Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Community Service
Affiliations
Websites
Other Relevant Work
References
Timeline
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Cindi Di Iorio

Little Elm,TX

Summary

Dynamic educational leader with a proven track record, excelling in curriculum development and team building. Successfully transformed underperforming campuses, enhancing student engagement and satisfaction. Passionate about mentorship and community engagement, I foster collaborative environments that drive growth and inspire excellence in both faculty and students.

Overview

25
25
years of professional experience

Work History

Head of Middle School

Trinity Christian Academy
Addison, TX
06.2024 - Current
  • Diagnosed growth areas and developed solutions to advance school initiatives as Senior Leadership Team member.
    Oversaw 55 faculty/staff, including two Assistant Heads of School, to enhance program effectiveness.
    Redesigned world languages program to improve curriculum alignment and student engagement.
    Created signature experience week for seventh graders, fostering unique educational opportunities.
    Designed inaugural Discover Week, incorporating diverse learning activities for students.
    Provided comprehensive feedback for all teachers to support professional development.
    Managed budget submissions and payroll approvals, ensuring fiscal responsibility.
    Conducted interviews for admissions and employment candidates, finalizing acceptance decisions and maintaining accurate records for HR.

Head of School

Fusion Academy Lake Forest, IL and Plano, TX
07.2017 - 06.2024
  • Company Overview: Fusion Academy is a for-profit educational institution, with over 80 campuses across the nation.
  • The role of HOS serves multiple purposes: admission intakes with all inquiring families, contracting and negotiating terms of enrollment, outreach and networking in the community, hiring and terminating employees, coaching a team of 30-35 staff and administrators, directly reporting budget actuals and forecasts to district and regional leaders, and serving as a mentor for other new Heads of Schools at Fusion.
  • While at Lake Forest, IL, the campus won the 'School of the Year' Award based on our growth, parent satisfaction, teacher satisfaction, and EBITDA success.
  • At the Plano campus, we won the 'Comeback School of the Year' award, as I had been placed at this campus due to its lack of growth and success for multiple years in a row. I was able to find the 'secret sauce' and turn it around during my very first year.

Dean of Upper School- Head of Middle School

Roycemore School-Evanston, IL
07.2014 - 06.2017
  • Originally hired as the Dean of Students, a new position at a school that was going through many transformations, I created a mentoring program for the Middle School division in order to reduce relational aggression and other typical adolescent issues.
  • I helped identify new processes and policies that were missing to ensure consistency, equity, and familiarity with the expectations.
  • I was asked to shift roles in February 2015 to align the Middle School program with best practices in the industry.
  • The result led to changes to the schedule, changes to the faculty, and changes to many traditions that had long been treasured yet were no longer meeting the needs of the students we served.
  • Change wasn't easy; however, the end product was a Middle School program that challenged students, developed their voices and independence, and nurtured their emotional development.

Assistant Director

The Gardner School- Northbrook/Glenview
01.2014 - 06.2014
  • I was responsible for the oversight of this early childhood center in conjunction with the Executive Director.
  • I handled all of the data entry into Procare (a family and student database), CRM (an admission database), and Blackboard (an electronic communications database).
  • I also coordinated teacher schedules and managed all student files.
  • I ran weekly tuition using Tuition Express, as well as processed all check payments through Pinnacle.
  • I generated the required weekly reports to corporate and created several marketing pieces.
  • I managed the Facebook page for the school and served as the contact person for our I.T. provider.
  • I was an active part of the licensing process with DCFS and continuously worked to ensure that our center was in compliance with all policies and standards.

Academic Dean

The Cambridge Classical School- Chicago
01.2013 - 12.2013
  • Desiring only a part-time position, I was responsible for the observations and evaluations of all 20 plus faculty members.
  • I served as a mentor for new teachers to the school, as well as a support for all teachers.
  • I was known as the 'voice of the faculty' to the Board and was responsible for delivering monthly reports in order to ensure that the faculty's voice was heard.
  • Due to staffing needs, I also taught a math class for 4th grade.
  • I handled Title IIA processing and coordinated internal professional development opportunities.

