Assistant Head Accepted to NAIS Fellowship for Aspiring School Heads

Assistant Head at St. Johnsbury Academy Beth Choiniere has been accepted to the prestigious National Association of Independent Schools Fellowship for Aspiring School Heads.

According to NAIS, “The fellowship is offered to support the professional development of exceptional and qualified individuals in independent schools who demonstrate excellence in leadership, a passion for their work, and aspiration to become a head of school. This program is unique within the independent school community and among the best leadership development in the country.”

The NAIS Fellowship is a year-long program during which aspiring school heads receive mentorship from current heads, career counseling, special summer programming, and attend special sessions at two NAIS conferences. Participants also take part in a Group action research project that will be presented at the NAIS Annual Conference.

Beth Choiniere said, “”I am very excited and quite humbled to be a part of this opportunity to further develop as a leader. I have known others who have participated in this fellowship who have gone on to various roles in school leadership, and they have spoken highly of the experience. I look forward to learning as much as I can from my colleagues in the program as well as its expert presenters. I have been blessed to develop a strong foundation in school leadership with mentors who have invested, guided, and believed in my abilities, and for that I am forever grateful. I look at this opportunity as one in which I can give back to a community that has supported my development in so many different ways.”

SJA Headmaster Tom Lovett said, “I am thrilled that Beth has been recognized as one of the rising leaders in independent schools. For more than a decade, she has provided excellent leadership to St. Johnsbury Academy, boosting our myriad Campus Life programs to new heights and standing in for me when I have been on the road. I have known others who have participated in this program, and they have gone on to be extremely successful heads of school. I know Beth will gain a lot from her peers and program leaders, and I know she will give as much as she gets. This program is the next logical step in her development as one of the region’s best educational leaders.”