January 27, 2023

Dear STA Community:

We write today to provide an update on the search process for our next STA Principal. 

Over 60 stakeholders – including staff members, School parents, students, and STA Parishioners – responded to our Stakeholder survey or met with search committee members in person to provide their input. The majority of our survey respondents identified as long-time STA stakeholders (10+ years). But we also heard from a dozen or so “newer” families. While the responses and feedback we received covered a lot of ground and reflected our diverse community, one thing is clear – we have HIGH expectations for the type of leader we are looking for. The way that we describe this leader, and the specific traits that are most important to our community, are reflected in the attributes that were most frequently selected:

Our stakeholders are also looking for a motivational, innovative, warm, and welcoming principal, who has experience providing social emotional support for teachers and students. We place an emphasis on these traits, and the ability to build Catholic identity, above technical skills (like social media, technology, and budgeting), and are open to a new face. 

Stakeholders’ free-form input was inspiring to read, as it shows just how much our community cares about the success of our School and the experience our students have. Among the high-frequency words and phrases used, “students” rose to the top, followed closely by “teachers”, “community”, and “communication”. Stakeholders are also looking for a leader with experience who is kind, enthusiastic, creative, and positive, and who integrates faith and social justice into the day-to-day life of the School. 

  • The ideal candidate would be someone with open ears and an open heart. 
  • Someone with the skills to manage a group of educators. 
  • Someone with the skills for forward thinking, to include growth, budget, and academic success.

Our marching orders are clear – find an amazing leader to take our growing School to the next level of academic and social excellence! Our next step will be to use your feedback to finalize our job posting and start to spread the word that applications are being accepted for the role. Please see our social media profiles and website for updated information on how and when candidates can apply, and feel free to share it with your networks. 

Once our application window closes, we will evaluate applicants and select up to six candidates for first interviews. We look forward to integrating stakeholders’ thoughtful questions into our interview and evaluation processes. We will offer second interviews to our top candidates and then expect to select two candidates for final selection interviews with Father Varghese. Our timeline for this process is ambitious, as the market for excellent principals is tough, with competition from other area schools, but we will certainly modify it if needed to ensure that we find the best candidate!

Please continue to contact us at principalsearch@staindy.org with your questions and feedback!

Again, thank you for your thoughtful input, support, and continued prayers.

Your STA School Commission and ad hoc Search Committee