Associate Head of School for Academic Excellence and Formation to Mission
Regis School of the Sacred Heart
Houston, Texas
Associate Head of School for Academic Excellence and Formation to Mission
Start Date: July 2026
theregisschool.org
Overview
The Regis School of the Sacred Heart is a vibrant community where 358 boys, from early childhood through grade 8, experience a mission-driven education shaped by the Goals and Criteria of the Sacred Heart. Each day begins with morning prayer and Espacio, and the school community gathers for weekly saint reflections and public celebrations, such as “Shining Knights.” These traditions keep the Goals and Criteria at the heart of campus life. As a Catholic, independent, Sacred Heart, all-boys school, Regis is committed to nurturing faith and intellectual growth together. Boys are engaged through research-based teaching designed for them, and they are offered meaningful opportunities for leadership, service, and personal development.
Regis pursues academic excellence through dynamic, boy-centered teaching, supported by faculty training with the Gurian Institute, purposeful use of time and movement, and thoughtful technology integration as an Apple Distinguished School. The curriculum is enriched through CHALK, the School’s online curriculum mapping tool, as well as MakerSpace, design thinking, and new offerings such as an Accelerated Math pathway in Middle School and Latin as a third world language. Expanded instructional support—including a full-time counselor, academic specialists, and a developing study-skills program—further strengthens student success. Regis also benefits from its close proximity to Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, offering unique opportunities for collaboration within the Sacred Heart Network. These efforts are reflected in strong ERB performance: Grade 4 students outperform national peers on most subtests, and all Grade 3 students meet or exceed expectations in Math. Most notably, Regis graduates are highly sought after by Houston’s top high schools, achieving a 100% acceptance rate at St. Thomas for the second consecutive year, an 82% acceptance rate at Strake Jesuit in a highly competitive season, and strong placement at other leading independent schools such as St. John’s, Kinkaid, Awty International, and Episcopal, as well as selective boarding schools.
Operational momentum is clear: enrollment has grown to 358 (~30% since 2022–2023) with 97% retention; philanthropy includes a record Regis Fund and a record Paddles Up total; facilities planning and security enhancements are underway; and engagement with the Sacred Heart Network is deepening (Summit participation/hosting, self-study work, and Network programs). Adult Formation to Mission is sustained through in-service focus on the Goals, the “Embracing Hearts” lecture series, retreats, and participation in “Roots That Give Us Wings.”
In this season of growth, Regis is creating the position of Associate Head of School for Academic Excellence and Formation to Mission. This senior leader will ensure that the school’s mission and programs are closely aligned from Early Childhood through Middle School.
The Associate Head will:
- Lead Formation to Mission for students and adults, ensuring the Goals and Criteria remain the throughline of daily practice, programming, and decision-making.
- Drive Academic Excellence and curricular alignment across divisions, stewarding coherent scope and sequence, CHALK utilization, and assessment practices.
- Champion best practices in teaching and learning for boys, leveraging research-based methodologies, movement-rich classrooms, and purposeful technology integration.
- Develop and systematize faculty growth: training, mentoring, and coaching of division heads and, through them, teachers; cultivate shared language and expectations around instruction.
- Design and implement consistent, mission-aligned teaching evaluation systems applicable in every division.
- Identify, launch, and sustain visionary, “best-of-class” programs for boys that reflect Regis’s Sacred Heart identity and demonstrably advance student outcomes.
- Contribute significant input to upcoming facilities planning and design, ensuring that new spaces reflect Regis’s programmatic priorities and support best practices in teaching and learning.
The Associate Head of School for Academic Excellence and Formation to Mission will be deeply engaged in the fabric of school life, ensuring that daily academic life runs smoothly and is fully aligned with the Sacred Heart ethos. Every boy at Regis will benefit from rigorous learning, meaningful formation, and the freedom to grow in wisdom each day.
Mission
The Regis School of the Sacred Heart is an independent, Catholic School where boys become scholars and gentlemen in the Sacred Heart tradition.
School Promise
Through a unique mix of challenging academics and the values of the Sacred Heart, Regis empowers students of all faiths to become lifelong scholars and authentic, compassionate leaders.
At a Glance
Established: 1991
Enrollment: 358
Students of color: 34%
Total faculty and staff: 73
Faculty of color: 28%
Faculty with advanced degrees: 42.5%
Student/teacher ratio: 7:1
Financial aid budget: $726,000
Students receiving aid: 16%
Annual operating budget: $12,000,000
Annual Giving: $1,800,000
Highest tuition: $32,220
Campus size: 9 acres
Accreditation: ISAS (2020)
Opportunities and Challenges
The Regis School of the Sacred Heart stands at a pivotal moment, with strong enrollment, committed faculty, and a clear sense of mission guiding its work. As the School continues to grow, opportunities abound to strengthen coherence across divisions, deepen formation to mission, and ensure that boys experience a consistent and challenging program from Early Childhood through Middle School. The creation of the Associate Head of School for Academic Excellence and Formation to Mission reflects Regis’s commitment to aligning its Catholic, independent, Sacred Heart, and all-boys identities with best practices in teaching and learning, while supporting faculty and students alike.
