Dear FA Family,

With Scott Hutchinson’s recent announcement that he will retire following the 2026-2027 school year, the search for Frederica Academy’s next Head of School will begin soon. As Chair of the Search Committee, I write to outline the process we will follow in the months ahead to identify a leader who will build on Scott’s steady leadership and guide Frederica Academy in the years ahead.

Under the Bylaws of Frederica Academy, Inc., the Board of Trustees is responsible for selecting and hiring the Head of School. To assist in that work, the Board has formed a Search Committee to screen and evaluate candidates. After gathering input from stakeholders across the Frederica Academy community and conducting a nationwide search, the Search Committee will present a recommended candidate to the Board of Trustees, which will make the final decision and appointment.

To aid our search, FA retained Carney, Sandoe & Associates (CS&A), an executive search firm with expertise in educational leadership searches. For decades, CS&A has helped independent schools identify exceptional heads of school, senior administrators, and faculty. CS&A consultants Jamie Estes and Marsha Little will serve as our primary points of contact throughout the process.

The Board of Trustees and the Search Committee are committed to making this process inclusive and as transparent as possible, with multiple opportunities for the Frederica Academy community to share its views and aspirations for the school’s future. We will begin that process with a campus visit by the aforementioned Carney, Sandoe & Associates consultants on Thursday, April 16, and Friday, April 17. During their visit, Jamie and Marsha will meet with faculty and staff, students, parents, and the Board of Trustees.

Shortly before their visit, we will distribute a comprehensive survey so members of the Frederica Academy community (if you received this email, you will also receive a survey link) may provide additional feedback about their vision for the school and the qualities they hope to see in its next Head of School. Those responses will help the Search Committee and CS&A develop the Head of School position description.

We have also created a Head of School Search landing page on the school's website where timely updates will be posted throughout the process. Anyone who wishes to share thoughts or questions directly with the Search Committee may do so privately at faheadofschoolsearchcommittee@fredericaacademy.org. Those emails will be accessible only to members of the Search Committee.

While we intend to communicate as openly as possible, the nature of this search requires a measure of confidentiality. Confidentiality is essential to attracting and evaluating the strongest candidates. For that reason, members of the Search Committee will not be able to comment on specific candidates.

The other members of the Search Committee join me in expressing our gratitude to Scott for the leadership he has provided over the past seven years. We are grateful to have his steady hand through the end of the 2026-2027 school year. We are also grateful for your support of Frederica Academy, especially as we embark on this important process.

Members of the 2027-2028 Head of School Search Committee include:

Jeff Shiver, Search Committee Chair; Board Executive Committee

Greer Brown, FA Board Chair; Board Executive Committee

Adam Hagfors, FA Board Treasurer; Finance Committee Chair; Exec. Comm.

Amy Hurst, FA Board Advancement Committee Chair; Executive Committee

Dr. Laura Nevins, FA Upper School Director

John Pope, FA Associate Head of School; Chief Advancement Officer

Allison Reid, FA Board Secretary; Board Executive Committee

John Rogers, FA Board of Visitors Chair; FA Trustee Emeritus

Sincerely,

Jeff Shiver, Search Committee Chair