Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
Head of Early Childhood Program and Lower School
Start Date: July 1, 2025
Girls Day School, Grades EC-12; 289 students
Coed Early Childhood Program; 9 students
All Girls Lower School, Grades JK-4; 89 students
1200 Stuart Road, Princeton, NJ 08540
Head of Early Childhood Program and Lower School Search for Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
Educators Collaborative is honored to support Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart in Princeton, New Jersey in their search for their next Early Childhood and Lower School Head, to begin work on July 1, 2025.
Learn more in the Information for Candidates.
Mission
Stuart’s mission is to prepare young women for lives of exceptional leadership and service within the framework of the Goals and Criteria of the Schools of the Sacred Heart.
Part of an international community of Sacred Heart schools, Stuart is an independent Catholic school that welcomes and embraces students of all faiths and backgrounds, helping them to become accomplished, committed women whose confidence, global perspective and passion for justice will transform the world in which they live
Sacred Heart Goals
An Outstanding Independent School in Princeton, New Jersey
Situated on a stunning 55-acre campus located minutes from the heart of Princeton, New Jersey, Stuart Country Day School has served the community since its founding in 1963. While the school’s Early Education Program and junior kindergarten are coeducational, the remaining grades (K-12) at Stuart are all girls, reflecting the belief that girls and young women thrive when they are given the space to grow and flourish in an environment specifically designed for them.
Stuart was founded in 1963, when a group of parents and Sacred Heart alumnae presented a request for a school in Princeton to the Superior of the Washington Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart. The Society of the Sacred Heart is a religious congregation of women founded in France in 1800 by Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat. Its mission is to show forth the love of God through education.
With the help of the Society of the Sacred Heart and of friends in the area, a large tract of woodlands was purchased on the Great Road, and Professor Jean Labatut of Princeton University was appointed architect. It was decided to name the school for Mother Janet Erskine Stuart, who was born in England in 1857 and became one of the world’s leading and most respected educators of women.
Today, Stuart sees its history and mission come alive when it looks at the profile of its current community and the programs it has established to support its students. Graduates of Stuart attend the top colleges and universities in the country, including (from the class of 2024) Princeton, Cornell, Stevens Institute of Technology, Duke, Cornell, and NYU. More than a third of last year’s graduating class intends to major in STEM fields with an additional third pursuing studies in business. In the words of the school, a Stuart graduate:
- has a personal and informed faith, the foundation for a loving and compassionate heart. She is culturally responsive and through conversations with those of diverse beliefs, she gains a deep understanding of and respect for the religions of the world.
- is intellectually curious and a lifelong seeker of knowledge. She is a confident and self-aware learner who thinks critically, finds value in collaboration, and demonstrates resilience by approaching the most formidable challenges as opportunities for growth.
- recognizes and is thankful for her unique gifts and talents and embraces them with confidence, dignity, and integrity. With a commitment to personal growth, a Stuart graduate is invested in her achievements while maintaining balance in her life.
- is a powerful agent for change. She is a forward-thinker and an innovative leader who takes bold risks.
- expresses herself in her passions and pursuits, whether they are in public speaking, athletics, the arts, or take any other form.
- goes into an ever-evolving world with empathy and uses her voice to advocate for equity, justice, and peace for all. As an active global citizen, a Stuart graduate embraces community — locally and globally — and models the importance of service.
The Early Childhood Program
The Early Childhood Program provides girls and boys with a joyful initial classroom experience and a solid foundation for the future. Next year, the program will be expanded to serve children beginning at 2 years of age, and the Early Childhood and Lower School Head will be instrumental in pioneering this change.
Experts in child development, Stuart’s classroom teachers integrate reading, writing, math, science, and art with visits from specialists in music, religion, Spanish, technology, and creative movement. Teachers have a genuine love for the children and are as excited by “I did it” moments as the children are themselves.
The Lower School
The Lower School at Stuart, which serves students from junior kindergarten through grade 4, awakens and celebrates each girl’s unique gifts by immersing her in a safe, nurturing atmosphere that fosters her spiritual, intellectual, and social growth.
The Junior Kindergarten (JK) and Kindergarten programs are nurturing and inclusive learning spaces. Students grow and thrive joyfully, connecting closely with their spiritual compass, expressing curiosity and wonder about the world and its sanctity, and truly learning the beauty of community and service while collaborating with classmates. First and second grade students at Stuart enjoy an emphasis on innovation and exploration: they develop and expand on many skills and concepts through open-ended, discovery-based activities. Leaders of the Lower School, third and fourth graders are focused on academic purpose, service, spiritual practice, and an emphasis on navigating the social landscape.
About Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey is a charming town whose center is 1½ miles from the School’s beautiful and leafy campus. Anchored by Princeton University, and featuring a wide variety of cultural and historic attractions, Princeton is immensely livable and thus one of the most desired locations in New Jersey in which to reside and raise a family. Moreover, New York City and Philadelphia are both easily accessible from Princeton by train.
An Outstanding Early Childhood and Lower School Leadership Opportunity
Stuart Country Day School seeks an Early Childhood and Lower School Head who enthusiastically embraces and champions the School’s values of leadership, service, and faith. The successful candidate will bring a professional approach distinguished by enthusiasm, compassion, and grace. With experience in an independent school setting, ideal leaders will reflect:
- A commitment to the mission of Stuart and a community that deeply values an abiding belief in each student’s desire and ability to learn
- A proven track record of supporting faculty excellence and innovation
- An urgent desire to empower young girls through an all-girls education
- A demonstrated dedication to researching and applying cutting-edge educational practices to improve student learning outcomes
- A genuine love of, and experience with, the unique academic, developmental, and emotional needs of Early Childhood and Lower School students
- A strong commitment to building an inclusive community of teachers, students, and parents where everyone is learning and growing and all cultures are celebrated.
- Excellent communication skills and a warm, approachable demeanor
- The ability to build relationships quickly in the Stuart community
Learn more about the position in the Information for Candidates.
How to Apply
Please contact George Sanderson with any questions or to learn more about this opportunity. Candidates interested in this position are asked to submit the following materials by December 1, 2024.
- EC Summary Sheet and Disclosure Statement (contact George Sanderson for the documents)
- Letter of Interest addressed to the Head of School
- Current Resume
- Statement of Educational Leadership Philosophy
- A list of five or more references with contact information (name, relationship to candidate, phone, and email address)
George Sanderson, Partner, Educators Collaborative
Listing Date: October 24, 2024
Updated: November 18, 2024
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