Principal/Head of School

Salem Christian School- Chicago
07.2007 - 07.2013
  • As the only educational administrator in the school, my job encompassed a variety of roles: educational consultant, curriculum coordinator, human resources, counselor and disciplinarian, admissions, advancement, scheduling, marketing, Title IIA coordinator, and mentor.
  • While I was responsible for reporting to a Board bi-monthly, they were inactive in the daily management of the school.
  • When I arrived in July 2007, the school had 74 students enrolled. When I left in 2013, there had been growth in all grades, resulting in an enrollment of 185.
  • During my last year as Head, I single-handedly wrote the self-study and hosted a team in order to earn the school's first-ever accreditation through ACTS.

Head of Middle School/Assistant Head of School

Catherine Cook School- Chicago
07.2000 - 07.2007
  • Originally hired to teach mathematics to grades 5-8, I found the school in huge need of a developmentally appropriate middle school program.
  • After two years of planning, training, and designing, I launched a true program for students in the transescent stage of development.
  • In 2000, when I arrived, we had only 21 students enrolled in the middle level grades, when I left in 2007, there were over 100 enrolled (which was considered full because of space constraints).
  • I worked with the Board and leadership to ensure that everyone understood why this type of program was important and launched the school's 'Signature Experiences' at each grade level.
  • After returning from maternity leave in 2004, I found that I had been moved from my classroom role into a full-time administrative position as Assistant Head of School, a result of the Board's decision to launch a formal search for a Head of School.
  • I served alongside an Interim Head throughout this process and maintained the teacher morale and the school's mission.
  • As part of the administrative team, I served on the Head of School search committee, as well as the self-study team for ISACS accreditation.

Education

Master of Education -

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM
01.2000

BS - Education- Elementary

SAMFORD UNIVERISTY
01.1991

M.A. - Educational Leadership

WALDEN UNIVERSITY
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Nonprofit Management Program -

KELLOGG SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Skills

  • Curriculum development
  • Budget management
  • Professional development
  • Employee recruitment
  • Community engagement
  • Team building
  • Strategic planning
  • Effective communication
  • Mentorship
  • Friendly, positive attitude
  • Networking
  • Communication
  • Training & Development
  • Active listening
  • Organization and time management
  • Excellent communication
  • Teamwork and collaboration

Community Service

  • Autism Speaks Walk Committee
  • Adolescent Symposium Planning Team
  • Grant Halliburton volunteer
  • Littles 2 Bigs
  • P.A.L.S. creator
  • Fellowship Frisco Active Member and volunteer

Affiliations

  • travel
  • group fitness
  • reading
  • cooking
  • spending time with family

Other Relevant Work

1991-2000

Teaching experience in 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th

Pilot of Flex/Looping initiative with JCBE

References

References available upon request.

Timeline

Head of Middle School

Trinity Christian Academy
06.2024 - Current

Head of School

Fusion Academy Lake Forest, IL and Plano, TX
07.2017 - 06.2024

Dean of Upper School- Head of Middle School

Roycemore School-Evanston, IL
07.2014 - 06.2017

Assistant Director

The Gardner School- Northbrook/Glenview
01.2014 - 06.2014

Academic Dean

The Cambridge Classical School- Chicago
01.2013 - 12.2013

Principal/Head of School

Salem Christian School- Chicago
07.2007 - 07.2013

Head of Middle School/Assistant Head of School

Catherine Cook School- Chicago
07.2000 - 07.2007

Master of Education -

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM

BS - Education- Elementary

SAMFORD UNIVERISTY

M.A. - Educational Leadership

WALDEN UNIVERSITY

Nonprofit Management Program -

KELLOGG SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

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