Crafting A Successful Head Transition Dr. Laura Konigsberg, Head of School Deborah Richman, Head of School Emeritus Stephen Plum, Board President Turning Point School CAIS 2017

Planning for Succession is Planning for Transition A careful process can create trust between the Board, the departing Head, and the incoming Head Messaging is about the future, not the past No matter how much affection exists for the departing Head, message must be about optimism and the future

Develop A Timeline Prior to the Announcement of Retirement/New Head Search Have Search Committee in place with timeline for the first phase of the search Consider who is on the Search Committee Identify an external Search Firm invaluable in charting course from interview to new Head installation

Early Inclusion of Stakeholders Makes Transition Process Natural From Inception Regular status reports encourage buy-in and investment in transition process, build anticipation and enthusiasm for new Head

New Head Search Timeline 24 Months Out: Internal confidential announcement of retirement/replacement, with formation of Search Firm Selection Committee (elder statespeople of the school), and commencement of Search Firm interviews 18 Months Out: Public announcement of retirement, and Search Firm Selection Committee’s selection of Search Firm. Creation of webpage to provide updates www.turningpointschool.org/hos

New Head Search Timeline (Cont’d) 16 Months Out: Announcement of general interim search results, First Round (including Search Firm interviews with stakeholders) 14 Months Out: Announcement of first round of interviews 12 Months Out: Announcement of second round of interviews; set table for stakeholder participation

New Head Search Timeline (Cont.) 10 Months Out: Announcement of final round of interviews, stakeholder participation Q&A with parent community In-depth on-campus days with faculty, administration, and staff Board receptions with individual finalists and spouses/partners Dinner with Board Chair and individual candidates and spouses/partners

Selection and Announcement of New Head 10 Months Out: Announcement of new Head Endorsement by retiring Head Endorsement by full Board

Spring Transition Multiple “Quiet’ Visits to the campus, to meet with Board and senior administration New Head creates goals/priorities for first year to be shared with Board Interim Messages from New Head to School Community Weekly conversations with Board President and new Head Travel and moving logistics Opportunities to address the emotional impact of change on faculty and staff facilitated through group process led by experts in the field

Summer Transition Multiple informal dinners for new Head and spouse/partner hosted by Board members with key stakeholders Entry process of new Head: Meetings with Trustees, administrators, faculty, and staff

Appreciation of Retiring Head Separate and apart from new Head Have separate events with independent timetable

The First Year Postpone radical changes to routine through first year e.g., Back to School Picnic as usual Board integrates closely in early decisions Not to supplant new Head, but to be as available as possible

The First Year (Cont.) New Head finds many opportunities to be conspicuously present and available to school community Carpool Drop Off and Pick Up Sporting Events Field Trips Blogs/Writings on School Website Social Media Thoughtful, Deliberate Entry Process Formal State of the School Presentations