Head of School Search Update: Semi-finalists Selected

Over the past seven months the Head of School (HOS) Search and Transition Committee has been actively engaged in the search for the next TSA Head of School. The TSA Board of Trustees has been discussing and preparing for Michael’s retirement in close collaboration with Michael for several years. It has been an intentional process throughout and our Search Committee was thoughtfully convened to manage this process.

 

This letter is to update the community on the progress that has been made over the summer and to share some information about what the community can expect to hear over the coming months.

 

In mid-May, the Search and Transition committee posted the open HOS position publicly on our website, in Vermont and New Hampshire newspapers, and in several national online educational publications. Additionally, our committee sent over 65 informational hard copy mailings about the position and our school out to contacts nationwide to generate additional interest in the position.

 

By the July 15th application deadline, the search committee was pleased to see the local and nationwide interest the position had drawn. The applicant pool was diverse, highly qualified and motivated to become a part of TSA.

 

Committee members carefully reviewed each candidate’s application materials using an evaluation rubric that was based off the HOS job description and position statement. The search committee then convened for an entire day to thoughtfully and systematically choose a group of semi-finalists together.  Semi-finalist interviews will occur in September after which a group of finalists will be selected.

 

As we move into our round of finalists the Search Committee will be eager to invite our staff, students and community members to meet the finalists and offer the committee and TSA Board of Trustees their perspectives.

 

The Search Committee is energized by the work done thus far; we will continue to meet every two weeks through this fall and as the search process continues to unfold.  We will share additional monthly updates with the TSA community.

 

We are, of course, very sad to see Michael retire, but knew that this day would eventually come, and now that it is getting near – July 2020 – are excited about working with Michael and the entire TSA community to find the next Head of School to usher TSA into a new era.

 

2019-2020 TSA Search and Transition Committee Members:
Tulio Browning, Parent, TSA Board Member
Sophie Chesnut, Student ’20, TSA Board Member
Kate Fabrikant, TSA School Counselor
Edie Farwell, Alumni Parent, TSA Board Member
Jim Nourse, Retired Educator, Community Member, Former TSA Board Member and Teacher
Hailey Swett, Student ’19, TSA Board Member
Tanya Swett, Parent, TSA Board Member
Barrett Williams, Rivendell Superintendent, Community Member