More specifically, the Associate Head will be successful if s/he can help the School achieve the following goals:
Strengthen Mission Formation and Identity
- Ensure that the Goals and Criteria are consistently lived across divisions.
- Expand opportunities for retreats and faith formation for students, faculty, staff, and parents, while affirming Regis’s Catholic identity and welcoming the diverse faith traditions of its community.
- Advocate for Regis’s role as both an independent school and a member of the Sacred Heart Network and ISAS, balancing tradition with innovation.
Support and Develop Faculty and Division Leaders
- Serve as a visionary leader who can inspire excellence and inculcate a culture of lifelong learning for administrators, faculty, and students
- Establish more consistent, mission-aligned teacher evaluation and professional growth systems across all divisions.
- Champion best practices in all-boys education, bringing research and resources into faculty meetings, professional development, and classroom practice.
- Serve as a visible advocate for faculty, ensuring academic priorities are represented in senior leadership and budget conversations.
Align Academic Programs Across the Continuum
- Bring coherence and clarity to the curriculum from Early Childhood through Grade 8, ensuring alignment and appropriate progression of skills.
- Build on current successes such as Accelerated Math, Latin, and MakerSpace, while also expanding opportunities for advanced learners and strengthening support for students who struggle academically.
- Elevate the performing arts to match the strength of academic and athletic programs.
- Leverage Regis’s Apple Distinguished School designation by guiding thoughtful integration of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Enhance Student Experience and Engagement
- Help create consistent expectations around student conduct and discipline that balance accountability with the joy of an all-boys environment.
- Support division heads and faculty in managing parent communication and discipline decisions, serving as a steady partner in complex situations.
- Expand opportunities for leadership, service, and social awareness—through student government, retreats, service-learning, and new programs such as esports—that engage boys in meaningful ways.
- Develop experiential learning and outdoor education programs that connect students to Houston’s cultural resources and to the broader world.
Deepen Community Connection and Communication
- Promote clarity, transparency, and consistency in communication with parents, faculty, and staff.
- Strengthen orientation and onboarding for new families, faculty, and staff to ensure all constituents feel welcomed and supported.
- Foster a culture in which every student and family feels known, even as the school grows, preserving Regis’s “small school feel.”
The Associate Head of School for Academic Excellence and Formation to Mission will join Regis at an exciting time of momentum and possibility. By mentoring division leaders, championing faculty development, and integrating mission and academics across all programs, this leader will ensure Regis continues to deliver on its promise to educate boys with rigor, faith, and joy. With clarity, consistency, and vision, the Associate Head will help shape a student experience that is distinctly Sacred Heart and uniquely Regis.
Qualifications and Personal Attributes
The successful Associate Head of School for Academic Excellence and Formation to Mission will be a practicing Catholic, committed to the Goals and Criteria of the Sacred Heart and to Regis’s mission as a Catholic, Independent, Sacred Heart, All-Boys school. They will bring classroom experience, senior administrative leadership, and a proven ability to align mission with academic excellence.
More specifically, the next Associate Head will demonstrate many of the following qualities:
Professional Qualifications
- Experience as an academic leader with knowledge of curriculum and pedagogy across divisions, preferably as a division head or commensurate level position.
- Skill in strategic planning, program development, and managing complex school operations.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to inspire confidence in diverse audiences.
- A record of recruiting, developing, and retaining mission-aligned faculty and staff.
- Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in curriculum and community life.
- Capacity for thoughtful, data-informed innovation and effective change management.
Leadership Style and Personal Qualities
- A collaborative and approachable presence who engages fully with students, faculty, parents, and staff.
- Intellectual curiosity and commitment to continuous learning.
- Confidence to advocate for new ideas, balanced with humility and openness to feedback.
- Strong organizational skills, effective prioritization, and attention to detail.
- A sense of humor, enthusiasm for school life, and genuine joy in serving the Regis community.
Learn More
Click on the links below to learn more about Regis School.
To Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are invited to contact the consultants in confidence. Candidates will ultimately need to submit the following materials as separate PDF documents:
- A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;
- A current résumé;
- A completed Candidate Questionnaire (to be provided by the consultants);
- A list of five professional references with name, relationship, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) to:
Barbara Daush
Senior Consultant and Catholic Schools Practice Leader
barbara.daush@carneysandoe.com
Jamie Estes
Consultant