Head of School Search

Thank you to our South Kent School alumni, family, friends, faculty, and staff for a highly successful Alumni Weekend 2023. It was an incredible kickoff to our Centennial, and we look forward to the many celebrations that are in store for our 100th year ahead.

As I announced in my letter on May 26, it is with great enthusiasm that we welcome Brian D. Sullivan as the 10th Head of School at South Kent. Together with the South Kent School Board of Trustees and 9th Head of School, Lawrence A. Smith ’73, we have been working on a plan to ensure a smooth leadership transition and would like to share details with you today.

Brian will assume the role of 10th Head of School on July 1, 2023. Lawrence will act as Head of School Emeritus, providing counsel and support until his retirement in June 2024. Brian and Lawrence have worked together diligently in the last 18 months and will continue to share their commitment to the School and our community as we head into the next century of South Kent School.

We are incredibly grateful for all that Lawrence has contributed during his tenure as 9th Head of School. He has ushered the School through a global pandemic and the many unchartered challenges that came with it. He has evolved our academic programming to meet the needs of our 21st-century learners and has helped the School become an early adopter of Mastery Learning, a competency-based curriculum that incorporates all aspects of the South Kent School educational experience. Lawrence has helped the School return to its roots, incorporating our Mission and Trinity of Values into everything we do and helping Chapel regain its traditional role as the center of our community. As a result, our boys consistently perform their jobs, compete and win championships, give back to their community through service projects, and engage in extracurricular activities, all while learning what it means to be a student at South Kent School. The list of where our graduates attend college has never been stronger, our Hillside looks more beautiful than ever, and we are re-engaging and reestablishing ties with our alumni and SKS family at record rates.

The School is well-positioned to grow, evolve, and thrive in its second century, and with Brian’s appointment, we are confident in all that is ahead for South Kent. I look forward to seeing you all for the many Centennial gatherings and reunions that we have planned to celebrate this incredible moment in our School’s history. Here’s to the next 100 years!

Sincerely,
William Rowe ’88
Chair, South Kent School Board of Trustees

Sent on June 15, 2023

On behalf of South Kent School’s Board of Trustees and the Head of School Search Committee, it is my pleasure to announce that Brian D. Sullivan has been unanimously selected as the 10th Head of School in South Kent’s 100th year since the School’s founding. Brian will succeed Lawrence A. Smith ’73, who following in the footsteps of his late parents and longtime South Kent Faculty Arthur and Maggie Smith, had returned to the Hillside to serve as South Kent’s 9th Head of School. Lawrence’s successful tenure and his strong belief in the Mission and Values of our School have set the stage for this next opportunity for growth. We are so grateful for everything Lawrence has done and look forward to celebrating his many contributions, including successfully navigating Covid-19, transforming our academic programming to a block schedule and Mastery learning curriculum, keeping engaged with many of our alumni, as well as a much-needed beautification process on our campus. Brian and Lawrence are working on a transition plan to be announced shortly.

South Kent School started its Head of School search process in the fall of 2022 after electing Board of Trustees Vice Chair Christine Pina P’22 to lead our Head of School Search Committee. In collaboration with our search firm partner Lindauer Global, the committee identified and evaluated a talented and diverse group of candidates. The search was guided by the insightful voices and thoughtful responses gathered from our community survey and interviews. Your feedback gave us clear priorities for our next Head of School: a leader with energy and a strong vision for what boys need in the 21st century; an understanding of what it’s like to be a teacher; a demonstrated, successful record of fundraising; a firm knowledge of the business of independent schools; and a commitment to the Mission, Values, and Episcopal tradition of our School. We are appreciative of Christine and the entire search committee, including Trustees and alumni Susan Gardner ’80, Peter Ramsey ’67, and Alex Thomson ’78, Dean of STEM Michelle Borsavage, Chief Athletic Officer Raphael Chillious, and alumnus Matthew Gardella ’87, as well as Lindauer for helping us navigate this process.

