Dr. Carla Haith is joining Mother Caroline Academy as its leader with several initiatives on her to-do list, including bringing back the athletics department. The 45-year-old Dorchester native calls her latest position it a “homecoming” after spending 22 years in education elsewhere.

When she was younger, Haith spent time at her grandmother’s apartment right across the street from the Grove Hall location where Mother Caroline Academy was under construction. She dreamed of attending there, but by the time the elementary and middle school opened in 1993, she was already in high school.

“When this opportunity came about, I was very excited about it because I could work in a community that was for girls that look like me,” said Haith.

The academy, a tuition-free private school providing for young girls in Boston in underserved communities, is the only independent all-girls school for grades 3-8 in the city.

Haith started teaching in Boston Public Schools after earning her master’s degree from Lesley University. Her first full-time job was at the Shady Hill School in Cambridge; most recently, she worked at Dedham Country Day School as the head of its Lower School.

Her new position started on July 1. She is already taking steps to reinstate the school’s athletics department, which was eliminated during the pandemic.

“The girls have not had the opportunity to fully engage and have sports teams. So that’s one of the things that I want to bring back,” Haith said. “It’s a big deal to be such a small school in existence for 30 years. I want to continue to let people know that we are here and that the future is bright.”

As of this week, there is a new summer tennis program run through the school, courtesy of Tenacity. The girls were very excited for the two-week program, a sign for Haith that solidifies the need for more athletic programs.

“When you learn to be a part of a team, you learn how to compete. There is a level of competitiveness but there’s also a kindness in the respect for the team that you play against whether you win or lose,” Haith said.

To ring in the new school year, Haith and the academy are hosting a first day of school clap-in as they enter the building for the first day on Sept. 4.