BROOKHAVEN, GA—After a nationwide search, seasoned independent school administrator and educator Maria Croley Madden was named Head of School for Brookhaven-based St. Martin’s Episcopal School. Madden will finish the school year in her current post as head of middle school at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, S.C. and begin at St. Martin’s on July 1, 2023. She will bring 18 years of educational experience to her new role as St. Martin’s next Head of School.
“We are thrilled to welcome Maria back to Atlanta,” says SMES Board of Trustees Chair Shara Sanders. “She is a natural leader who will build community and relationships with St. Martin’s students, teachers, and parents. Her positive energy, strong communication skills, and her expertise in strategic thinking will lead St. Martin’s into a new era.”
In her new role, Madden will bring her extensive leadership and educational skills to serve the St. Martin’s community as its Head of School to lead the faculty and administration, plan strategically with the Board of Trustees and develop positive relationships with the entire St. Martin’s community.
Madden has dedicated her career to a variety of roles at independent schools. As middle school head for Heathwood Hall for the past three years, Madden served on the school’s leadership team to navigate the pandemic while ensuring student learning was a priority. Prior to her time at Heathwood Hall, she spent 13 years at The Lovett School in Atlanta as middle school assistant director, dean of student life, world language teacher and coach. Her teaching career began at The Walker School in Atlanta, where she is also an alumnus.
“I look forward to joining the St. Martin’s community as head of school in July,” she said. “I strongly value the faith and immeasurable impact an Episcopal school provides students, their families, and the faculty, and I look forward to continuing and improving upon the strong reputation St. Martin’s has earned in the Atlanta independent school community.”
Madden earned her B.A. in Spanish from Furman University, received her Teacher Certification from The Teacher Institute at North Georgia College and State University, and went on to receive her M.A. and Ed.S in Educational Leadership from Kennesaw State University. She is an avid runner and enjoys spending quality time with her husband and three children.
About St. Martin’s
St. Martin’s Episcopal School was established in 1959 and offers education for more than 600 students in preschool through eighth grade. St. Martin’s provides a challenging curriculum, outstanding facilities and many opportunities for students to learn about the world and themselves through intellectual adventures, extracurricular opportunities and spiritual formation. St. Martin’s is dedicated to providing a quality education of the whole person in a loving, Christian atmosphere, which fosters lifelong learning.
