-year structured program for all students that offers a unique opportunity to create a richer high school experience and more robust college résumé. The program focuses on instilling five lifelong skills and habits known as the Fenwick Five for Goodness and Loyalty : respect, pride, cooperation, attitude, and responsibility. It includes a four-year writing program; ongoing seminars that help students develop the skills of confidence, leadership, and achievement; and daily mentoring and tutoring, among other support systems. Fenwick has a particularly robust performing arts program as well as an in-depth program in health and wellness. Students can also take courses with Endicott College, including Sociology, Business Fundamentals, and Criminal Justice. Its AP Physics course is offered in collaboration with Boston University. Fenwick is a member of the Virtual High School (VHS), an international collaborative of high schools that contribute online courses for students from member schools. Through VHS, Fenwick students are able to take both full-year and half-year courses in a wide range of subjects. 5
College Placement Bishop Fenwick High School graduates attend some of the most competitive colleges and universities in the nation, including the following, among others: Athletics The goal of the Fenwick Athletic Department is to augment the academic, spiritual, and social program by providing opportunities for achievement in sports. In striving for success, the members of the coaching staff endeavor to instill the qualities of leadership, loyalty, and sportsmanship. Nearly 80% of the student body participates in at least one sport during their four years. Over the years, Fenwick has been one of the Boston area s most successful athletic programs. Both the boys teams and girls teams have won numerous state championships. The school is a member of the Catholic Central League. Fall sports include boys cross-country, football, golf, and soccer; girls cross-country, field hockey, soccer, and cheerleading. Winter sports include boys basketball, hockey, swimming, and indoor track; girls basketball, hockey, swimming, indoor track, and cheerleading. Spring sports include boys baseball, lacrosse, tennis, and track; girls lacrosse, softball, tennis, and track. Every sports team in Fall 2018 competed in post-season play, with three teams winning their league title. American University Amherst College Boston College Brown University Clark University Colby College Denison University Dickinson College Elon University Fordham University George Washington University Georgetown University Harvard University James Madison University Miami University, Oxford Middlebury College New York University Northwestern University Ohio State University Pratt Institute Providence College Sacred Heart University Skidmore College Smith College St. John s University St Lawrence University Syracuse University Trinity College Tufts University Union College University of California, Berkeley University of Colorado, Boulder University of Michigan University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania University of Southern California University of Virginia Villanova University Wellesley College Williams College Xavier University 6
Student Life Fenwick offers myriad opportunities beyond the classroom. Students are encouraged to try new things and achieve levels they never thought possible, all while learning teamwork, leadership, cooperation, and project management. Student extracurricular opportunities include the Art Club, Drama Club, Green Initiative Club, Math Team, Liturgical Choir, National History Society, Anime Club, Pep Band, Peer Leadership, Tech Club, Robotics Club, Multicultural Club, French Club, Ski Club, Mock Trail, Current Events, Stock Market Club, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Creative Writing Club, and more. Other student-life activities include student government, Campus Ministry, the school newspaper, yearbook, and athletics. In all cases, the goal is to celebrate and promote each student s gifts, talents, and interests. Service and Spirituality A central goal at Fenwick is to empower students to make positive changes in the larger community and to provide students with opportunities to put Catholic social teaching into action. On the academic side, Fenwick s Religion department supports this work not only through teaching scripture and the Catholic tradition but also through courses such as Facing History, Facing Ourselves, which uses the Nazi Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide of 1994 to help students examine contemporary issues including identity, race, society s influence on the individual, community, and 7
the common good. The Office of Campus Ministry provides many outreach opportunities throughout the school year. Each year, students contribute more than 8,500 hours of service including through clothing and food drives, helping children with disabilities, working in a local soup kitchen, tutoring younger students, and volunteering in an assisted living community. The school also offers religious retreats and opportunities for student involvement in liturgies and prayer services. As part of its Personal Best program, Fenwick offers a Campus Ministry Peer Leadership program that teaches hands-on leadership skills through a Catholic lens. Peabody, Massachusetts Location, location, location! While Peabody is a thriving suburb of Boston, it is also an historic town located in the state s vibrant, historic North Shore region. The area was first settled in 1626 by a group of English colonists. The town itself was officially incorporated in 1855 when the community broke away from neighboring Danvers. The original name, South Danvers, was changed to Peabody in 1868, in honor of George Peabody, a noted philanthropist born in present-day Peabody and widely regarded as the father of modern philanthropy. Today, the city of 51,000 is home to a mix of industry and residential neighborhoods. In 2009, Forbes magazine named it one of the most livable cities in the United States. Present-day Peabody is home to one of the region s largest malls, while the downtown offers a thriving business and shopping district. The city runs free concerts in summer and residents have access to a wide array of parks and 8
public spaces, including the Independence Greenway Bike Trail. A highlight of the town is Brooksby Farm, a 275-acre working farm and conservation area. The city runs a farmer s market in season, an arts center, and a community makerspace. It is also home to the Elizabeth Cassidy Folk Art Museum and the George Peabody House & Leather Workers Museum. The Peabody Essex Museum, one of the best art museums in the state, is located just to the east in neighboring Salem. Besides being a highly livable community, Peabody is also close to historic Salem, Marblehead, and the Cape Ann seaport towns of Gloucester and Rockport. From here, one not only has easy access to the coast but also to Boston, 20 miles to the south and accessible by commuter rail. Logan International Airport is close by, and nearby Route 95 offers easy access to all points north, including the coast and mountains of New Hampshire and Maine, and points south, including Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York City. All in all, Peabody is a wonderful place to work and live. Opportunities and Challenges The first President of Bishop Fenwick will have the opportunity to capitalize on the recent growth in enrollment and can fuel further growth. The school s ideal location with an extensive 59-acre campus can create possibilities for the development of new programming and facilities that can be magnets for admissions. The President will have the opportunity to work with a dedicated and active Board of Trustees that is supportive of both Fenwick s leadership and the school itself. 9
He/She will clarify leadership roles and responsibilities that can lead to increased productivity and effectiveness. Through this clarification, the next President can empower the faculty which will accentuate creativity and heighten morale. The next President can also be prepared to invest resources in science and technology curricula to help generate signature programs in the STEM/STEAM space. Among the challenges for the present day and future are the care and feeding of a 60-year-old building; increased competition from both local Catholic and public schools; the ongoing pressures of maintaining strong enrollment and building financial sustainability; and the challenge/opportunity of Fenwick s new association with Saint Mary s School. Desired Qualities and Qualifications A practicing Catholic; Someone who has a vision for the future, but who honors the past; An excellent communicator who can build trust within the school community and also serve as a dynamic leader in the world beyond the school; An entrepreneurial leader who understands excellence in teaching and learning; A charismatic and approachable presence who also commands respect from students and faculty even as he or she empowers them; A wise and effective delegator; An instructional leader with a K-12 vision for the addition of St. Mary s, but without alienating feeder schools; Strong communication skills with all stakeholders, including an understanding of social media as an effective communication tool; An empathetic and passionate talented fundraiser who can strengthen and energize alumni relations, create a culture of philanthropy, and build financial support for the school. To Apply Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials: A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position; A current résumé; A one-page statement of educational or leadership philosophy and practice; A list of five professional references with name, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate s permission) to: Bill Christ Senior Consultant bill.christ@carneysandoe.com Beth Dietz Senior Associate beth.dietz@carneysandoe.com 10