Contact us at HeadSearchCommittee@sles-sa.org with any questions.
November 19, 2008
Thank you for your patience; we know everyone is anxious to hear something. Negotiations with the candidate are continuing. Due to the upcoming holiday and the schedules of those involved, we will update the community on “next steps” as soon as possible.
Your continued prayers and patience are greatly appreciated.
November 15, 2008
The Board of Trustees met this morning to receive the recommendation from the Head of School Search Committee. The Committee’s recommendation was approved unanimously by the Board. An offer has been extended to the candidate. More information will be announced as soon as possible.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
November 12, 2008
The Head of School Search Committee met this afternoon to make a decision about which candidate to recommend to the Board of Trustees for the Head of School position. The committee unanimously and joyously made a decision and looks forward to presenting its recommendation to the Board on Saturday, November 15, 2008.
The Board will vote on whether to accept the recommendation and “next steps” will be established. Another update to this blog will be posted on Saturday.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
November 11, 2008
Dr. Mark Reford and his wife, Lisa Koenig, enjoyed their visit to San Antonio this week. Many thanks to everyone who welcomed them and played a role in their visit.
The Head of School Search Committee will meet on Wednesday, November 12th, to decide which candidate to recommend to the Board of Trustees as the school’s next Head of School.
Your continued prayers are appreciated.
November 7, 2008
Thank you for welcoming Dr. Edwin Gordon and his wife, LaRita, to St. Luke’s. The Board and Search Committee greatly appreciate the warm welcome the school community has extended to them.
On Sunday, November 9th, we will welcome Dr. Mark Reford to San Antonio and St. Luke’s. His wife, Lisa Koenig, will join us on Monday, November 10th.
Please remember the following opportunities to visit with Dr. Reford:
Faculty - Monday, November 10th - 3:45 pm Parish Hall Tea and Cookies
Parents - Monday, November 10th - 6:30 pm Parish Hall Wine and Cheese
Dr. Reford’s resume can be found here.
November 3, 2008
Dr. Edwin Gordon and his wife, LaRita, will be in San Antonio Wednesday, November 5th – Friday, November 7th. Please join the Search Committee in welcoming them to St. Luke’s Episcopal School. Dr. Gordon will spend his time meeting with various trustees, administrators, faculty, and parents, and getting to know the school and its students. The Search Committee will be meeting with him at the end of his visit.
Please remember the following opportunities to visit with Dr. Gordon:
Faculty - Thursday, November 6th - 3:45 pm Parish Hall Tea and Cookies
Parents - Thursday, November 6th - 6:30 pm Parish Hall Wine and Cheese
Dr. Gordon’s resume can be found here.
October 15, 2008
The Head of School Search Committee was extremely pleased to identify three Finalist candidates after the Semi-Finalist interviews last week. Unfortunately, one of the candidates has withdrawn his candidacy because of family considerations. Fortunately, the Search Committee is delighted to announce the two finalists for the Head of School position at St. Luke’s: Edwin Gordon, PhD, and Mark Reford, PhD. You will find a brief biographical sketch of each below. As each finalist’s visitation date approaches, more information will be posted on this site. Please refer to the note at the end of this posting regarding the logistics of how parents and faculty and staff will be able to meet each candidate.
Please Note: Extensive reference checking on each of our finalists will be conducted solely by members of the Search Committee. All recommendations regarding reference contacts should be forwarded to Jill Vassar, Search Committee Chair, for appropriate follow-up (HeadSearchCommittee@sles-sa.org). This will serve to protect the integrity of the process. Thank you for your cooperation!
Edwin Gordon, PhD, visits San Antonio and St. Luke’s November 5-7, 2008.
