Experience tells me that Headmasters set the tone and direction of a school. I have witnessed both a devoted/wonderful head and an egotistical/arrogant head. This can make all the difference in the attitude of the entire school. My experience is with middle schools, but the head of prep schools must have a huge impact. How do you find out information regarding how the head of prep schools is perceived by students/parents and his/her philosophical mindset? Current students and parents are wonderful resources, but what if you are applying to a school where you are not fortunate to have such a contact? DS is not applying to Exeter, but I bring up Exeter because I was just told that the head will leave at the end of this year which should have a huge impact on the school. Could those with access or experience please comment on heads of schools that you highly recommend?
Emily Jones at The Putney School is intelligent and incredibly honest, her sincerity is so refreshing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLTGWXrns-8
The current headmaster at Groton School is fabulous. We feel so happy that he is leading the school, it made it easier to drop him off that first day.
Lawrenceville is going to have a new headmaster next year, but he seems to want to be very actively connected with our students.
Last week, the Head of School at Hotchkiss, Kevin Hicks, announced that he was leaving THS in June in order to become Head of School at the CA prep school from which he graduated. C’est la vie.
It seems bad that he gave such short notice.
Because Kevin began his run as H of H at Hotchkiss in the fall of 2013, I tend to think that tendering his notice after only a year and half into that run was bad form. But Mama called Kevin home, and Kevin answered.