After a comprehensive and extensive five-month search, which attracted 80 applicants from across the country and the world, Lindauer reduced the pool to seven impressive and exceptionally prepared candidates of sitting heads and experienced leaders and educators. By early May, the Search Committee chose four individuals for formal interviews and then narrowed it down to two extraordinary finalists. After extensive in-person interviews, robust Committee discussions, and voting, Brian emerged as the ideal candidate to lead South Kent in the next successful chapter of our School’s history. The Search Committee forwarded its unanimous recommendation to the Trustee Executive Committee, and the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to select Brian D. Sullivan as the 10th Head of South Kent School.

Having grown up in a family where character, education, and faith were the pillars of a successful life, Brian has made it his life’s work to learn and to teach. As a student at The Hotchkiss School, he experienced firsthand how a boarding school education can help you grow as an academic and a person. Brian went on to study economics and organizational behavioral management at Brown University. He thereafter began his professional career in the financial world, holding roles in wealth management and investments at Merrill Lynch and Charter Oak Financial.

After nine successful years in finance, Brian discovered that working in education was his true calling. He moved into the teaching ranks, building a career in the classroom at the Boston Collegiate Charter School, Millbury Junior/Senior High School, Berkshire School, and Kent School. Following his teaching years, Brian held several administrative roles at Kent, including Class Dean and Assistant Dean of Students, Director of Admissions, Assistant Head of School, and Associate Head of School for External Affairs and Director of Development. His professional experiences in finance, the classroom, and school administration give him a unique understanding of what makes institutions and students successful.

Over the past eighteen months, Brian has stood on the front lines of our efforts to move South Kent forward strategically as it enters its second century. In partnership with Lawrence, Brian has proven his commitment to a forward-thinking educational model that engages the whole student with an innovative curriculum that suits the next generation of learners. His appreciation for South Kent’s rich history, values, traditions, and community can only be matched by his understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and vision necessary to ensure success for the next 100 years. We are confident in Brian’s abilities to build on our Mission, inspire, and drive the next phase of our remarkable history!

Please join me in congratulating Brian Sullivan on being elected as the 10th Head of School and warmly re-welcoming Brian, his wife Liza, a career educator and college counselor at Kent School, and their two boys, James and Hank, to the Hillside.

Sincerely,
William Rowe ’88
Chair, South Kent School Board of Trustees

Sent on May 26, 2023

As Board Chair William Rowe recently shared, the South Kent School Board of Trustees has asked me, Christine Pina P’22, to convene and lead a Search Committee that will identify, present, and recommend candidates for the role of 10th Head of School at South Kent School.

I write to introduce myself and the Search Committee and to provide you with some context about this important search. Our Committee members are Trustees and alumni Susan Gardner ’80, Peter Ramsey ’67, and Alex Thomson ’78, Dean of STEM Michelle Borsavage, Athletic Director Raphael Chillious, and alumnus Matthew Gardella ’87.

I have the distinct honor and privilege of serving as the Chair of this committed group of volunteers. Members of this Search Committee possess rich institutional knowledge, a shared passion for South Kent School, and a diversity of skills and experience that will assist in the search process alongside our search firm partner Lindauer Global. To find the most worthy and prepared candidates, our work will be confidential, but it is our goal to seek input from the South Kent School community via the survey and email address below. We will also share periodic updates on our process and be as transparent as possible about the details of the search.

In preparation for this important task, the Search Committee has already begun its work. In the fall months of 2022, the Board’s Executive Committee reviewed three leading executive search firms. After thorough consideration, we selected Lindauer Global to partner with South Kent School in our search for the next Head. Lindauer has been recognized for its partnerships in the independent school space and, for many years, has successfully completed searches in support of independent schools throughout the country. Lindauer is especially adept at ensuring valued principles around diversity, equity, and inclusion are prioritized for every search. The firm has compelling records in breadth and depth of candidate recruitment and effective custom partnerships with client institutions.

We are pleased to announce that Lindauer CEO Deb Taft and Vice President Faith Montgomery will lead the firm’s search team for South Kent School with a comprehensive and forward-looking approach.

