President & Head of School
Meet Iswari Natarajan, President & Head of School
Iswari Natarajan, the eighth SMA President & Head of School, is a true visionary leader in the field of education. Her remarkable career path has taken her from engineer to teacher, principal, and now President of St. Mary’s Academy. She has an impressive record of accomplishments, making her a great source of inspiration for SMA's students, faculty, and staff. She believes that creating a vibrant, supportive school community is essential for students to thrive.
She understands the importance of fostering relationships between students, teachers, families, and administrators to create an environment where everyone can grow and learn. By providing opportunities for collaboration and communication among all stakeholders, Iswari hopes to create a sense of belonging where everyone can make meaningful contributions to SMA.
As a leader, female engineer, and person of color, Iswari comes with valuable experience, knowledge, cultural awareness, and a different point of view which assumes importance for each undertaking. Her leadership qualities, ability to devise person-centric solutions, fundraising capabilities and successful experience in executing large-scale educational projects have made her an inspiration to many.
2025-2026 Presidential Priorities
At St. Mary’s Academy, our Loretto School Values of faith, community, justice, and respect create the foundation for everything we do. These values foster our community of belonging, which drives our mission and ultimately leads to our vision: inspiring leaders to act with integrity, seek justice, build community, and change the world.
President & Head of School Iswari Natarajan approaches each year with intentional reflection, considering how our priorities strengthen SMA, respond to external challenges, and lead to better decisions for our community. This process is enriched by insights from stakeholders through annual surveys and ongoing dialogue with families, faculty, and staff.
This year brings particular excitement as we have the perfect toolkit for transformation through our newly developed strategic plan. Building on the momentum of previous priorities while maintaining focused direction, these three key areas below will guide our work in 25-26. You’ll see the official strategic plan rollout on September 25 in special sessions designed for both faculty and families. You can register here for the events.
Priority 1: Implementing the Strategic Plan Year 1
Our strategic plan includes four comprehensive pathways, but in Year 1 of implementation, we’re focusing intensively on the two with the most substantial action items:
Delivering a Values-Based, Visionary Program — We’re taking a comprehensive look at our curriculum across the Academy, mapping what we teach and how it connects to student outcomes. A new Loretto Service Learning and Spirituality Task Force will define our vision for spiritual growth. We will sharpen the focus of programs like Extended Day and Summer Camp. As our campus evolves into a year-round hub of human development, we’re excited about the potential these programs hold.
Strengthening Our Faculty and Staff — We’re doubling down on attracting and keeping our exceptional educators through improved recruitment strategies and clearer performance standards. Every role will have tailored support that helps our teachers and staff thrive.
The strategic plan’s two additional pathways, Promoting a Powerful Preschool-Grade 12 Model and Building Strong Foundations, will receive continued attention this year, with more extensive implementation initiatives planned for future years.
Priority 2: Future Proofing the Classroom for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Wellness
We’re preparing our students for tomorrow’s world while preserving what makes them uniquely human. This means intentional technology use in our classrooms and moving away from passive screen time toward active learning experiences like outdoor exploration and collaborative play. Our team is developing smart, age-appropriate guidelines for using AI as a learning tool, ensuring our students are ready for the future while staying grounded in our values and equipped with core human strengths that give them a powerful advantage.
Priority 3: Neuroscience of Learning
We’re leading the way in brain-based education as a frontrunner among ACIS schools, using cutting-edge research to transform how we teach. Our educator teams are diving deep into the science of learning, ensuring every teacher understands how students’ brains work and learn best. Through hands-on professional development and peer learning sessions, we’re giving our faculty the tools to help students reach their full potential. Early intervention strategies will empower students to become their own best learning advocates.
Presidential Priorities Speaker Series
Supporting these is our continued Presidential Priorities Speaker Series, bringing together renowned experts and our own faculty to explore topics essential to student success and family partnership. Learn more and register for an event here.