Head of School

Jackson Walnut Park School (JWPS), a co-ed independent Catholic pre-K through grade 6 school, is seeking a warm, dynamic, and experienced leader to serve as the Head of School beginning July 1, 2025. Located in the beautiful Boston suburb of Newton, MA, Jackson Walnut Park School comprises an exemplary age 18 months through 5 years Montessori program and a more traditional grades K – 6 program in a diverse and welcoming community.

The JWPS family respects and encourages innovative learning in students of a wide range of abilities, cultures, and faiths, and affirms and respects the dignity of each member of the school community. Under the sponsorship of the Sisters of Saint Joseph and through collaboration between teachers, parents, and staff, JWPS provides a faith-based education that fosters high academic achievement, intellectual curiosity, individual talents, and service to the community.

THE OPPORTUNITY
As one school, Jackson Walnut Park has the opportunity to offer a dynamic, cohesive, and comprehensive learning environment where the Montessori program for toddlers through 5-year-olds prepares and invites children and their parents to continue the educational journey in a high-standards, innovative K-6 learning environment.

The new Head’s top three priorities will be to:

1. Carry forward the work of knitting two communities of professionals previously under separate leadership into one community of supportive and enthusiastic colleagues.
2. Work collaboratively with faculty and staff to thoughtfully transition the traditional elementary program into one that is more highly interactive, project-based, and focused on student-centered learning without diminishing the academic rigor and success of the existing program.
3. Promote the one school – Jackson Walnut Park School – brand, image, and message throughout the community with the goal of (1) retaining more students during the transition from the Montessori pre-school program to the elementary program, and (2) increasing enrollment across all grades.

All three priorities provide the new Head the unique opportunity to mold previous campus “neighbors” into a flourishing, cohesive, and exciting learning environment.

EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

• Previous school head experience, preferably in a pre-K through 6th environment.
• Masters or doctorate degree preferred.
• Specific experience in change management, that is, has successfully led a faculty/staff through a shift in culture, collegiality, and pedagogy.
• Experience as a Montessori teacher OR a respect for and willingness to learn about the Montessori model of education.
• Knowledgeable and experienced with transitioning a traditional elementary curriculum and pedagogy toward student-centered, project-based learning.
• Although an independent Catholic school, meets the Archdiocesan standard that the Head must be a Catholic in good standing.

PERSONAL QUALITIES

• A genuine and visible warmth of personality; demonstrates a high level of emotional intelligence.
• An expressive and articulate communication style that reflects transparency and accountability, with listening as a foundational value.
• A distributive style of leadership that supports, empowers, appreciates, and develops the leadership potential of colleagues within the school community.
• An open-mindedness and collaborative spirit that informs and invites stakeholders throughout the school in engaging in the change process as JWPS embraces its “one school” identity.
• Comfortable reflecting a strong sense of personal faith and integrity, and serving as a role model for others -- including students and adults -- in the school community.