Who is leading the search process?
The School Committee is responsible for selecting and hiring PFS’s next Head of School (HoS). To facilitate the search process, a HoS Search Committee representing trustees, parents, parents of alumni, faculty, staff, and members of Princeton Monthly Meeting has been formed to direct the search and recommend a candidate to the board.
Recognizing that selecting the school’s next leader is a critical task, the School Committee has engaged Darryl Ford and Burke Zalosh of Carney, Sandoe & Associates (CS&A), a leading search firm that has conducted hundreds of global searches for independent schools, as consultants. Darryl and Burke bring a wealth of experience in executive searches and Friends school leadership. They will assist the Search Committee in managing the search process.
What is the role of the Search Committee?
The Search Committee directs the search process from start to finish. It coordinates input from PFS’s varied constituencies, works with CS&A to craft the Position Description, assesses candidates vetted by CS&A, conducts interviews with semifinalists and finalists, and presents a proposed candidate to the School Committee.
Throughout, the Search Committee keeps the PFS community informed and engaged, while ensuring strict confidentiality in the candidate recruitment process. Members of the Search Committee are prohibited from discussing details of the search outside the committee.
What is the role of the consultants?
CS&A provides advice to the Search Committee concerning format, procedures, and best practices in the search process. Gathering input on PFS’s culture and needs from community interviews and a survey, they, working with the Search Committee, create and disseminate a Position Description. CS&A recruits candidates from their extensive independent school network and refers them to the Search Committee for review. Together with the Search Committee, they interview and check references of candidates under consideration. The consultants also facilitate feedback between the candidates and the Search Committee.
What is the expected timeline?
Winter ‘24
- CS&A hired as consultants.
- Search Committee established.
- CS&A begins candidate outreach.
- CS&A visits campus to learn about PFS needs; meets with all constituencies.
- Community survey solicits feedback.
Spring
- Position Description created and shared.
- Recruitment continues.
Summer
- CS&A conducts anti-bias training with Search Committee.
- Search Committee determines semifinalists and conducts interviews.
- Search Committee selects finalists.
Fall-Winter
- Finalists come to campus for two-day visits that include meeting the community.
- Search Committee synthesizes all information and feedback and presents candidate for School Committee approval.
- New head announced.
- Leadership transition begins.
Summer ‘25
- New Head of School arrives at PFS.
How can the broader community participate in the search?
The PFS community is involved from the beginning, by providing input on the characteristics and qualifications sought in the next head through interviews with CS&A and via a community survey.
In the fall, community members can meet finalists when they visit campus, and provide feedback to the Search Committee from those visits.
Throughout the recruitment phase, members of the PFS community are encouraged to suggest candidates for consideration to CS&A, and they are always welcome to contact the Search Committee with any questions or thoughts at headsearch@princetonfriends.org
How do we ensure the search is successful in the expected timeframe?
PFS is a wonderful school in an attractive location, our lead time is very long, and the search’s scope is broad, enhanced by CS&A’s huge network and experience. We expect to find more than a few highly attractive and qualified candidates. Should circumstances warrant, we have plenty of time to extend the search to find the right head to lead PFS.