Principal: St. Ann Catholic School

Overview

St. Ann Catholic School is a Catholic learning community with a joyous, family atmosphere in the third year of transitioning to a classical education model. This transition has taken the form of a re-founding in which we have recovered the depth of our Catholic identity, reimagined the curriculum in keeping with the principles of classical pedagogy, and rediscovered the joy in truth available through engagement with the fullness of our tradition and sacramental life.

Saint Ann is located next to Annunciation of the Lord parish in Decatur, a vibrant small city in northern Alabama. Our motto is “Joy in Truth” and we seek to form the senses for beauty, intellects for wisdom, hearts for charity, and souls for sainthood—all for the greater glory of God. We currently serve grades PreK – 6th with plans to expand to 8th grade in the coming years.

• The principal is responsible for ensuring that the doctrines and teachings of the Catholic faith are taught and that the students are formed in Faith in Christ and His Church. He or she leads the educational ministry at the school.
• The principal is responsible for academic excellence, including the hiring, training, and oversight of teachers, determination of curricula, and establishment of ongoing strategic plans for learning ordered to wisdom, utilizing a classical approach.
• The principal is responsible for the culture of the academy, creating a beautiful, calm, respectful, and serious learning environment that enculturates the teachers and students into the riches of western Catholic heritage and traditions and the fullness of the Catholic imagination. The environment must bring to the forefront the moral and spiritual formation of all as members of the Church, country, and world.
• Students must be shown what it means to be gentle, academic, artistic, and cultured. The principal is the cultural and moral exemplar of the school community.
• The principal is responsible for communication with the parents, the parish, and the community, including oversight of messaging, websites, ad campaigns, and school events. It requires the ability to articulate the mission and apply it in all manner of practical circumstances. The principal is the primary spokesperson and advocate for the school.

The candidate must be a practicing Catholic who is able to fully participate in the Sacraments of the Church; willing to participate in faith formation opportunities for continued growth and spiritual formation; possess a master’s degree in educational leadership or a related field; hold current principal certification in the State of Alabama or be willing to obtain it. The candidate must possess the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, students, and parents to help them grow educationally, professionally, and spiritually.

He or she must possess an understanding of child/adolescent growth and development and an understanding of leadership and administrative work in an elementary school setting.

The ideal candidate will also possess all or some of the following characteristics: a successful background in teaching and leadership/administration in a school setting; experience and understanding of finance, budgeting, projections, and capital campaigns; an undergraduate degree or personal studies with a strong liberal arts core and elements of philosophy and theology—an advanced degree in philosophy or theology is most welcome;

familiarity with the curricula, pedagogy, and theories of liberal education in the western tradition, including recent developments in classical schooling; versatility with web design, social media, and advertising; and familiarity with or fluency in Spanish.

Interested applicants should email their curriculum vitae and a substantive cover letter, speaking to their vision of Catholic education, to the superintendent of schools at mdubose

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The position will be open until filled. Start date is July 2026.