Edwin Gordon, PhD, is Head of the Lower School at The Walker School in Marietta, Georgia (PK-12; Coed; Day; 1,100 students; 320 in the Lower School). He is the former Executive Director of the K-12 Executive Education Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. Dr. Gordon is a member of the Board of Trustees for the National Association for Independent Schools and holds various volunteer leadership positions with educational and fine arts organizations. He has experience in fundraising; the management of school operations (including marketing, enrollment management, and alumni relations); and faculty development. Dr. Gordon has extensive policy and research experience at local and national levels and has been an elementary school classroom teacher. Dr. Gordon earned his Ph.D. in Public Administration (emphasis on Educational Leadership & Curriculum and Instruction) from Cornell University. He holds both an M.A. and an A.B. in English and Sociology from Baylor University. Dr. Gordon and his wife LaRita are the parents of a high-school aged daughter and a ten-year-old son.
Mark Reford, PhD, visits San Antonio and St. Luke’s November 9-11, 2008.
Mark Reford, PhD, is the Head of School at the City Collegiate Public Charter School in Washington, DC (6-8; Coed; Day; est. 150 students; growing to 6-12 and 350 students) and the former Academic Dean at Sidwell Friends School (also in DC). At City Collegiate he runs a young public charter middle school and is entirely responsible for its budget, curriculum, faculty development, marketing, and community relations. At Sidwell Friends some of his experience included renovation of the academic and social transition process between the middle school and upper school and the revision of procedures governing academic life and learning support services. Dr. Reford has consulted with Education Testing Services (Princeton, NJ) and with the Washington, DC, public school system. He has teaching experience in high school and middle school classrooms and has taught at the college level in England and Moscow. He holds a D. Phil., M.S. and B.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Oxford, England. He and his wife Lisa are the parents of two elementary-aged daughters.
Faculty, staff, and parents were previously given four “dates to save” for meeting the candidates. It was anticipated that one of the dates would be cancelled after the finalists were confirmed. Now that we are considering two Finalists, two dates are being cancelled. Below is an updated schedule. Please plan to attend each session if you are interested in meeting the candidates and giving the Search Committee your written feedback (see blog entry of 9/22/08).
PARENTS (all meetings will be held in the Parish Hall)
** Cancelled Monday October 27th 6:30 pm Wine and Cheese
**Cancelled Friday October 31st 8:15 am Coffee and Danish
Edwin Gordon, PhD Thursday November 6th 6:30 pm Wine and Cheese
Mark Reford, PhD Monday November 10th 6:30 pm Wine and Cheese
FACULTY and STAFF (all meetings will be held in the Parish Hall)
** Cancelled Monday October 27th 3:45 pm Tea and Cookies
** Cancelled Thursday October 30th 3:45 pm Tea and Cookies
Edwin Gordon, PhD Thursday November 6th 3:45 pm Tea and Cookies
Mark Reford, PhD Monday November 10th 3:45 pm Tea and Cookies
October 7, 2008
The Head of School Search Committee has spent October 6-7 interviewing 8 candidates. Each interview lasted about 1 hour and 45 minutes. The Committee has been overwhelmed by the caliber of candidates and their backgrounds and the various reasons they are attracted to St. Luke’s. They each confirmed we have a wonderful school and they are interested in being a part of its future. Each candidate commented on how welcome they were made to feel, not just from the Search Committee, but from the community as a whole. The Committee thanks everyone for their support in welcoming these candidates to our campus.
Margaret Bonz, our consultant, is to be commended for bringing these candidates to our attention and shepherding them through the process. She has been an invaluable resource to the Search Committee and to St. Luke’s as a whole.
The Search Committee will meet the morning of October 8th to discuss all of the candidates and narrow the field. As soon as the three finalists are confirmed and scheduled for a return visit, their identities will be made public and you will be able to find more information on each of them on this blog. The Search Committee appreciates your continued prayers during this process.
September 24, 2008
The Head of School Search Committee is pleased to announce that our eight (8) semi-finalists have been identified. It is a very exciting group!
To give some perspective:
· Dr. Margaret Bonz, our search consultant, identified 162 prospects from her firm’s database and her personal contacts.
