Head of School Search

Leading Virginia Chance School Forward

The Search for Our Next Head of School

Welcome to the Virginia Chance School Head of School Search webpage. This page is dedicated to keeping our community informed about the progress of our search for a new Head of School. We are committed to a transparent and inclusive process, engaging various stakeholders to ensure we find a visionary leader who embodies the values and mission of Virginia Chance School.

Our community has appreciated Betsy’s leadership over the past four years, and we will celebrate her many contributions to Chance as she prepares for retirement—especially her dedication to our students. Read her retirement announcement here.

Search Overview

The Head of School search and transition process is the primary responsibility of the Board of Trustees and involves our full community: trustees, faculty & staff, and parents & families. Our goal is to identify a leader who will continue to build upon the strong foundation of our school, fostering an environment where curiosity, creativity, and a love for learning thrive.

Search Process

Our search process is thorough and inclusive, designed to reflect the values of Virginia Chance School while drawing on best practices from other esteemed institutions:

Selection of Search Firm: COMPLETE!
After a thoughtful and thorough process, we have partnered with Educators Collaborative, an internationally recognized search firm with expertise in independent school leadership.
Community Input: COMPLETE!
We will conduct surveys and focus groups to gather insights from our community. Your feedback is invaluable in shaping the profile of our ideal candidate.
Candidate Evaluation: ACTIVE!
The Search Committee will review applications, conduct interviews, and evaluate each candidate's qualifications and alignment with our school’s mission.
Final Selection:
The final decision will be made with input from the entire community, ensuring that our chosen leader reflects the collective vision and values of Virginia Chance School.

Search Firm and Leadership

We are excited to work with Carol Santos and Chris Bright from Educators Collaborative. Both bring deep experience in progressive education, leadership development, and financial strategy, and we look forward to their guidance.

Carol Santos Educators Collaborative

Email Carol Santos
Chris Bright Educators Collaborative

Email Chris Bright

Search Committee

The Search Committee is composed of dedicated individuals whose involvement and leadership at Virginia Chance School have spanned the last two decades:

Sarah Farmer President, Board of Trustees Chair; Search Committee; Alumni Parent
Lori Frey Wells Trustee, Chair of the Personnel Committee, Current Parent
Stephanie Lamping Past Treasurer & Secretary, Board of Trustees; Past Interim Head of School; Alumni Parent
Eric McKendrick Vice President, Board of Trustees; Current Parent
Aaron Mueller Past President, Board of Trustees; Alumni Parent
Brookes Pope Trustee, Chair of the Trustees & Governance Committee; Past President, Board of Trustees; Alumni Parent

Advisory Committee

To ensure an inclusive process, we have formed an Advisory Committee made up of faculty and staff from across the divisions. This committee will provide valuable insights and participate in finalist interviews.

Nora Jersild First/Second Grade Teacher
Destiny Kendall Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Leslie Linde Third/Fourth Grade Teacher
Crissy McMullan Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Laura Patterson Art Specialist
Jennie Perkins Student Support Coordinator
Kristin Rodas Human Resources Manager

Community Engagement

A community survey is available at the link above. Carol and Chris visited Chance School on September 8-9 and engaged with our community. Their visit included meetings with various stakeholders, and a community survey is available to gather broad input. Your insights are essential in defining the leadership profile that will guide the search and selection process for our next Head of School.

Timeline

Early Fall 2025: Begin gathering community input
Fall 2025: Candidate search and initial interviews
Winter 2026: Finalist visits and community engagement
Spring 2026: Announcement of the new Head of School

Stay Informed

We have launched this Head of School Search webpage to keep you updated. Here, you will find an overview of the timeline, FAQs, and details about the search process.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts, please contact the Head of School Search Committee at [email protected].
Thank you for your support and enthusiasm as we take this significant step forward. Together, we will ensure a bright future for Virginia Chance School.

FAQs

How can I be involved in the Head of School search process?

The Board of Trustees at Virginia Chance School is committed to making the search an inclusive process and is providing opportunities for community input at various times throughout the process. The first opportunity is in the fall, when members of the school community are invited to share their thoughts about the school and the search through a confidential online survey administered by Educators Collaborative. Then, when the search consultants from Educators Collaborative visit the campus in mid-September, they will conduct listening sessions to learn more about Chance School's strengths, the opportunities facing the school over the next several years, and the traits, skills, and experience desired in the next Head of School. Members of the community will be invited to participate in those sessions.

Finally, as the search nears its conclusion in late winter, members of the school community will have an opportunity to meet the finalist candidates and provide feedback on their impressions of each.

What if I know someone who may be interested?

Interested candidates should contact Carol Santos and Chris Bright from Educators Collaborative directly at [email protected]. They will maintain confidentiality for all recommended candidates. We also invite members of the community to make referrals of appropriate candidates. You may directly contact Carol or Chris to share names and contact information of potential candidates, and they will reach out to them.

