Head of School Search

• Head of School Phil Gutierrez announces his departure from Mid-Pen. The Board of Trustees begins its search for an Interim Head of School.
• The Board of Trustees names the Head of School Search Committee and hires Research Group 175 to assist in Head of School Search.

The Board of Trustees appoints Dr. Karen E. Eshoo as Interim Head of School for the 2021-2022 academic year.

RG 175 meet with Mid-Pen community members including, students, faculty, staff, and the search committee, to obtain feedback about the leadership, professional and personal qualities needed in our new Head of School.  Faculty and staff provide additional feedback via a survey conducted by RG 175.

RG 175 initiates search for a permanent Head of School on June 1.

• RG 175 closes its Head of School application process on Friday, September 3.
• RG 175 hosts a Head of School Search Town Hall for parents and guardians.
• Head of School finalists are selected.

Head of School finalists visit Mid-Pen.

The Board of Trustees announces Mid-Pen's new Head of School.

The Mid-Peninsula Board of Trustees of fiduciaries, entrusted with the legal responsibility for the School's long-term success. As recognized by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), one of the Board’s most important fiduciary duties is the selection of a Head of School.

To manage the selection process, the Executive Committee made a recommendation to the full Board and after deliberation, the Mid-Peninsula Board voted to engage the search firm Resource Group 175. The Executive Committee established an Ad Hoc Head of School Search Committee and appointed Anna Waring and Debbie Vielbaum to Co-Chair the Search Committee. The committee is composed of Trustees, administrators, teachers, and parents. The members were selected based upon their diverse viewpoints, complementary skill sets, and commitment to the hard work that will be required to gather input from all over the community, interview candidates, and make a final recommendation that will allow the Board to carry out its fiduciary duty in selecting the new Head of School.

The members of the Search Committee are in alphabetical order:

Phil Abrahamson, Vice Chair Board of Trustees
Mike Gordon, Board of Trustees, Co-Chair Capital Campaign Committee
Randy Johnson, Director of Admissions
John Northway, Board of Trustees, Chair of Facilities Committee
Andrea Potischman, Mid-Pen PA President, Current Parent
Gregorio Prieto, Board of Trustees, Current and Alumni Parent
Tim Reichart, Board of Trustees
Terri Spanner, Board of Trustees, Secretary, and Alumni Parent
Jameson Swanagon, Faculty Member
 

Research Group (RG175) is a leader among independent school head search firms. It is made up of 17 successful, long-serving former heads of school who understand what it takes to run schools and possess a unique combination of the skills and expertise needed to identify outstanding school leaders. Our consultants, Deborah Reed and Catherine Hunter, bring a wealth of experience to the Mid-Pen's search and are excited to work closely with the Search Committee to advise us through the process and identify a pool of candidates with the experience, skills, and vision to lead Mid-Pen forward.

More information on RG175, including bios for Deborah and Catherine, are available on their website.
 

The Search Committee is charged with:

• the selection of the search firm;
• engaging with Mid-Pen constituent groups to help define the leadership qualities and experience needed for our next Head of School; and
• managing an appropriately transparent, fair and inclusive search process.

The Search Committee will review candidates files, interview the most viable candidates, and identify three to four finalists who will visit our campus.  After considering input from various constituents who meet with the finalists, and conduct appropriate reference and background checks, the Search Committee will recommend one candidate for appointment by the Board of Trustees.

Our consultants and members of the Search Committee will be reviewing and screening candidates throughout this spring and summer. We expect to be hosting finalist visits to our campus in the fall with an announcement about the appointment of our new Head of School coming by the end of November 2021.  

Our new Head of School will assume the role on July 1, 2022.

These vital initiatives will continue to move forward as approved with the support and involvement of the Mid-Peninsula community. These plans and their future success will be key considerations in the process of finding the next Head of School who will be best positioned to help lead this critical work.
 

Broad community input will be critical to effectively define the leadership, professional and personal qualities needed in our new Head of School. We will be scheduling forums for the faculty, staff, students, and parents to meet with our consultant, and all current and recent community members will have an opportunity to complete an online survey to provide input. There will also be further opportunity for Mid-Pen community involvement in the fall when finalists are brought to campus. 

Please bring any additional questions directly to the Search Committee Co-Chairs, Anna Waring and Debbie Vielbaum. It is a priority of this search to ensure that the community has a clear understanding of the process.