· 101 of these prospects were contacted about the opportunity at St. Luke’s (55 men/46 women)
· 28 of those contacted expressed interest in continuing the conversation (19 men/9 women)
· 14 candidates (11 men/3 women) submitted complete applications to Dr. Bonz (resume, cover letter, letters of reference, and answers to the 10 Questions she gave them)
· The 8 semi-finalists being presented to the Search Committee are the best 8 that she believes are the best fit for St. Luke’s at this time in its history. All 8 are men.
The reasons people fell out along the way included:
· Discernment that they were not a good fit for a faith-based institution
· Too new in current job or very happy in current job
· Texas/San Antonio not really an option/ Spouse not willing to consider San Antonio
· Discernment that they needed to stay put due to family/extended demands and/or
spouse’s employment
· Background not ultimately appropriate for St. Luke’s
· After Dr. Bonz saw them interview elsewhere, she discerned they were not a good fit for St. Luke’s
Of the 8 candidates:
· 4 have doctorates, one has a JD/MBA, one has an MBA; all have outstanding educational credentials
· 4 are sitting or former Heads of School, 3 are sitting or former Division Heads of School
· 1 is in Texas; 1 is in Missouri; 1 is in Florida; 1 is in Washington, DC; 2 are in Georgia; and 2 are in Louisiana
These 8 Semi-Finalists will be interviewing on campus October 6-7 and Finalists will be chosen on October 8th.
September 22, 2008
The Search Committee will be interviewing Semi-Finalists October 6th-7th and selecting Finalists October 8th. Although we do not yet know who the finalists will be, we are already hard at work preparing for the Finalist visits.
There are four (4) time blocks that have been set aside to accommodate the scheduling needs of up to three (3) Finalists: Oct 26-28, Oct 29-31, Nov 5-7, Nov 9-11. (One of the time blocks will be cancelled after the scheduling is complete.)
Each Finalist candidate will be in town 2 ½ days. Each one will meet with administrators, faculty, Board of Trustees, parents, students, etc., over those 2 ½ days. (Remember, one candidate will be on campus at a time.) There will be special “Meet and Greet/Q&A” sessions for parents and for faculty and staff with each candidate. Each candidate will make a brief presentation and there will be a Question and Answer time. After the candidate finishes speaking, he or she will leave, and everyone else will be asked to remain. At this time, participants will be asked to complete an “Observation Form” on the candidate. This form is the official vehicle for offering observations about each candidate to the Search Committee. This Form will have to be completed during the session, before you leave, and turned in to the designated Search Committee member that will be collecting them at that session.
The Search Committee is notifying the community now of the “Meet and Greet” times so that you may mark your calendars if you wish to participate. Remember that one of the sessions will be cancelled once the Finalists have been scheduled.
Save the Dates for Parents
Monday October 27th 6:30 pm Wine and Cheese Parish Hall
Friday October 31st 8:15 am Coffee and Danish Middle School Commons
Thursday November 6th 6:30 pm Wine and Cheese Parish Hall
Monday November 10th 6:30 pm Wine and Cheese Parish Hall
Save the Dates for Faculty and Staff
Monday October 27th 3:45 pm Tea and Cookies Parish Hall
Thursday October 30th 3:45 pm Tea and Cookies Middle School Commons
Thursday November 6th 3:45 pm Tea and Cookies Parish Hall
Monday November 10th 3:45 pm Tea and Cookies Parish Hall
Thank you for your support of and participation in this process. The Search Committee looks forward to receiving your feedback on each candidate.
September 12, 2008
Dr. Bonz had an excellent visit to St. Luke’s September 8-10 and was able to confirm her impressions of St. Luke’s from her visit in June. We have a wonderful school! Thank you to all the parents, faculty, staff, and students who greeted her, welcomed her, and shared their school and the “St. Luke’s Way” with her.
A list of 8-10 semi-finalists will soon be presented to the Search Committee. As soon as possible, a “demographic profile” of the candidates will be posted. The Search Committee will be able to share basic information with the community (gender, education, where the candidates are from, etc.) but names will remain confidential until the Finalists are chosen.