What is the general timeline for the Head of School search?

One way to think about the search process at Virginia Chance School is that it essentially consists of three phases.

In the first phase, the Educators Collaborative consultants will gather community input starting in early fall. This involves engaging in conversations with the Search Committee, Advisory Committe, the Board of Trustees, administration and faculty, parents, and alumni; conducting a community survey; and reviewing data and documents provided by the school. This comprehensive understanding will help the consultants develop a leadership profile for the next Head of Virginia Chance School. Simultaneously, the consultants will publicize the leadership opportunity and begin outreach to prospective candidates.

The second phase will take place in late fall, primarily behind the scenes and in a highly confidential manner. During this period, the Educators Collaborative consultants will recruit and conduct initial vetting of candidates through interviews and reference checks. While any qualified candidate will be considered until the completion of the search, interested candidates will be asked to contact Carol and Chris before a soon-to-be-established deadline for proper vetting.

In the final phase, scheduled for winter 2026, the Search Committee will learn more about candidates presented by the consultants, conduct preliminary confidential interviews, select finalists, and ensure that the finalists’ visits to the school are successful. During these visits, members of the community will meet with each candidate and provide detailed feedback to the Search Committee through the consultants. This feedback will be crucial in determining which individual will be recommended to the Board of Trustees for approval. The work of the Search Committee will conclude when it presents its nomination of the candidate of choice to the Board of Trustees.

The aim is to announce the new Head of School in spring 2026. However, each search has its own unique pace and timing, and the timeline may shift if necessary.

What is the role of the Search Committee?

What is the role of Educators Collaborative, the search firm, and how were they selected?

A sub-group of the Board of Trustees conducted broad research on national search firms. They reviewed proposals and conducted initial and follow-up interviews. Following reference checks, the group unanimously voted to select Educators Collaborative.

Educators Collaborative is a nationally-known search consulting firm, specializing in finding heads and senior leaders for independent schools. Carol Santos and Chris Bright have been engaged to assist with the search. Carol and Chris have both had many years of experience in independent school leadership, and collectively they have assisted numerous schools with head and senior administrator searches. They are also familiar with Virginia Chance School, progressive schools, and the Louisville independent school environment.

Carol and Chris will provide guidance to the Search Committee on format, logistics, procedures, and best practices in the search process. In addition, they will recruit and interview candidates, check references, and support the Search Committee throughout the interview process. Educators Collaborative will also provide transition support to the new Head of School and the Board of Trustees after the new Head of School has been hired and throughout the new Head’s first year.

What is the scope of the search?

The search for the new Head of School for Virginia Chance School is international in scope. Candidates from throughout the United States and abroad will be considered, and nominations are welcome. The consultants also devote considerable effort to recruiting candidates who might not be actively seeking a new position. Many candidates will not want it known at their current institutions that they are considering a change, and for this reason, we must maintain strict confidentiality about individual candidates right up until the finalist stage of the process.

Will there be any internal candidates?

All candidates, both internal and external, who are interested in the opportunity to be the next Head of Virginia Chance School are encouraged to apply. To every extent possible, the Search Committee will attempt to create a level playing field, ensuring that the eventual nominee as Head-elect is assessed in the context of the entire field of candidates. In addition, the confidentiality of internal candidates is as important as that of candidates from outside the School.

How will candidates be evaluated?

Candidates will be assessed in light of the skills and characteristics identified by the community and described in the leadership profile in the Information for Candidates report. Those skills and characteristics will be drawn from the survey responses and listening sessions conducted by the Educators Collaborative consultants. With the assistance of the consultants, the Search Committee will go through a series of steps to acquaint themselves with the pool of candidates before narrowing that group down to a group of semi-finalists who will be confidentially interviewed, and then to a smaller group of finalists (likely three or four). The Search Committee’s evaluation of the finalist candidates will be informed by input from members of the community who will meet with the candidates during their on-campus visits.

What is the role of the School's Board of Trustees in the search process?

The Board has charged the Search Committee with conducting a comprehensive, national and international search for a new Head of School. The Board of Trustees will refer all inquiries related to the search to the Chairs of the Search Committee and Educators Collaborative. As the process draws to completion, the Board will review the recommendations of the Search Committee, formally resolve to pursue a candidate, bear responsibility for negotiating any terms of employment, and ultimately appoint the new Head of School. The Head of School is the only employee that is hired by and reports directly to the Board of Trustees, and, as a result, choosing a new Head of School is one of the Board’s most important responsibilities.

When will the new Head of School begin?

The person selected by the Board of Trustees will officially become Virginia Chance School's Head of School in summer, 2026. Until that time, Dr. Betsy Fitch will continue to lead the School. We anticipate that there will be opportunities during the second half of the 2025-26 school year when the Head-Elect will be on campus and have a chance to learn more about the School, but it is a high probability that the selected individual will have ongoing professional responsibilities elsewhere.

Head of School Search - Information for Candidates Guide

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