የትምህርት ቤት ፍለጋ ኃላፊ

The Board of Trustees is responsible for hiring Meridian’s next Head of School. This is one of the most important roles of the Board of Trustees. The Board will provide input for the desired candidate profile, meet with all finalists, and, acting upon the recommendation of the Search Committee, approve the appointment of the new Head of School.

The Board appointed a Search Committee to oversee the search process on behalf of the Board. The Search Committee directs the search process from start to finish. The Committee will coordinate input from all of Meridian’s various constituencies, including trustees, faculty, staff, and leadership, parents, and students. The Committee will work in collaboration with our search consultant to organize and manage all aspects of the search.

The Search Committee and the Board are committed to keep the Meridian community informed and engaged throughout the search process, while respecting the confidentiality of the candidates in the recruitment process.

The Search Committee Co-Chairs and members of the Board of Trustees interviewed four nationally recognized Head of School search advisory firms, eventually selecting Steve Morris from the firm RG175. Steve has deep experience in PK-8 Head of School searches, and has worked as a teacher and administrator in independent schools for 28+ years, including 15 years as Head of School at a PK-8 independent school.

RG175 is providing advice to the Search Committee concerning format, logistics, procedure, and best practices throughout the search process. In particular, key roles include (i) providing advice regarding the search process and timeline, (ii) preparing a Position Statement that summarizes the Meridian Head of School opportunity and the qualities and characteristics of ideal candidates, (iii) sourcing candidates, (iv) conducting reference checks, (v) supporting the Search Committee in evaluating candidates, and (vi) providing advice to ensure a successful transition.

Search Committee members include faculty, administration, parents, and trustees. They were chosen for their deep connections and contributions to Meridian as well as their expertise in specific areas, such as PK-5 education.

During the process, there will be various opportunities for Meridian community members to provide input. Most recently, community members were invited to meet with our search consultant and to participate in an online survey. RG175 has also met with administrators, faculty, staff, parents/guardians, and students.

Community members will also be invited to meet our Head of School finalists when they come to campus. Information about the schedule will be announced when available.

In addition to the faculty and administration who will serve on the Search Committee, Meridian employees will be actively engaged throughout the search by taking the time to meet candidates when they visit the school, welcoming visitors into their classrooms, and providing other means of input as requested by the Search Committee. The search process takes place over an extended period and will not impact the effectiveness of Meridian employees, nor will it significantly reduce classroom time for our teachers.

• Pre-work conducted: The Board of Trustees engaged in a process to inform the direction of the search process. This included document review, interviews with previous trustees, discussions with trusted advisors, and vetting potential search firms.
• Mid-January: Request for proposal sent to multiple search firms.
• Early February: Proposals accepted and conduct interviews of qualified search firms.
• Mid-February: Evaluate firms and follow up with finalists.
• Early March: Award contract to a search firm.
• End of March: Collaborate with search firm to prescribe next steps, develop timeline, and finalize search committee and advisory committee.
• April: Search firm begins development of candidate profile; recruitment of candidates.
• June: Semi-finalists selected
• September: Semi-finalists on campus for meetings.
• Late September – October: Finalists selected and on campus for meetings.
• October – November: Head of School selected to begin in July 2026.

No. Our faculty, staff, and administrators remain committed to nurturing caring and confident learners. Additionally, our Interim Head of School, Peter Berner-Hays, remains committed to the day-to-day responsibilities of leading our school through June 30, 2026, and has the full support of the Board during his service term.

Regular updates will be posted here to ensure transparency and to keep our community informed at every stage.

We look forward to working together to select the next leader of The Meridian School, ensuring a bright future for our students, faculty, and families.

Yes! You can contact the Search Committee at hossearch@meridianschool.edu or reach out to Steve Morris, our consultant. The Search Committee is committed to respecting the confidentiality of candidates in the recruitment process.