“Save the Date” information will be posted in the coming 1-2 weeks so members of the community will know when they will have the opportunity to meet the Finalists. Please watch this space!
September 5,2008
Thank you for your patience as Dr. Bonz’s itinerary has been finalized this week. Please find it here. The Board of Trustees and Head of School Search Committee thank you for hosting Dr. Bonz and demonstrating the “St. Luke’s Way” during her visit.
September 2, 2008
Margaret Huling Bonz, PhD, our Head of School Search Consultant, will be on campus Monday, September 8 – Wednesday, September 10. She is making this trip as a follow-up to her trip in June so that she can experience school in session. You may see her on campus, in Chapel, at a game, or even visiting classrooms and the Search Committee thanks the entire community for welcoming her in the “St. Luke’s Way”.
Dr. Bonz’s full itinerary is still being developed but an OPEN HOUSE for PARENTS has been scheduled. It will be Tuesday, September 9, 2008, at 8:15 am in the Parish Hall. (Her full itinerary will be posted as soon as it is finished in the next few days.)
All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend this Open House to hear about the Search process.
August 27, 2008
Welcome back to the new school year! While the blog has been quiet in recent weeks, the Search has continued. Dr. Bonz has spent the summer vetting twice as many qualified candidates as the Search Committee will eventually interview. She expects to identify ten (10) semi-finalists for interviewing. Thus far, the confirmed candidates have exceptional educational and professional backgrounds. When the final list of candidates is ready, the Search Committee will be able to indicate “this many are from the East Coast, this many men, this many women, this many have PhDs, etc., etc., etc.”. Names will be held confidential until further notice.
Dr. Bonz will be on campus September 8th-9th to meet with various members of the community. Please watch this space for her specific agenda and the time she will set aside to meet with parents.
July 2, 2008
Dr. Bonz, our Head of School Search Consultant, has written a ‘Candidate Profile’ for our Search. This 4-page document describes St. Luke’s, the priority agenda items for the next Head of School, the qualities and qualifications of the person we seek, and instructions on applying. It is used by Dr. Bonz as ‘a tool to start the conversation’ with potential candidates and is attached here. Dr. Bonz will be speaking with potential candidates in the coming weeks with the goal of presenting the Search Committee 8-10 semi-finalists by mid to late September.
Thank you to everyone who has returned the Questionnaire and to those who were able to meet with Dr. Bonz during her visit to St. Luke’s in June. The Questionnaires and the meetings she had while on campus helped inform the Candidate Profile.
June 25, 2008
Many thanks to all members of the school community who were able to meet with Dr. Bonz during her visit to St. Luke’s last week. It was a very productive time and she looks forward to returning in the fall to see the school in session. If you have not returned the Questionnaire (found on this web page) please do so at your earliest convenience.
The following calendar describes the search process as we move forward:
Week of June 23rd The “Candidate Profile” is finalized. This four-page document is used by the consultant to speak with potential candidates about the opportunity at St. Luke’s. It is posted on numerous national educational employment sites (Educational Directions, National Association of Episcopal Schools, etc.)
Summer Dr. Bonz speaks with and recruits potential candidates.
Monday, Sep 8 – Tues, Sep 9, 2008 Visit from Dr. Margaret Huling Bonz (Dr. Bonz will experience school in session and visit with all constituents; full itinerary to be set later.)
Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Search Committee Meeting with Dr. Bonz (8:00 am)
Late September Dr. Bonz will present each member of the Search Committee a notebook detailing 8-10 candidates. The notebook will document each candidate’s qualifications and interest in the position.
Sunday, Oct 5 - Tues, Oct 7, 2008 SEMI-FINALIST INTERVIEWS. The Search Committee spends a marathon two days interviewing semi-finalists.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008 Search Committee Meeting with Dr. Bonz to choose FINALISTS (8:00 am – Noon).
