Faculty & Staff

Michael Schell became Sparhawk Academy’s second Headmaster in July 2023. Originally from a suburb of Philadelphia, he received his secondary education at The Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. In 2005, he graduated cum laude from the College of the Holy Cross, where he also earned placement on the Division 1 All-Patriot League Baseball Academic Team for his performance on the field and in the classroom. He received a master’s degree in organization and leadership in 2013 from Columbia University’s Klingenstein Center, a premier professional learning program for independent and international school educator-leaders, and completed the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education’s highly regarded Leadership in Enrollment Management Program in 2020.

Prior to Sparhawk, Mr. Schell served as Associate Superintendent of Enrollment Management and Marketing for the Archdiocese of Boston’s Catholic Schools Office. Previously, he was Director of Enrollment Management and College Counseling at Catholic Memorial School in West Roxbury, MA. Prior to Catholic Memorial, Mr. Schell taught History courses, including Advanced Placement Government and United States History, and Theology in addition to performing various advancement, admissions, college counseling, and varsity athletic coaching roles at St. Sebastian’s School and Groton School.

From 2010 – 2018, Mr. Schell was Executive Director of The Cannonball Foundation, a nonprofit he founded to provide leadership programs with partner independent secondary schools, colleges, and community organizations nationwide to elevate the role of character and personal growth in the college athletic recruiting experience. In 2012, he was honored by the NCAA and Buick as a former college athlete who excelled at their sport and has made valuable contributions to their community.

Mr. Schell has been featured by ESPN, National Public Radio, Forbes, The Enrollment Management Association, and Coaching Management magazine on topics related to college admissions, secondary school enrollment marketing, and athletic recruiting. He is an active member of many leading college counseling and secondary school admissions and frequently presents on related topics. Mr. Schell is a proud father of two Sparhawk graduates and a current Minuteman.