Dear Country Day Community,

I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying some beautiful Fall weather!

As previously announced, the Search Committee for our next Head of School was formed several weeks ago and immediately began the important work of identifying and assessing potential consultancy firms. After reviewing multiple proposals and conducting virtual meetings with several firms, we are delighted to announce that the committee unanimously selected Carney, Sandoe & Associates to guide us through this critical process. 

Carney, Sandoe & Associates is a nationally recognized firm specializing in independent schools since 1977. Many of you may recognize the firm’s name, as they assisted Country Day in our 2020 Head of School search. Perhaps more importantly, we are especially fortunate to be working with two Carney Sandoe consultants who are already familiar with the Country Day community, Rhonda Durham and Marguerite Lloyd.

Our goal is to ensure that the entire Country Day community—including faculty, staff, parents, trustees, and alumni—has the opportunity to provide input. Your ideas and feedback will be invaluable in shaping the profile of the qualities we seek in our next Head of School. To that end, the search consultants will conduct interviews in November with select groups and individuals, and we will also distribute an electronic survey to the broader community in the coming weeks. Please keep an eye out for that email, as your participation will be vital in developing the Position Description for the candidate recruiting process. 

While we have established a general timeline for the search process, we recognize the importance of remaining flexible and adaptable as we move forward. Our priority in this search will be to find the very best person to lead Country Day into its exciting next chapter. We aim to identify a new Head of School for the 2026-2027 school year, but there is a lot of work to be done in this process, and we will follow best practices and take the time necessary to find the very best candidates for Country Day.

It is a privilege to chair this important search on behalf of the Country Day community. We look forward to working closely with the Search Committee to identify a Head of School who not only understands the Country Day community but also has the vision to confidently lead us into the future with a firm grasp on our mission, history, and traditions.

Thank you for your support and engagement in this process. 

Sincerely,

Jonathan Katz ‘98 and Robyn Schwarz

Co-Chairs, Head of School Search Committee