Academy Search Enters Final Phase
The Board of Trustees of St. Johnsbury Academy has been working for over a year on the search for our next Head of School. Our current Head of School, Tom Lovett, will retire in June of 2020 after 19 years of exceptional leadership.
In the nearly two decades that Tom has been our Head of School, the Academy has continued to grow and flourish, building on the work of prior Heads of School from James Colby to Bernier Mayo. We appreciate and celebrate Tom’s innumerable contributions and sincere dedication to our students, faculty, staff, alumni worldwide, and to the local area. He has tirelessly pursued the mission of our school — a commitment to academic excellence, with deep optimism regarding young people, through character, inquiry, and community. With this same spirit, the Board of Trustees has engaged in the search for Tom’s successor.
Earlier this month, the Search Committee completed semi-finalist interviews of seven very talented educators. Selecting three finalists from this talented group was a challenge. We now begin interviews with the three finalist candidates. The Academy is an exciting school with an array of programs and services, and we have an extraordinarily strong group of two men and one woman, each with high potential, excellent preparation, and strong character.
As we look ahead at this next step in our search when the process now widens to include members of the school’s faculty and staff, alumni, parents, and local community, we want to extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone participating. Transition can be a challenge, though it is a natural step to what we see as a bright and compelling future. We hope that you share this view of the future of the school and of the local area.
Our finalist candidates and their families will be visiting the school and touring the local area over the next two weeks. Should members of the community happen to meet them during their tours, we are hopeful and confident that you will welcome them with open arms and share your enthusiasm for the Academy, the wonders of the Northeast Kingdom, and what it’s like to be a member of a special and connected community.
Tom has left the Academy better than he found it. Our task is now to select the person who we believe will build on both Tom’s legacy as well as the more than 20 other individuals who have served as the Head of St. Johnsbury Academy. We approach this time of choosing with confidence and excitement.
