Head of School Search

List of 2 items.

• February 5, 2020 Letter

  February 5, 2020

   

  Dear members of the Julia Morgan School for Girls Community,

   

  As you know, our search professionals from Educational Directions, Risa Oganesoff Heersche and Mathew Heersche, were on campus January 30 and 31 to learn about JMSG’s community, and culture, hopes for the next head of school and the qualities we seek for this role.

   

  If you did not have the chance to meet with them, there is still an opportunity to share your thoughts through our online survey—they’d love to hear from you. The survey is available by clicking on the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JMSG21. It will remain open until Monday, February 10.

   

  Mathew and Risa have shared their initial impressions with us. They noted that JMSG is a warm and welcoming community with a real sense of family, and one that lives out the spirit of its mission and its commitment to educating girls. They saw great opportunities for the next leader as we continue to move forward into our next chapter.

   

  The next step is for Mathew and Risa to develop a search prospectus (position description) in which they will articulate the special aspects of our JMSG community, the opportunities for the next head of school, and the qualities we seek for this individual, both personally and professionally. This document will be shared with the search committee for review and approval and will be posted on our website.

   

  This document will be used by Mathew and Risa as part of their recruitment efforts. Over the course of the next months, they will be marketing and recruiting for this opportunity. In addition to Educational Directions’ extensive database of prospects, they will be reaching out to individual educational leaders, executive directors of educational organizations, a variety of educational leadership programs, including those focusing on girls’ education and regional school associations to notify them of this wonderful opportunity.

   

  Risa and Mathew will be identifying and screening top prospects whom they will present to the search committee. Our goal is to determine a group of top-level candidates and then narrow that number down to those individuals whom the search committee will interview. From that group will come finalists. There will be opportunities for school community members to meet the finalists at the appropriate time.

   

  We look forward to the search process and will keep all members of our school community informed on its progress via regular updates.

   

  Sincerely,

   

  Zoe Leonard-Monrad
  Search Chair                                                                                
  
  Steve Chan                                                                                Board President

• January 21, 2020 Letter

  January 21, 2020

   

  Dear Members of the Julia Morgan School for Girls community,

   

  With the recent announcement of Sandra Luna’s retirement, the Board of Trustees has begun the search process for her replacement. The selection of the new head is one of the most important responsibilities of the Board of Trustees. In order to continue the outstanding work Sandra has accomplished, we will search for an exceptional individual who believes in our mission and shares a love for our students. The Board has established a search committee which will be led by Zoe Leonard-Monrad, Trustee. Search committee members are:

  • Zoe Leonard-Monrad, Trustee and alum ‘07
  • Steve Chan, Board President
  • Judith Glickman, Trustee
  • Emily Selvin, Trustee and alum ‘03
  • Pam Maycroft, Faculty
  • Scott Mackey, Faculty 

  Another action was to identify and engage a search firm to assist us in this all-important task. We carefully researched and spoke with a number of highly regarded firms, selecting the highly respected national firm, Educational Directions of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, as our partner. The search will be led by Risa Oganesoff Heersche and Mathew Heersche. Risa and Mathew both bring deep experience as leaders in education (primarily in California), as search professionals, as well as expertise and enthusiasm to our search. For more information about the firm and our consultants, we invite you to visit the Educational Directions’ web site at www.edu-directions.com.

   

  The head of school search process will be an open and inclusive one. An important first step is that our consultants Risa and Mathew spend time on campus to learn as much about our school as possible. They will visit Julia Morgan on January 30-31 and interview members of our entire school community (students, faculty, parents, administrators, alumnae, board members) as to what we seek in our next leader. Among the key questions that they will ask of all of us are:

   

  • What makes JMSG special, i.e. what differentiates it from other schools?
  • What are JMSG’s aspirations?
  • What are the perceived challenges and opportunities for the school at this time?
  • What experience/leadership styles/personality traits will best meet those needs within our culture?

   

  We would love your input and encourage you to attend our Parents/Alumna forums scheduled at the following times:

  • Thursday, January 30, from 2:45pm at JMSG
  • Friday, January 31, from 8amat JMSG

   

   

  In addition, we are providing an additional opportunity for your input through an online survey. You can access the survey at the following link: Head of School Search Survey Link.

   

  From all of the information gathered through this process, Risa and Mathew, with the search committee, will develop a search prospectus to be used as part of their overall marketing and recruitment efforts. We will, of course, share this description with all members of the JMSG community once it is completed.

   

  Our search professionals will be reaching out both nationally and locally to educational leaders, executive directors of educational organizations, as well as other organizations to notify them of our opening. Over the next few months, they will be identifying and evaluating top prospects. Our goal is to identify a group of top-level candidates and then narrow that number down to five to seven individuals with whom the search committee will conduct interviews. From that group will come three finalists who will be visiting us. We ensure there will be opportunities for school community members to meet each of the finalists.

   

  We are grateful for all that Sandra has done for us and there will be opportunities to recognize her work throughout the 2020-21 academic year. We look forward to the search process and will keep all members of our school community informed as to its progress via regular updates. All information pertaining to the search will be posted on the “Head of School Search” page on our website. 

   

   

  Sincerely,

   

  Zoe Leonard-Monrad                                                             
  Search Chair  
  
  Steve Chan

  Board President