As Laura Danforth’s departure looms, the search for the new Upper School Principal is materializing. The search will be co-chaired by Assistant Head of School Noni Thomas Lopez and Music Department Chair Tom Christensen.
According to Thomas Lopez, the members of the committee have not been determined yet. Christensen believes that this committee will be formed later this semester.
The people selected to aid in the search will be involved in reviewing candidates and making a recommendation to Head of School Damian Fernandez, who will then make a decision. The group will be made up of Upper School faculty members and students.
“Our intent is that the Upper School community be involved in the search as much as possible by having a diverse and representative search committee,” Christensen said, “plenty of opportunities for people to meet the finalists and ask questions, and a transparent process all around.”
With the search still in its early stages, Fieldston has contracted with Carney, Sandoe & Associates, a global firm that specializes in leadership searches for independent schools. Fieldston worked with CS&A during the last Upper School Principal search, which brought Ms. Danforth to ECFS.
When Danforth announced that this year would be her last at Fieldston, many members of the community feared that the appointment of Danforth’s replacement would be rushed. Fortunately, Assistant Principal and science teacher Bob Cairo was chosen (and agreed) to hold the position of Interim Upper School Principal during the 2015-16 academic year. Now the search committee will have the time necessary to carry out its job thoroughly and thoughtfully.
“One of the benefits of appointing an interim is that it has given the school a good jump on our search time-wise,” Ms. Thomas Lopez said, “which means we will be able to attract top candidates early in the process.”
Mr. Christensen added that “[this search] is a bit different since we are starting it so early. I hope this gives us the opportunity to find a great person to be the Upper School Principal.”
The Search Chairs’ goal is to begin the search process after spring vacation, which is when they will finalize the search committee, create an “opportunity statement” (or, as Ms. Thomas Lopez puts it, a job description), post the position, and recruit and vet candidates. The target is to invite finalists to campus in the early fall.
“We hope to be able to provide our recommendations to Dr. Fernandez and announce an appointment around late October or early November 2015,” Thomas Lopez said.
As for when exactly a final decision on a candidate might come, Christensen says the committee hopes a decision on our recommendation for Dr. Fernandez sometime next Fall, but adds that a specific schedule isn’t as important as finding the right person for the job.
In the end, the search committee will take its time with this one, and it will take an amazing candidate to even begin to fill Ms. Danforth’s shoes. Ms. Thomas Lopez and Mr. Christensen believe that they can maximize our chances of landing someone like Ms. Danforth by facilitating a principal search that is accessible to people from all walks of school life.
“Mr. Christensen and I are committed to communicating regularly with the Upper School community throughout all phases of the search so that the process is as inclusive and transparent as possible,” Thomas Lopez said.