Note: The Search Committee will select at minimum two (2) finalist candidates and at most three (3) finalist candidates. In order to accommodate scheduling challenges, however, four finalist visit dates have been established. Each finalist visit will include an opportunity for all members of the community to meet the candidates and give the Search Committee written feedback. (Full itineraries to be set later.)
Sun, Oct 26- Wed, Oct 28, 2008 FINALIST Visit #1
Wed, Oct 29 – Fri, Oct 31, 2008 FINALIST Visit #2
Wed, Nov 5 – Fri, Nov 7, 2008 FINALIST Visit #3
Sun, Nov 9 – Tues, Nov 11, 2008 FINALIST Visit #4
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 Search Committee Meeting “TO CHOOSE” (4:00-10:00 pm)
Saturday, November 15, 2008 FULL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TO RECEIVE HEAD OF SCHOOL RECOMMENDATION FROM THE SEARCH COMMITTEE (9:00 am)
NOTE: There is the possibility that the Search Committee will only require 2 Finalist visits and that they can come during the first two time slots. So there is the possibility that the Board of Trustees may be asked to meet with the Search Committee to receive a recommendation BEFORE November 15th. We will only be able to address that as we journey down this road.
Late Fall/Early Winter New Head of School Announced. Transition Committee formed.
July 1, 2009 (tent.) New Head of School Start Date
June 17, 2008
The final agenda for the initial visit of Margaret Huling Bonz on Thursday, June 19, 2008, can be found here. Please note the “Open House” meetings for faculty and parents in the Parlor:
Faculty Open House meeting with Dr. Bonz 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Parent Open House meeting with Dr. Bonz 5:30 – 6:30 pm
All members of the community are encouraged to complete the Questionnaire as soon as possible. (Please see the June 7th update). Thank you.
June 7, 2008
· The Head of School Search Committee includes nine (9) members – representatives of the Board of Trustees, former Board leadership, parishioners, faculty, and parents. Biographical sketches on the committee can be found in a pdf on this page.
· QUESTIONNAIRE. The Head of School Search Committee asks members of the St. Luke’s community to download the Questionnaire (.pdf or .doc format) on this page and return it to our Search Consultant (according to the instructions on the questionnaire itself). Please complete this questionnaire by June 26, 2008. THANK YOU!
June 5, 2008
The Board of Trustees has appointed the Head of School Search Committee.
Jill Vassar, Chair
Brooke Dudley
Kye Fox
Henry Gonzalez III
Diane Greiner, MD
Connie McNab
John “ Chico ” Newman, Jr.
Mark Sessions
Kathy Trujillo
Margaret Huling Bonz, PhD, the search consultant, will be visiting St. Luke’s on June 19-20. Please see the pdf version of her itinerary on this web page. Parents are invited to meet Dr. Bonz at 5:30 on Thursday, June 19th. Dr. Bonz will return in the fall for another site visit. A postcard announcing this committee and Dr.Bonz’s visit will be in the mail early in the week of June 9th.
May 31, 2008
· Thank you for the nominations to the Head of School Search Committee that were submitted for consideration. The Search Committee will be announced shortly.
· The Board of Trustees has hired a consultant to guide the school through the Head of School Search Process. Margaret Huling Bonz, PhD, is a Senior Associate with Educational Directions and specializes in Head of School searches. Her biography and experience can be found on this web page in “pdf” form. Click here for the web site of Education Directions: www.edu-directions.com.
This web page will be updated regularly, so please check back often
May 23, 2008
We have begun the process of forming a Head Search Committee. Jill Vassar will be the chair, and she will be joined by fellow board members Brooke Dudley and Diane Greiner. The other committee members will be drawn from past board chairs, the parish, the faculty, and the parents. We solicit your nominations for the committee. Send an e-mail to HeadSearchCommittee@sles-sa.org detailing the nominee’s commitment to the school’s mission, knowledge of the school’s affairs, ability to work well in a group and other pertinent information. Please make your submissions by Friday, May 30th.
This web page will be updated regularly, so please check back often.
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