Pinecrest School | Head of School Search Committee
Frequently Asked Questions

How are people chosen for the search committee?

It is the responsibility of the Board to hire, support, and evaluate its sole employee, the Head of School. To ensure there is broad engagement and input from the entire Pinecrest School community, we selected individuals with a breadth and depth of relationships with the school, including board members, parents, and faculty. Members are charged with holding the future of the school and its mission at the forefront, and it is our hope that collectively a wide range of perspectives and experiences will inform our discussions. The search committee understands it must operate with the highest levels of confidentiality and integrity throughout this process.

What are the criteria for making a decision about selecting the right person?

The search committee in partnership with our consultant will develop a position statement (Information for Candidates) that articulates the opportunities and challenges that await the new Head of School as well as the professional skills and personal characteristics we believe are most desirable and relevant to successfully lead Pinecrest School. These will likely include strong educational credentials, a passion for the mission and values of the school, solid leadership experience, proven abilities in financial management, fundraising, communication and marketing, and a commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and diverse community.

What if you don’t find the right person?

We are optimistic that given the exciting opportunities this position offers we will attract highly skilled, passionate educators and successfully recruit the next Head of Pinecrest School. However, should we not identify that individual whom we feel brings the professional skills and personal attributes needed to lead the school, we will move forward to retain an interim Head. This is not uncommon, and there are many schools that choose to hire an interim Head for a period of time and then resume their search for a permanent Head. Interim Heads of School are individuals with proven track records of successfully leading schools. They are skilled leaders who will be able to capably support the Pinecrest community during a period of transition.

Will people other than the search committee get to meet the candidates?

Absolutely! Community input in this process is very important. The search committee will vet the initial pool of candidates and identify a group of semi-finalists who will be interviewed in a confidential setting. This is done primarily to ensure that those potential candidates who have not yet informed their current schools of their possible interest in a career move will not be compromised by expressing interest in this position. The search committee will narrow the group of semi-finalists after the confidential interviews. From there, a small number of finalists will be invited to campus and have the opportunity to meet with members of the Pinecrest community through a variety of venues and forums.

There are great people already working at Pinecrest School—wouldn’t it be easier to choose someone here?

Pinecrest School is fortunate to have such a talented and committed group of professionals working at the school. We encourage individuals who have an interest in the Head’s role to apply for the position. All candidates will be considered and reviewed in the same manner—this is crucial to the integrity of the process and to ensure we select the individual we believe to be best suited to be the next leader of Pinecrest. Applications from all individuals, internal and external, are held in confidence until they are selected as finalists.

How long will this process take?

Like most independent schools, Pinecrest School will engage in a thoughtful search and well-planned transition over the next nine months. We anticipate the following timeline:

Position posted ——– Mid-November 2022
Application deadline ——– Early January 2023
Semi-finalist interviews ——– January
Finalist visits ——– February
Appointment Late ——– February
Start date ——– July 2023

What if I know someone who may be interested?

Interested candidates should contact Tracy Bennett of Educators Collaborative directly. Her email is tbennett@educatorscollaborative.com, and Tracy will maintain confidentiality throughout. We also invite members of the community to make referrals of appropriate candidates. Please contact Tracy to share names and contact information of potential candidates, and she will reach out directly to them.

Head of School Search FAQ

Pinecrest School | Head of School Search Committee Frequently Asked Questions