Interim President
Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (Canada)

Dear Search Associates Colleagues,

On behalf of the Board of Regents of Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, and Search Associates, we are pleased to announce that Dr. Charles Skipper has been appointed as the Interim President for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year.  

Dr. Skipper has most recently served as the Head of School at the Field School of Charlottesville in Charlottesville, Virginia (2020-2023).  In addition to his leadership role at the Field School, Dr. Skipper has served in a number of other leadership roles to include, Headmaster of Robert College in Istanbul, Turkey (2015-2019), Headmaster of The American School in Switzerland (TASIS) in Montagnola, Switzerland (2013-2015), Headmaster of Episcopal School of Acadiana in Cade, Louisiana (2009-2013), Director General (Head of School) at Escuela Americana in San Salvador, El Salvador (2001-2009), Headmaster of Spartanburg Day School in Spartanburg, South Carolina (1999-2001), and President of The Miller School of Albemarle in Charlottesville, Virginia (1995-1999).  

Dr. Skipper earned his B.A. in History, Philosophy and Psychology at Old Dominion University, his M.Ed. in Educational Administration and Supervision from George Mason University and his Ph.D. in Program Design and Educational Evaluation from George Mason University.  

The Athol Murray College of Notre Dame Board of Regents, the Notre Dame Search Committee and Search Associates would like to thank all candidates who expressed interest in the Interim President position and to everyone within Search Associates who assisted in supporting the successful search process.

Sincerely, 

Brent 

Athol Murray College of Notre Dame

seeks an

Interim President

effective August 2023

Notre Dame of the Prairies was opened in 1920, by the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis, to provide elementary and high school education to girls in the Village of Wilcox, located 49 kms (30m) from Regina, the capitol city of the Province of Saskatchewan. In 1927 Reverend Athol Murray was assigned to the Parish of St Augustine and, together with the Sisters, expanded the Notre Dame to include young men from the local community. Notre Dame provided the opportunity to pursue his vision of a school that provides an environment to develop leaders of strong moral character, by blending academics and athletics. The motto for the school “Luctor et Emergo”, or Struggle and Emerge, has been a guiding beacon for the last century. In his honor the College was named after him shortly after he died.

OUR VISION:

Athol Murray College of Notre Dame is committed to developing young men and women to become purposeful leaders with virtuous character.

OUR MISSION:

Athol Murray College of Notre Dame provides an exceptional educational and boarding school experience with a balance of strong academic, athletic, and spiritual growth, in a safe and caring prairie environment.

CORE VALUES:

Notre Dame will:

• provide opportunities and support for academic excellence.
• provide an environment that gives students an opportunity for athletic development.
• assist students to strive for and achieve a balanced life.
• provide a caring boarding experience that encourages healthy lifelong relationships.
• challenge students to develop habits that build virtuous character.
• provide the convenience of all essentials in a safe prairie village.
• offer a platform that promotes leadership opportunities and personal growth.
• accompany our students along their spiritual journeys.

CURRICULUM:

The academic curriculum, which follows the Provincial Department of Education standards, is fully accredited and recognized throughout Canada. The education program includes grades 9 – 12, and all teachers are provincially certified and compensated according to the provincial framework.

Faculty and support staff, including the administration currently stands at 70 and is adjusted to meet the needs of the student population. Current student enrolment is 250 of which 25% are female. Students come from across Canada, the U.S. (15), as well as a few international locations (19).

The academic curriculum is further supported by a robust offering of athletic (baseball, basketball, football, and hockey) and extracurricular programs (performing arts).

GOVERNANCE:

Athol Murray College of Notre Dame is governed by a Board of Regents. The Interim President, in collaboration with the Board will further refine the strategic plan in alignment with the vision and mission.  The plan serves as the road map for continuous improvement of the College. The Plan provides for the development of annual goals and measurable objectives.  The Interim President, who reports to the Board through the Chairman, is responsible for executing the plan and his/her performance will be evaluated in the context of the successful achievements of the strategic priorities. The Interim President has full operational direction over the administration of the College.

The most current Strategic Plan calls for an increase in the student population from 240 to 400.  A key objective is to increase the female contingent to at least 160, having no fewer than 60 First Nations students and recruiting a minimum of 125 young women and men from outside North America

The campus facilities include several academic buildings, five residences for student housing, an Olympic sized ice surface, state of the art gymnasium, off-ice training facilities, dining hall, laundry facilities, a Health Care clinic, and an activity centre.  A new state of the art science building is nearing completion. The Campus Master Plan includes the construction of a multi-sport facility for year-round training, a theatre complex to support students actively engaged in the arts and further student housing to accommodate the targeted increase in student enrollment.

POSITION: The successful candidate…

• Will provide inspirational leadership to all aspects of the College operation, including academic and extracurricular programming, finance and business operations, enrolment management, marketing, facility development and management, with a major emphasis on advancement (communications, alumni relations, and fundraising).
• Possess and demonstrate a depth of knowledge of education, coupled with enthusiasm for clearly communicating and working with students, parents, faculty, and staff.
• Enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to further evolve the advancement programs with an emphasis on garnering financial support for capital improvement and long-term financial stability through an endowment.
• Support and serve as a valued “thought partner” with the Board of Regents in their financial, strategic, and generative leadership responsibilities.
• Drive progress in organizational maturation by developing and aligning the strategic priorities with strategy, structure, human resources, data analysis and change management.
• Lead through influence and persuasion to empower teams to consistently focus on improving the quality of opportunities made available to support student learning and growth.
• Develop and cultivate strong relationships both within the College community and outside to include but not be limited to, the Provincial Ministry of Education, the Canadian Association of Independent Schools, and the Village of Wilcox.
• Attract, retain, and further develop high-quality faculty, staff, and administrators.
• In collaboration with the Board Chair, focus efforts on major fundraising initiatives and promotion of the College across North America and within certain international markets.
• Provide regular updates to the Board of Regents on school performance and progress against the multi-year strategic plan.

QUALIFICATIONS: The successful candidate…

• Should have an advanced degree in a relevant field such as education, business, or other related discipline.
•  Will ideally bring experience with legacy or endowment fund development.
• Possess strong financial management skills.
• Exhibit excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrate the ability to lead and manage change.
• Embrace a collaborative, service-oriented leadership style.
• Possess the personal qualities of integrity, fairness, transparency, and trustworthiness.
• Will be consistently visible, approachable, and genuinely engaged with all College stakeholder groups.

COMPENSATION:

Salary and benefits are competitive and will be commensurate with the qualifications of the successful candidate.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Website: For further information visit the website of Athol Murray College of Notre Dame at: www.notredame.ca

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Athol Murray College of Notre Dame has selected Search Associates to assist them in the President search, with Dr. Brent Mutsch serving as the lead consultant.

Please note that Search Associates will not advance candidates for further consideration by the College if a candidate is under contract or otherwise encumbered in such a way that would preclude her/him from accepting an employment contract and being available for the start date stipulated by the College.

Candidates are asked to be proactive in their submission of a letter of interest and supporting documentation as the Board of Regents will seek to make an appointment of the Interim President as soon as possible.  

Qualified candidates should submit the information listed below in a single PDF to Dr. Brent Mutsch at bmutsch@searchassociates.com no later than June 30, 2023. The submission should include the following.

• A letter of application describing your interest in the Interim President position at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, identifying your strengths as a candidate and how your qualifications and experience align with the position profile and the school’s areas of focus.
• A current resume not to exceed two pages.
• A statement of educational and leadership philosophy, not to exceed two pages.
• A one (1) page list of four (4) references who have served as your immediate supervisor, with current email addresses and telephone numbers.