Head of School

Socket.dev; Plano (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Coram Deo Academy – CDA Collin County is seeking a Head of School to serve as the chief campus leader, overseeing spiritual, academic, operational, and cultural health in Plano, Texas. The role reports to the Board of Trustees and collaborates with CDA Services on shared administrative functions.

The Head of School will lead with integrity and servant-leadership, manage the campus budget, and drive long-range strategic planning while maintaining the school’s mission and faith commitments.

Qualifications

• Master's degree is required.
• Advanced degree in classics, humanities, philosophy, theology, or liberal arts is a plus.
• Significant leadership experience in a school setting with a track record of developing people, building culture, and managing operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead with integrity and servant-leadership consistent with the school's mission.
• Oversee campus operations, budget management, and strategic planning.
• Partner with the Board and CDA Services on governance, finance, HR, IT, marketing, and facilities.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Strategic Planning

Communication

People Development

Curriculum Leadership

Education

Master's degree

Advanced degree in classics/ humanities/ theology

Job description

Position Summary

The Head of School serves as the chief campus leader for CDA Collin County, responsible for the spiritual, academic, operational, and cultural health of the campus. The Head of School reports directly to the CDA Board of Trustees, works in partnership with CDA Services (CDAS) on shared administrative functions, and is supported by the Collin County Head Support and Evaluation Committee (HSEC) in an advisory capacity.

This position carries full authority over day-to-day campus operations and full accountability for campus outcomes. The Head of School is expected to lead with integrity, communicate transparently, and model servant-leadership consistent with CDA's mission and the historically orthodox Christian faith.

Spiritual Requirements

Coram Deo Academy hires individuals who profess the historic Christian faith. The Nicene Creed defines the minimum doctrinal standard required of every employee, who must also adhere to the Coram Deo Academy Statement of Faith. Coram Deo Academy expects all employees to be actively involved in a local church where their faith in practice is consistent with the Academy's mission and statement of faith.

Reporting Structure

The Head of School reports directly to the Board of Trustees. The Board hires, evaluates, and manages the Head of School. The Head of School provides the Board and the Collin County HSEC with regular updates on campus health, finances, enrollment, faculty development, and strategic progress.

The Head of School partners with the Head of CDA Services on shared functions including finance and accounting, human resources, IT systems, marketing, and facilities planning. The Head of School retains decision-making authority over campus-level operations, hiring, and budget management within the framework of Board-approved policies and consistent with the vision of the Board.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Classical Education & Curriculum

• Champion classical Christian pedagogy rooted in the seven liberal arts, setting the vision for a deeply classical campus culture
• Observe classrooms regularly to understand and strengthen the educational environment
• Oversee the Academic Dean, ensuring that classical Christian pedagogy, faculty training, classroom observation, and educational quality across grammar, logic, and rhetoric schools are advancing under her leadership

Organizational Leadership & Governance

• Report to the Board of Trustees with regular updates on campus health, finances, and strategic progress
• Engage with the Collin County Head Support and Evaluation Committee (HSEC) as an advisory resource on campus culture, operations, and strategic matters, and participate in HSEC meetings as outlined in the Committee Charter
• Own and manage the campus budget in accordance with Board-approved financial policies
• Implement and enforce the requirements, policies, and procedures designated to the Head of School in the Administrative Policy Handbook, Student Handbook, and the Crisis Management Manual
• Partner with the Board on long-range strategic planning and goal-setting

People Development & Human Resources

• Make final decisions on all campus staff hires, ensuring mission alignment and instructional quality
• Conduct personnel evaluations, succession planning, and professional development programming
• Set employee compensation using established benchmarks
• Invest in faculty growth through training, mentorship, and professional development that deepens their classical knowledge, sharpens their pedagogy, and fosters a culture of continuous learning
• Delegate meaningful responsibility to capable leaders while retaining ultimate accountability

Admissions & Enrollment

• Oversee campus admissions strategy and serve as the face of the school to prospective families
• Partner with the Admissions Director to set enrollment targets, conduct family interviews, and ensure mission alignment in every acceptance decision
• Represent CDA at open houses, prospective family events, and community gatherings

Communication & Parent Relations

• Communicate proactively and transparently with parents and faculty through multiple channels - vision, updates, and operational details
• Address and resolve communication issues between faculty, staff, and families
• Serve as the final point of escalation for parent concerns that cannot be resolved at the teacher or principal level
• Foster a culture of open communication where families feel heard and valued

Student Life & Campus Culture

• Set the tone for student culture - expectations, conduct, and character formation
• Oversee the student discipline framework, ensuring it reflects both justice and mercy
• Ensure the health and safety of all staff and students through compliance with applicable policies and procedures
• Maintain a visible, daily presence on campus - at car line, in classrooms, and in the halls
• Know students by name and be someone they respect and trust

Capital Campaign & Facilities

• Serve as the public voice of the campus capital campaign, casting vision and cultivating donor relationships
• Lead fundraising efforts alongside the Board and CDA Services
• Lead campus master planning alongside the Board, ensuring each phase of development reflects the school's mission
• Oversee day-to-day campus facilities in partnership with CDA Services

Accreditation & Compliance

• Lead the campus through accreditation self-studies and site visits
• Ensure ongoing compliance with accreditation standards across curriculum, faculty credentials, and operations
• Collaborate with CDA Services on accreditation documentation and reporting

Community & External Representation

• Maintain a calendar to communicate important school events
• Represent CDA Collin County in the broader community, building relationships with churches, civic organizations, and peer institutions
• Attend and lead key school events - convocations, graduations, fundraising dinners, fine arts performances, and athletic events
• Serve as the school's ambassador within classical Christian education networks, accrediting bodies, and peer institutions
• Other duties as assigned by the Board of Trustees

Qualifications:

Education

• Master's degree required
• Advanced degree in classics, humanities, philosophy, theology, or liberal arts is a plus

Experience & Skills

• A mature, Christ-centered faith demonstrated by active membership in a church that professes the Nicene Creed
• Demonstrated commitment to classical Christian education and its philosophical foundations
• Significant leadership experience in a school setting, with a track record of developing people, building culture, and managing operations
• Experience with or understanding of the collaborative/university-model approach
• Excellent communication skills - written, verbal, and public
• Experience managing budgets and organizational finances
• Experience recruiting, hiring, and deploying staff

Expected Character and Conduct

The Head of School is expected to model servant-leadership through the following in all professional interactions and campus leadership::

• Integrity - word and action are consistent; commitments are honored
• Transparency - communicates openly with the Board, faculty, and families
• Humility - leads by serving; desires staff success over personal recognition
• Courage - makes difficult decisions and stands by them under pressure
• Accountability - owns mistakes, makes restitution, and moves forward constructively
• Mercy tempered by justice - exercises discernment in applying policy to individuals
• Visibility - maintains a daily, active presence on campus
• Faithfulness - leads from a Christ-centered posture in all dimensions of the role

Performance Evaluation

The Board of Trustees will conduct a formal performance evaluation of the Head of School annually. The evaluation will assess the Head of School’s effectiveness across the duties, qualifications, character expectations, and current strategic priorities outlined in this position description. Additional evaluation criteria may be established by the Board in consultation with the Head of School.

The Board reserves the right to initiate a performance review at any time should circumstances warrant, including but not limited to concerns regarding the duties, strategic priorities, or expectations outlined in this position description.

The Head of School is expected to participate in the evaluation process in good faith, including self-assessment, goal-setting, and responsiveness to Board feedback.