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Update #3

UPDATE 10.20.22

Dear Pinecrest Community,

As we have shared, the Board of Directors is in the process of the search for the next Head of School for Pinecrest. Hiring and supporting our school’s leader is the Board’s single most important responsibility, and we look forward to a thoughtful, inclusive process and successful outcome. The school has partnered with a search consultant and firm, and we have formed a Search Committee composed of Board members, parents, and a faculty member. The group brings an array of perspectives and experiences, as well as a deep shared commitment to Pinecrest and its future.

Holding the mission of our school at the forefront, the Search Committee is charged with helping to develop a Leadership Profile articulating the desired skills and attributes we seek in our next Head of School. The committee will review all candidate applications, vet the pool of qualified applicants to identify semi-finalists and then finalists, manage the on-campus visits for finalists, and solicit feedback from the entire Pinecrest community. The Search Committee will then make a recommendation to the Board of Directors, who holds the ultimate hiring responsibility.

The members of the Search Committee include:

  • Steve Donahoe (Board Chair, Search Committee Co-Chair, and Current Parent)

  • April Kreller (Board Vice Chair, Search Committee Co-Chair, and Current Parent)

  • Steve Rumpp (Board Secretary and Current Parent)

  • Nick Wakeman (Current Board Member, Former Board Chair, and Current Parent)

  • Manisha Bhaskar (Current Board Member and Current Parent)

  • Melissa Holder-Murray (Former Board Vice Chair and Current Parent)

  • Ms. Amelie Haden (K-6 STEAM and Preschool Art Teacher – the school’s longest-tenured teacher)

The next phase of the search process begins over the next two weeks. 

Next week, we are hosting a virtual Town Hall for the Pinecrest Parent Community, in late October. This is a separate meeting from our search consultant’s listening sessions the following week. We want to provide an overview of the search process and timeline, and importantly, have an open discussion with the community. 

In November, we will welcome our consultant, Tracy Bennett, for an on-campus visit to Pinecrest. A partner with the national search firm Educators Collaborative, Tracy brings invaluable experience as a former Head of School, an independent school trustee, and seasoned consultant; you can read more about Tracy’s experiences here. She will spend two days with us to learn more about Pinecrest, our aspirations for the future, and our hopes for our next Head of School. Tracy will host listening sessions for parents, faculty, staff, and the Board of Directors, as well as provide an online survey following her visit to solicit any additional feedback. 

If possible, please attend the session that most closely aligns with your primary relationship to the school. For example, faculty members who are also parents should participate in the faculty session; Board members who are parents will attend the Board session. There is no need to RSVP, and we hope you will make every effort to engage in this important effort. The purpose of the listening sessions are for Tracy to hear from the Pinecrest community; it is your chance to share feedback, ask questions, or more about the process; we hope there will be many active participants. 

Following her visit, Tracy will draft a comprehensive document, Information for Candidates, that provides important background information about Pinecrest, the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, and the desired experiences, skills, and attributes for the next Head of School. Following approval by the Search Committee, the position statement will be posted regionally and nationally and the Educators Collaborative team will actively recruit a pool of qualified candidates. Our aim is to bring finalists to Pinecrest for 2-day campus visits in January and complete the search process by late February 2023.

We look forward to keeping you apprised of our work in the coming weeks and value your participation. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions, and thank you in advance for your time and commitment to Pinecrest.

Sincerely,

Steve Donahoe
Search Committee Co-Chair
Board Chair
Current Parent

April Kreller
Search Committee Co-Chair
Board Vice Chair
Current Parent