Head of School Search

Who is leading the search process?

The Board of Trustees is responsible for selecting and hiring the next Head of School.  To facilitate the search process, the Board created a search committee to accept and assess candidate applications and recommend an outstanding applicant to the Board.  Recognizing that selecting our next leader is a critical milestone for the school, the Board has engaged ST Search to serve as consultants.  ST will be an invaluable resource throughout the entire process, from development and posting of the job description through final selection of the new Head of School and assisting in the transition.

Who is on the search committee?

Rob Benaicha
Dr. Richard Bennett (Chair)
Dr. Tracey Deal
Rob Hershey
Lemuel Doss
Faculty Representatives (2)

What is the expected timeline for the search process?

November/December: Advertise position and build candidate pool
December/January: Search committee interviews semi-finalist candidates
Late January: Finalist candidates visit campus
Early February: Search committee proposes leading candidate to Board of Trustees
Late February: Board announces new Head to school community
July 1, 2025: New Head of School officially begins

What is the role of the search committee?

The search committee’s role is to direct the search process.  The committee vetted and proposed ST for Board approval, coordinated the input from the school’s varied constituent groups, and worked with ST on creating the Position Profile.  The committee will work with ST on narrowing the candidate pool and interviewing semifinalists.  Based on those interactions, the committee then will narrow the field and organize finalist visits for the community.  The committee will propose its top candidate to the Board for selection as the new Head of School.  Upon the Board’s approval, the committee will help to facilitate the leadership transition.  One of the primary responsibilities of the search committee is to keep the school community informed and engaged throughout the entire search process, while respecting the confidentiality of the candidate recruitment process.

What is the role of ST Search?

The ST consultants will advise the search committee throughout the process, based on their years of experience in the industry.  They helped create the Position Profile, which they have used to market the Head of School position.  Over the coming weeks, ST will interview candidates and check references before presenting dossiers for a pool of candidates to the search committee.  The consultants will help prepare the search committee and other groups for semi-finalist and finalist interviews and facilitate the flow of feedback between the candidates and the committee.  Finally, they will advise the search committee during the transition period.

What is the role of the Board of Trustees?

The Board is responsible for hiring the next Head of School.  Trustees will meet the finalist candidates in the winter and, acting upon the recommendation of the search committee, make the appointment of the next Head of School.  In making its decision, the Board will ensure that the next Head of School is the best fit for us, based on the school’s areas of focus and the Board’s strategic plan.

What is the role of parents?

Representatives of the parent community were invited to participate in focus group sessions facilitated by our ST consultants, and parents were asked to participate in a community-wide survey.  A group of parents will be invited to a Q&A session with the finalist candidates in the winter. Throughout the search process, parents are encouraged to share their thoughts and questions with the search committee via email at headsearch@northstarva.org.

What is the role of faculty and staff?

Faculty and staff will be actively engaged during the search.  Faculty members met with the ST consultants in the fall and were asked to participate in the online survey. Additionally, faculty and staff will be invited to meet the finalist candidates during their on-campus visits in the fall.

What is the role of students?

Students were invited to meet with our ST consultants, to share their thoughts on what makes our school special and what qualities they would like to see in the next Head of School. Student insights will be sought again in the winter when the finalist candidates are on campus.