In addition, our Committee is deeply committed to including our community voices and perspectives in this process. This week, our partners at Lindauer are on campus hosting meetings with students, faculty, and staff to get their insights on what they would like to see in their next Head of School. We would also like to invite you, current and former South Kent trustees, South Kent School alumni, faculty and staff, students, current and past parents, and other valued members of the community to participate in a confidential survey that is meant to gather your ideas and feedback on South Kent School and our next Head. This survey is designed to capture the nuances of our School, its needs going forward, and community input regarding the professional and personal attributes to be sought in the School’s next leader. All responses submitted will be anonymous and go directly to Lindauer. The survey will remain open until Friday, February 2, at 11:59 p.m. EST. We hope to hear from as many of you as possible and look forward to receiving your input.

Take The Survey

It is our priority to find an exceptional new leader for the School, and we will provide updates related to the search on our Head of School Search page. The Search Committee and Lindauer also welcome questions, feedback, and nominations from our South Kent School community members, and we encourage you to reach out to us using our dedicated email address: HoSsearch@oldsite.southkentschool.org.

I am deeply grateful to the Search Committee, Lindauer, and to you, the entire South Kent School community, for your support and enthusiasm as we navigate this transition to the next successful chapter in our School’s history.

Looking forward,

Christine Pina P’22
Board of Trustees, Vice Chair
HOS Search Committee, Chair

Sent on January 26, 2023

This June, my fellow community members will gather for South Kent School’s Alumni Weekend 2023. It is certain to be a momentous occasion for many reasons. Still, this year’s event will be especially significant as it marks the official kick-off of our Centennial celebrations and one hundred years since the founding of South Kent School. As we head into this important next phase of the School’s history, Relinde and I will be embracing our own next chapter: we plan to retire in 2024.

Serving as the ninth Head of South Kent School has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I have been tremendously fortunate to be a part of our School and community for many years and in many ways: “faculty brat” as my parents, Art and Maggie, taught here; proud member of the great Class of 1973; teacher and coach from 1979-1988; trustee from 2016-2018; and most recently as Head of School since 2018. This place, these people, and this community have given me so much, and it has been an honor and privilege to help shepherd South Kent into the start of its second century.

In five short years, we have set the groundwork to be a leader in academic innovation with our early adoption of “Mastery” teaching and addressing the unique educational and social needs of our boys through skill-based education. We have taken advantage of both our small size and diverse student body to strengthen and tailor our non-academic programming and proudly build some of the top athletic programs in the country. Through the generosity of our alumni, parents, and friends, we have increased fundraising and begun revitalizing the campus with projects that will continue to provide the beauty and function required to meet the needs of our modern-day community and twenty-first-century independent school.

During my tenure as Head of School, I have appreciated the guidance of our dedicated Board of Trustees. In addition, our talented, devoted, and hardworking faculty, staff, and administrators continue to extend themselves well beyond expectations, as has always been the mark of South Kent School employees. For this and for them, I will always be grateful. And finally, I would like to recognize my wife, Relinde de Greef, who put her own remarkable career on hold to follow me to the Hillside and has supported me through all the efforts and emotions that come with the job. In addition, the School will miss Relinde’s work heading up the South Kent School Teaching Fellow Residency, a program she has created and developed from scratch.

South Kent School has always been, and will always be, a relationship-based community guided by the Values set forth by our founders a century ago. Our students, the basis of our community, were one of the biggest draws to me in considering a return to the Hillside, as they still have the same make-up as our Charter Scholars from 1923: a unique mixture of Pigtail Against the World, Simplicity of Life, Self-Reliance, and Directness of Purpose. The South Kent students of today grow by making mistakes and asking questions. They are adaptable, self-reliant, empathetic, and well-prepared to succeed and thrive in our rapidly changing and intensely competitive world. The small part that I have played in encouraging their growth is the greatest satisfaction I will take with me when I retire.

I will continue serving in my role until our next leader is secured and in place to ensure that South Kent School is cared for during this transitional period. I remain committed to this community, its Values, and its Mission, now and always. When I leave behind this home of ours once again, I will do so with full faith and confidence that it will be in good hands and that the next hundred years are bright.

