NEW ORLEANS – The Academy of the Sacred Heart has selected Gretchen Zibilich Kane to become its new head of school starting July 1, 2024.
A graduate of Sacred Heart and a New Orleans native, Kane is an educator and administrator with more than 40 years of experience in leadership and teaching roles. She currently serves as the president of Ursuline Academy in Dallas, Texas, where she led an $85 million capital campaign. Previously, Kane served as president of Ursuline Academy in New Orleans for eight years.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mrs. Kane home to New Orleans and back to our Sacred Heart community,” said Graham Ralston, chairman of the Sacred Heart Board of Trustees. “Her credentials make her the ideal candidate for the role and her return to Sacred Heart signifies the strong commitment and devotion to the school that we see from our alumnae.”
After graduating from Sacred Heart in 1973, Kane earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and an undergraduate degree in mathematics, both from the University of New Orleans. She taught at several New Orleans-area schools, including Jesuit High School, where she served as the academic assistant principal and associate vice president of the Jesuit Secondary Education Association.
“Sacred Heart has always held a special place in my heart,” said Kane. “I look forward to returning to my alma mater, and working with the dynamic team of teachers, administrators and trustees to continue to build on the Rosary’s strengths as a premier educational institution and a center of culture and faith.”
Current Head of School Micheline Dutil will continue in her role through the end of the 2023-2024 academic year. The school said she has “made significant strides with hiring, enrollment and curriculum while improving the school’s environmental footprint, developing a global education program and leading Phase 1 of the Rosary Campus renovation to completion.
Academy of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls from age 1 through grade 12. It was founded in 1867.
