Mark Schwerdt

18+ years of experience in education & community outreach. 10 years as a successful school principal with expertise in developing new curricula and workshops, teaching high-level courses, administering national recruitment plans, analyzing data and setting budgets, growing response rate to all communications, fundraising and recruiting for educational programs, hiring, training and managing staff, and integrating creative talents via marketing projects.

Principal at SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI SCHOOL (2018-08 – Present)

Currently, I am an administrator of a Diocesan elementary school.

• Creating a Multiage Classroom that boosted enrollment (since I began at SFS enrollment has increased by 135%)
• Retention Rate of well over 90% moving from the 2023-24 School Year
• Retired longstanding 500k school debt with a variety of fundraisers and days of giving
• Accessed well over 300k in EANS funding to pay for a modular classroom, and new technology
• Created a robust admissions funnel with waitlists in every grade for 2024-2025
• Solicited over 250k to build a redwood pavilion to serve as an outdoor classroom space
• Developed a farming program with sheep breeding and Natural Science offerings to further distinguish our school as Franciscan
• Spiritual conversions as evidenced by students entering sacramental preparation
• Created, directed, and filmed YouTube videos with over 80k unique views to promote the school
• Created a classical curriculum track, a Montessori Atrium for Early Education, and a hand-on science program

Founding Head of School at SAINT PATRICK ACADEMY (2017-01 – 2018-07)

ADMINISTRATOR of a private Catholic elementary and middle school

• Fundraised well over 6 million dollars to purchase a new campus and build a state-of-the-art building in Portsmouth, NH
• Evaluated and implemented a new Religion and Classical History curriculum
• Enhanced and expanded an Education in Virtue program to include monthly service projects for the community
• Developed process to map Math, Social Studies, Language Arts and Science curricula with State Standards and mission effectiveness
• Collaborated with teachers to create and design curriculum brochures for all subject areas
• Envisioned and developed a highly functioning business model to evaluate employees and track performance
• Rebooted engagement: 96% retention rate, 91% approval rate
• Developed brand, tagline, and style guide for website and merchandise
• Pioneered the creation of two newsletters – the Academy Update (490 subscribers) and the Community Update (2323 subscribers)
• Mapped and built internal organizational tools such as google calendars and google drive
• Created a YouTube Channel, directed and filmed 37 videos that received 9,141 views

Principal at SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI SCHOOL (2014-07 – 2017-06)

ADMINISTRATOR of a Diocesan Catholic elementary school

• Increased student enrollment by over 65%
• Ended every fiscal year in the black despite years of deficit budgets
• Developed and solidified a vibrantly Catholic, and nurturing school culture
• Promulgated a new Mission Statement with three distinguishing school charisms
• Worked closely with Pastor to hire and mentor qualified, dedicated faculty and staff
• Partnered with parents to create service projects and after-school enrichment programs
• Initiated Education in Virtue Program to actively encourage students to incorporate virtues into daily classroom and home life
• Expanded marketing initiatives to include mailings, advertisements, social media, and video production
• Established and ran major school fundraisers, including annual St. Patrick's Day auction event
• Created school communication plan with two essential newsletters for both narrow reach and wide net

Executive Director, Educator at THE SOUTHWEST INDIAN FOUNDATION (2012-10 – 2014-07)

RESPONSIBLE for community outreach of a Catholic non-profit and developing educational programs to benefit K-12 students from the second poorest county in the United States

• Program Director and Recruiter for the largest Native American Art Scholarship contest in the Country
• Responsible for the distribution of over $500k in awards and educational scholarships
• Funded $500k into yearly scholarship fund via local support and grant writing
• Founder of Old Train Music, a non-profit conservatory that provides Musical Education where there is none
• Music Teacher for under-privileged Native children
• Accountable for branding our image through press releases, advertisements, TV and radio appearances
• Director of Communications and Marketing for Land of Enchantment Opera, Board Member
• Chair of the Admissions Committee at Sacred Heart School

Director of Admissions and Summer Programs, Teacher at THE THOMAS MORE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS (2009-07 – 2012-09)

ACCOUNTABLE for all facets of college admission and summer program administration. Under my leadership, applications to the College increased by 96%

• Managed all areas of student recruitment including setting budgets and schedules for direct mail and travel
• Developed three targeted newsletters to promote unique aspects of the College and segmented them to prospective students and their families
• Planned and executed major events including Freshmen Orientation and Open Houses
• Delivered presentations to headmasters, counselors, students and parents from across the country
• Music Teacher and Founder of Saint Gregory Guild
• Recruited for and directed all summer programs
• Instituted a dynamic social media plan, increased traffic and Facebook "likes" by 1200%
• Initiated a national advertising plan via newspapers, online resources, magazines and college guides
• Created a series of new web pages to further hone and develop the College's message to prospective students

Director at Director of the New England Catholic Homeschool Conference (2011-01 – 2012-01)

DIRECTED the yearly conference including marketing, venue placement, and the recruiting of vendors and attendees

• Writer and producer of weekly newsletter
• Co-designer and editor of Conference website
• Initiated marketing plans throughout New England
• Responsible for hiring a dynamic group of speakers

Director of Intake Operations & Educational Community Outreach at THE FARR LAW FIRM (2007-05 – 2009-07)

ADMINISTRATED at a highly successful Elder Law Firm in the Washington D.C. metro area

• Responsible for intake and assessment (read: admissions) of seniors with issues surrounding the devastating costs of long-term care
• Diverse administrative duties including maintaining a database, tracking growth and managing accounts
• Founder and designer of the Firm's Blog and Newsletter
• Director of a bi-monthly seminar series that provided outreach events for seniors in nursing homes and long-term care facilities
• Delivered PowerPoint presentations on planning for death
• Responsible for drafting, presenting, and explaining all Legal Service Agreements between the Firm and clients

Probation Counselor for the High School Program at FAIRFAX COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER (2006-07 – 2007-05)

ACCOUNTABLE for the safety, education, and well-being of at-risk adolescents in a secured residential facility

• Monitored the interactions, behavior, and participation of detainees in the classroom and on the playground
• Provided group and personal counseling on topics such as substance abuse, self-abuse, and conflict resolution
• Taught coping strategies and study skills
• Wrote daily behavioral observations and disciplinary reports for the Fairfax Court system
• Mediated detainees' relationship with their parole officers and mental health staff, administered medication
• Censored gang behavior

Doctor of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership – CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

Certificate in Catholic Leadership – CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

Master of Arts in Humanities – UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy – CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE

Certificate in Teacher's Academy – CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE