Head of School Search Community Survey Results

The Board of Trustees of The Stony Brook School and its Head of School Search Committee are pleased to announce the results of the recent online community survey. The survey was created in conjunction with CarterBaldwin, the executive search firm selected to assist the School with the recruiting process.

Survey responses were received from a broad spectrum of the Stony Brook community.  Four hundred twenty-four people took the survey including alumni from the 1950s forward, parents of current and former students, current and former faculty and staff, grandparents and other relatives of students, and friends of the school.  Among other responses, some 42 names were suggested as possible candidates for the next head of school.

In addition to a vibrant personal relationship with Jesus Christ and an exemplary Christian character, respondents identified as most important these five leading characteristics of a next head of school:

• Ability to recruit and retain excellent faculty
• Understanding of the academic, social, emotional, and spiritual challenges faced by students
• Experience leading an educational institution
• Ability to build consensus around the school's mission and purpose
• Strong decision-making ability

The top five goals that respondents thought important for the next head of school to pursue were:

• Fostering communication with alumni, faculty, parents, staff, and students
• Fostering a community of trust
• Leading academic programs
• Raising the national and international awareness of SBS to promote enrollment, giving, and leadership
• Strategic planning

Search Committee Chair Jack Hall '77 said, “I want to thank the many individuals who took the survey, and I appreciate their interest in The Stony Brook School and their help in the search process.  I am very grateful that so many took the time to respond, and I appreciate their efforts.”

Mr. Hall went on to say, “The Search Committee and the Board of Trustees value the input of the Stony Brook community regarding its sense of qualifications for the next head of school, as well as important goals.  The survey results provide good insight into the community's thoughts in these matters.  These results will be given full consideration as we move into the next phases of the search process.”

As the Search Committee continues to work with CarterBaldwin, an important near-term objective is to create a “position description” that can be used during the recruiting stages of the search to attract highly qualified candidates.  The Search Committee and CarterBaldwin will work together on a number of important activities, including identifying and attracting candidates, conducting background checks, scheduling preliminary interviews, and other important activities.

Mr. Price Harding of CarterBaldwin was also pleased with the results of the survey.  “These survey results are extremely valuable in pointing the Search Committee to The Stony Brook School's next head of school,” he said.  “This survey input aligns completely with the insight shared with us during our two site visits to the Stony Brook campus and confirms our focus on the leadership characteristics we will be seeking as we consider candidates.  We are indebted to the many various constituents who took time to participate in this important survey.”

The School's Board of Trustees anticipates naming a new head of school in a timely manner, providing sufficient time for the appointee to work on transition matters with interim head of school Dr. Richard A. Riesen, whose one-year term will end on June 30, 2013.

The Trustees ask that you join them in ongoing prayer as they seek God's wisdom, guidance, and blessing upon The Stony Brook School, the search process, and our future leader.

For more about the head of school search, click here.