Since Emily Jones announced plans to step down in June 2022 — after 15 years at Putney — we have been hard at work in a search for our next Head of School, and are pleased to announce Danny O’Brien will fill that role starting July 2022.
We wish to thank all the members of the Putney community who participated in our outreach sessions, wrote, and called with their feedback on what qualities Putney’s next head of school should have. Storbeck Search actively spoke with many outstanding candidates over the summer that were interested in Putney. The Board of Trustees unanimously approved O’Brien as our next Head of School,.
For any questions about the search, please email headsearch@putneyschool.org.
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Updates
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Search Committee
The committee includes members of our community who bring diverse experiences and deep knowledge of Putney and of education more broadly.
Search Committee Members:
- Elizabeth Blaylock ’80, Chair (Trustee)
- Corinne Byus ’22 (Student/Trustee)
- Rebecca Geary P’17, ’19 (Trustee)
- Josh Laughlin ’82, P’21, ’23 (Board Chair)
- Bob Raynolds ’69 (Trustee)
- Pete Stickney (Faculty)
- Abby Verney-Fink (Faculty)
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Timeline
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the search consultant?
Nishant Mehta, Sherry Coleman, and Staci Williams Seeley of Storbeck Search. You can reach them at PutneyHoS@storbecksearch.com or visit their website at www.storbecksearch.com.
What will the role of faculty and parents be in the search?
Faculty, parents and other members of the Putney community provide essential input early in the search process by attending listening sessions and/or sharing information via an online survey. If you would like to access the survey, you can do so here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PutneySchoolHead.
Members of the community will also have an opportunity to meet the final candidates and provide input on our final selection
Will Emily Jones (current head of school) participate in the search?
Emily provides essential input about the challenges and opportunities facing The Putney School today, but sitting heads of school generally do not participate in the search process.
Who hires the next Head of School?
The Search Committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees, who will vote on the next Head of School.
How will the community be kept apprised of progress?
We will provide periodic updates on this website as well as in our alumni newsletters. Members of the on-campus community will be kept up to date through periodic announcements.
When do you expect the search to be completed?
We expect to complete the search in the fall of 2021.
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Contact
If you have question about the search, feel free to email the committee at headsearch@putneyschool.org, or Storbeck Search at PutneyHoS@storbecksearch.com.