Abstract
Sacred Heart schools in the United States–Canada Province face an urgent need for intentional leadership succession planning as the number of qualified candidates prepared to lead mission‑driven institutions continues to decline. With a shortage of qualified school leaders ready to address the many challenges in education, this shortfall has created a leadership crisis across public, private, and Catholic schools. This Dissertation in Practice examined how Sacred Heart schools can more effectively identify, recruit, and prepare future Heads of School who are grounded in the Sacred Heart mission and equipped to meet the increasingly complex responsibilities of independent school leadership.Using a qualitative case study design, the research explored the culture of leadership development across the twenty‑five Sacred Heart schools in the United States–Canada Province. Data was collected through surveys and interviews with Educators, Leaders, and Heads of Schools to gain insight into current practices, leadership formation experiences, and the organizational conditions that support or hinder succession planning. From the findings of this study, a description of a Sacred Heart leader and practical, research-based steps are proposed to guide leadership development for Sacred Heart schools in the United States-Canada Province, with a focus on developing leaders to support the schools’ mission. The proposed model, tailored to the needs, culture, and mission of Sacred Heart schools, aims to strengthen leadership pipelines, deepen mission formation, and ensure long‑term sustainability for schools sponsored by the Society of the Sacred Heart. Beyond the Network, this research may contribute to broader conversations about leadership succession in Catholic and mission‑driven independent schools.