Founding Principal, Catholic High School — Mission-Driven Leader

Archspm; Hudson, Northern (WI, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Saint Croix Valley Catholic Education Foundation seeks a mission-driven educational leader to serve as the founding Principal of Solanus Catholic High School in Hudson, Wisconsin, launching with a 9th grade in Fall 2027 and growing thereafter.

As chief executive and spiritual leader, you will shape culture, academic program, faculty, enrollment strategy, advancement efforts, and Catholic identity, while collaborating with the Supervising Pastor, Diocesan leadership, and a dynamic school

Responsibilities

• Advance and safeguard the school's Catholic mission, identity, traditions, and values.
• Promote liturgical life, retreats, service learning, campus ministry, and spiritual growth for students, faculty, staff, and families.
• Ensure that religious instruction, faith formation, and school culture are consistent with Catholic teaching and diocesan expectations.
• Serve as a visible witness to the Gospel through personal integrity, prayerful leadership, pastoral presence, and commitment to the dignity of every person.
• Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing assessment of the school's strategic plan.
• Establish annual goals, metrics, and priorities in consultation with the Board of Directors, Supervising Pastor, and diocesan authority.
• Build the systems, culture, policies, and practices needed for a successful Catholic high school launch.
• Anticipate emerging educational, demographic, cultural, technological, and financial trends that may affect the school's future.
• Ensure a rigorous, mission-aligned academic program that prepares students for college, career, discipleship, and responsible citizenship.
• Support curriculum development, instructional excellence, assessment practices, accreditation requirements, and continuous improvement.
• Promote the formation of the whole person-spiritual, intellectual, moral, social, emotional, and physical.
• Maintain a safe, orderly, inclusive, and respectful learning environment grounded in Catholic teaching and high expectations.
• Lead student recruitment, retention, admissions, and marketing efforts, with enrollment growth as a top founding priority.
• Build relationships with Catholic and public elementary schools, pastors, parish leaders, parents, alumni, benefactors, civic leaders, and community partners.
• Serve as the chief ambassador and spokesperson for the school, communicating its mission, value, achievements, and needs with clarity and conviction.
• Support fundraising, annual giving, major gifts, capital initiatives, grants, and donor stewardship in collaboration with advancement staff and board leadership.
• Recruit, hire, form, supervise, evaluate, and retain highly qualified faculty, staff, and administrators.
• Foster a professional culture marked by collaboration, accountability, instructional growth, spiritual formation, and mutual respect.
• Prepare and manage the annual budget, monitor financial sustainability, and ensure responsible stewardship of school resources.
• Maintain policies, systems, and procedures that support operational excellence, risk management, safety, safeguarding requirements, diocesan policies, and legal compliance.

Job description

The Saint Croix Valley Catholic Education Foundation seeks a mission-driven educational leader to serve as the founding Principal of Solanus Catholic High School in Hudson, Wisconsin, launching with a 9th grade in Fall 2027 and growing thereafter.

As chief executive and spiritual leader, you will shape culture, academic program, faculty, enrollment strategy, advancement efforts, and Catholic identity, while collaborating with the Supervising Pastor, Diocesan leadership, and a dynamic school