News & Blog

Head Search Update: 6 Semifinalists to be Interviewed in Sept.

By the Search Committee

Emerson’s current Head of School, Jerry Loewen, announced that 2014-2015 will be his last at the School. The Board of Trustees initiated a national Head of School search. A Board-appointed Search Committee of trustees, faculty, administration, parents, and alumni parents will make recommendations to the Board, which is responsible for hiring Emerson’s Head of School. Trustee Elizabeth Caswell will chair the Search Committee.

The Board engaged a professional search consultant, Skip Kotkins from Carney, Sandoe & Associates, to guide us through the search. Skip visited Emerson in June and met with trustees, faculty, administration, parents, alumni parents, and students. Using the information gathered during his visit and from a survey open to the whole community, Skip worked with the Committee to develop a position description for Emerson’s next Head of School, which can be viewed on the Head Search page.

In late June, Carney Sandoe posted our position description and Skip networked with colleagues around the world to seek candidates. Throughout the summer, Skip screened candidates against our position description. Skip interviewed candidates who appeared to meet our requirements. In mid- to late-August, Skip forwarded ten candidates for the Search Committee’s consideration. The Committee met to discuss the ten candidates and used the position description to evaluate each candidate. The Committee selected six candidates as semi-finalists. In late September, semi-finalists will be interviewed via Skype by the entire Search Committee. The Committee worked with Skip to develop questions for the interviews.

Later in September or in early October, the Search Committee will update the community as to its progress. It is likely that finalist candidates will visit the School beginning in October, at which time the entire community will have multiple opportunities to meet the candidates and to offer their input on the future Head of School.

If you have any further questions, please contact Elizabeth Caswell, Search Committee Chair, at searchcommittee@emerson-school.org.