SEARCH FOR THE NEXT HEAD OF SCHOOL
a letter from the President of the Board of Trustees
January 2008
Dear
John
Burroughs
School
Community,
After almost a quarter century of exceptional service to
John
Burroughs
School, Keith
Shahan will retire as Headmaster at the end of the 2008-09 school year.
His remarkable
tenure has propelled our school to the forefront of the nation’s
independent secondary
schools. We forever will owe a debt of gratitude to Keith and Marcia for
all that they have contributed to this institution. Their legacy is one of
unparalleled excellence.
The Board of Trustees has no more important role than that of selecting
Dr. Shahan’s
successor. Rest assured that the challenge of identifying and hiring
Burroughs’ next Head of School will be the Board’s highest priority
during the coming year. We are committed to a global search that will be
thorough, thoughtful, and inclusive. To that end, a great deal of planning
well in advance of Keith’s formal announcement has already occurred.
Several years ago, the Board formed a Succession Planning Committee to
consider various issues and to make sure that the ground work is in place
so that we are well-positioned for a smooth transition. This committee,
under the leadership of former trustee Jim Maritz ’69, has accomplished
its goal, leaving us well prepared to commence the search for a new Head
of School.
A Search Committee is being formed and will be led by the Vice
President/President-Elect of the Board of Trustees, Todd Schnuck ’77.
The complete roster of the Search Committee will be determined before the
end of January.
The responsibility of the Search Committee is to recommend a candidate to
the Board of
Trustees for its consideration and selection by the fall of 2008, with the
intent of naming a new Head of School who will assume leadership of
Burroughs in July 2009. Keith will remain at the helm as Headmaster,
providing continuity and stability throughout the search process and
transition to new leadership.
Ultimately, the success of our search for a new Head of School is
dependent on the input
and active involvement of the greater Burroughs community: our parents,
students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends. You will be hearing more
about this process in the coming months.
Thank you in advance for your participation in this important step in the
life of John
Burroughs
School. The Board of Trustees and I look forward to working closely with the
school community in this endeavor.
Sincerely,
L. Carr Trovillion
President, Board of Trustees
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