Principal

CAREER OPPORTUNITY

Our Lady of Good Counsel High School is searching for its next Principal, who will begin in July 2025. The Principal is the school's Chief Academic & Program Officer appointed by the President and reports to the President. Responsible for all educational programs and outcomes, the Principal provides faculty support and supervision and directs all student, faculty, and parent programs. The Principal is the instructional leader responsible for developing, modeling, and communicating a strong, mission-focused school culture. Additionally, will be a community builder, strengthening the partnerships between faculty, students, and parents. This role manages Good Counsel’s educational, artistic, and athletic programs while supporting the school’s overall faith formation, business operations, communications and public relations, enrollment, alumni relations, and fundraising efforts. The Principal is part of the President’s leadership team consisting of the Chief Advancement Officer, Chief Communications and Enrollment Management Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Mission and Identity Officer.

SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

Our Lady of Good Counsel High School is a co-educational Catholic high school in Maryland, located between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Good Counsel is dedicated to academic excellence, character development, and a commitment to preparing students for lifelong success by providing a college preparatory education rooted in the Catholic, Christian values of the Xaverian Brothers.

Serving the greater Washington metropolitan area for more than 60 years, Good Counsel was founded in 1958 by the Xaverian Brothers as a Catholic high school for boys in Wheaton, MD. After thirty years, the school became co-educational in 1988 and continued to serve an expanding student body. Over the decades at the Wheaton campus, enrollment continued to grow, as did the need for a larger, more modern facility. In 2007, the school relocated to its current 51-acre campus in Olney, MD.

Today, with an enrollment of 1,300 students, Good Counsel is a highly visible and sought-after Catholic and Independent high school locally and regionally. The diverse student body is evenly split by gender with 55% students of color, and 21 international students. About 50% of students are Catholic and students attend from multiple counties, including Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Howard Counties. The school has 101 exceptional faculty members with 85% holding advanced degrees. For the 2024-25 school year, domestic tuition is set at $30,995 with approximately 45% of students receiving tuition assistance.

Good Counsel is a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive Catholic community that inspires students to excel, serve, and love. “In harmony, small things grow” is the motto of the Xaverian Brothers, and at Good Counsel students not only grow but flourish. In our dynamic community parents and students form enduring personal relationships with each other–and with their teachers, coaches, and advisors. Relationships formed here deepen the sense of belonging that our graduates and families carry with them well beyond their days at Good Counsel.

The school is fully accredited by the State of Maryland and dually accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools (AIMS) and the Middle States Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges. Good Counsel has twice been named a “Blue Ribbon School of Excellence” by the U.S. Department of Education. It is a member of the College Entrance Examination Board, the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

A Successful Candidate Must :

• Be a practicing Catholic with the desire for visible and active participation in the faith life of the school.
• Robustly uphold our Catholic identity and educational tradition while embracing the principles and the calls of the Xaverian Brothers.
• Hold a Master’s degree in Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field.
• Have five years or more of exemplary and innovative leadership and management experience in a school setting, with demonstrated success as a Principal, Assistant Principal, or similar leadership role.
• Have at minimum five years of experience directly managing program directors, teachers, and academic support staff members.
• Have professional experience at a high-performing private Catholic or independent school.
• Have demonstrated experience and/or commitment to serving a school community that is culturally, religiously, and socioeconomically diverse.
• Have experience creating, managing, and analyzing school and program budgets.
• Be self-motivated, possess superior organizational and communication skills, and a sense of humor.

To apply, send the following three documents to View email address on careers.nais.org

• A cover letter outlining why your background and experience qualify you to be Our Lady of Good Counsel High School’s Principal and why you seek this Catholic, Xaverian Brothers school career opportunity.
• A resume summarizing your education and career experience.
• A list of five references ; these references will not be contacted until later in the search process and the candidate's permission will be sought before contacting any reference.

Applications will be accepted through February 21, 2025, with a priority application review deadline of February 3. Candidate application materials will be reviewed as they are received. Initial interviews are anticipated to start at the beginning of March.

About Our Lady of Good Counsel High School

Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, a private, Catholic, college-preparatory school in Olney, MD.

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