With gratitude,

Lawrence A. Smith ‘73
Head of School

Sent on January 19, 2023

After five years of dedicated leadership, our Head of School, Lawrence A. Smith ’73, has announced his intentions to retire in 2024. We receive this news with bittersweet emotions and deep appreciation for all that Lawrence has done for our institution and community. As we look to June, when South Kent’s Centennial celebrations will commence, we feel self-assured that the School is positioned to flourish in its second century thanks to Lawrence’s vision and contributions to South Kent.

In 2018, we welcomed Lawrence back to the Hillside as Interim Head, and in 2019, he was appointed the ninth Head of School. Shortly thereafter, our world entered one of the most formidable eras of our time as the global pandemic disrupted lives and industries in unimaginable and devastating ways. Schools were no exception, and leaders worldwide faced unprecedented challenges that would prove to dismantle the life and workings of many educational institutions.

Amidst uncertainty and crisis, Lawrence guided the School with grace, purpose, and sound decision-making. His resolve to keep the Hillside open, safe, and fruitful with in-person learning made our community stronger than ever and is an example of the very Values on which the School was founded one hundred years ago. As our rapidly changing world continues to push us all to modernize and evolve, Lawrence has been unwavering in his goal to position the School for a bright and successful future while assuring the institution’s Mission and core principles remain steadfast.

As a Head of School, alumnus, mentor, and friend, Lawrence has led our School with dedication and a commitment to academic excellence and growth. After a long and distinguished career as an educator studying and researching how students learn, Lawrence’s 21st-century educational vision has led South Kent to take an innovative approach to teaching and caring for young men through the implementation of the block schedule and Mastery Learning curriculum. He has fueled the evolution of our campus, bolstering fundraising, increasing communication with our constituents, modernizing facilities, and upgrading programming.

Lawrence’s commitment to investing in the future extends to our people. This past year, he founded the South Kent School Teaching Fellow Residency, a fellowship program that offers aspiring or early-career educators training and mentorship opportunities to help prepare the next generation of teachers at South Kent and beyond. In Lawrence’s time here, he has built a team of passionate and dedicated colleagues and role models committed to the School’s strategic priorities and moving us forward. Most importantly, Lawrence’s sincere belief in the School’s Mission and Trinity of Values has engaged the community at large to take a simple and direct approach to teaching, learning, and living. His openness, benevolence, and compassion are ever present in his daily leadership and have inspired students and colleagues alike to grow into thoughtful and engaged citizens of the world. I hope you will join me in thanking Lawrence and his wife, Relinde, for their years of commitment and lasting impact on our School.

The process of identifying and recruiting our next Head of School has begun. Our Board of Trustees Vice Chair Christine Pina P’22 will serve as the Chair of the Search Committee, which will undertake a rigorous process to evaluate a group of candidates prepared to lead South Kent School at the start of its second century. Members of the Search Committee are:

Christine Pina P’22: Search Committee Chair, Trustee, Past Parent
Susan Gardner ’80: Trustee, Alumna
Peter Ramsey ’67: Trustee, Alumnus
Michelle Borsavage: Faculty
Alex Thomson ’78:Trustee, Alumnus
Raphael Chillious: Athletic Director
Matthew Gardella ’87: Alumnus

To help guide and support their efforts, we have retained Lindauer, one of the world’s leading executive search firms serving education, health, arts, policy, foundation, and charity organizations across the United States and on four continents. Opportunities will be offered to members of our community—faculty and staff, students, families, and alumni—to participate in the process and provide input. We will continue to send updates as the search process unfolds.

We enter the second century of our School with the recognition that to succeed in the future, our community must embrace curiosity and change to adjust to the 21st-century world. This forward-thinking mindset will be at the center of our search for the next Head of School, along with successfully identifying and hiring a candidate who aligns with the School’s guiding principles put forth by Samuel S. Bartlett one hundred years ago.

Sincerely,

William Rowe ’88
Chair, South Kent School Board of Trustees

Sent on January 17, 2023