1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

9. 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

10. 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

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

12. 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

13. 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