Head of School Search
Dear New Roads Community,
Since announcing a head of school leadership change last May, we, along with fellow board members, have been busy preparing for a successful search for a permanent head.
We have reflected on New Roads School and its unique qualities — its mission, history, and reputation. For nearly 30 years, New Roads has been a leader in preparing students to be independent, curious thinkers with a commitment to creating good in the world. It is exciting to consider the future leadership that will lead the school into the next chapter.
We are deeply grateful for Dan Vorenberg’s leadership as Interim Head of School and all of the thoughtful ways he has embraced his role leading the school thus far. Stepping into this role, he has built upon the success of our previous leadership, while providing stability, support, and strong investment in the whole school community.
The hiring, support and evaluation of a head of school is one of the most important roles of the Board of Trustees and we are dedicated to giving it our full attention and care. In preparation for this process, we have received generous advice from many, including several search firms, and have been assured that this position will attract interest from around the country based on our strong reputation. This enthusiastic support underlines the fact that New Roads is currently in a position of great strength for a successful transition of leadership. We intend to make this process as inclusive as possible and we welcome your thoughts, ideas, and questions over the coming months.
Our Search Consultants
We have chosen a new firm, Carney Sandoe & Associates (CS&A), to partner with us on this search. In evaluating the best firm to engage with, CS&A stood out for their deep understanding of our culture and values. They have over 40 years of experience placing school leaders, administrators, and educators across the country, and we are confident that they are the ideal partners for our search. We will work closely with Darryl Ford, Cathy Shelburne, and Burke Zalosh and we look forward to their stewardship and experience in this process.
The Search Committee
The ultimate responsibility for hiring a new Head of School rests with the Board of Trustees. To aid in that effort, the board has formed a search committee comprised of board members (who are current and alumni parents), faculty and staff. Our mission is to assemble a group that brings a deep understanding of New Roads and represents a diverse set of perspectives, experiences, and voices.
Search Committee Members
Evelyn Hou, Search Co-Chair and Board Vice Chair (Catherine ‘22, Charlotte ‘32)
Bryan Biniak, Search Co-Chair and Board member (Kai ‘23, Zac ‘28)
Breck Eisner, Board Member (Noah ‘27)
Jody Gerson, Board Member (Luke ‘21, Daisy ‘23)
Alan Hoffman, Board Chair (Jackson ‘33)
Jarred Phillips, US Science Teacher
Daniela Pennise, Upper School Director and Assistant Head of School for Program
Next Steps: Community Meetings, Survey, and Process
The process begins with a visit to New Roads by the CSA team. Cathy, Darryl and Burke will be on campus April 15 and April 16 to host a number of forums with our community. We invite you to attend any of these meetings to share your thoughts about the qualities you value in our next Head of School. A detailed schedule will be sent shortly.
An equally important part of the process is our community-wide confidential survey, which will be shared in conjunction with the campus visit. We hope everyone will take advantage of both opportunities to provide feedback. We encourage all members of our community to share your thoughts and perspective.
We expect to begin candidate recruitment next month and we expect this position will attract a diverse and talented pool of candidates. We intend to be inclusive and transparent about the process itself; however, we will also respect and uphold the confidentiality of all candidates during this process. Over the next several months, the committee will meet with and screen a wide and varied pool of candidates.
From this pool of candidates, the search committee expects to identify finalists who will return to New Roads in the fall to meet with as many members of our community as possible. As part of the process, the search committee and the CS&A team will conduct extensive reference checks on each of the finalists. After reviewing all the information from the reference checks as well as incorporating feedback from our broader community, the search committee will make its recommendation for a new Head of School to the Board of Trustees.
Ongoing Communications
We plan on updating the community frequently about the progress of our search, and we also encourage you to contact the search committee with input, questions, or concerns. You can also find additional information about the search on our website.
The Board of Trustees is committed to finding an extraordinary leader who embraces the New Roads mission and who can lead our school into an exciting and successful future. Thank you in advance for your participation and support in this important initiative.
Sincerely,
Evelyn Hou (Catherine ‘22, Charlotte ‘32) and Bryan Biniak (Kai ‘23, Zac ‘28)
Search Committee Co-Chairs
Carney Sandoe & Associates
New Roads School has retained Carney Sandoe & Associates (CS&A), an internationally recognized education search and recruitment, consulting, and coaching firm, to partner with us in the search for our next Head of School. CS&A brings deep knowledge of independent schools from over 45 years of experience guiding schools through their searches for exceptional heads of school, senior administrators, and faculty. Carney Sandoe is known for its highly personalized approach to understanding the particular strengths, needs, and cultures of schools and then supporting them through the identification, recruitment, and hiring of excellent leaders, whose skills and experiences align with the school’s needs. We are excited to work with Darryl Ford, Cathy Shelburne and Burke Zalosh as our consultants.
-
-
team large
-
Search Committee
Evelyn Hou, Seach Co-Chair and Board Vice Chair (Catherine ‘22, Charlotte ‘32)
Bryan Biniak, Search Co-Chair and Board member (Kai ‘23, Zac ‘28)
Breck Eisner, Board ember (Noah ‘27)
Jody Gerson, Board Member (Luke ‘21, Daisy ‘23)
Alan Hoffman, Board Chair (Jackson ‘33)
Jarred Phillips, Upper School Science Teacher
Daniela Pennise, Upper School Director and Assistant Head of School for Program
Timeline
Spring 2025
Host Community Meetings with Search Committee and Carney Sandoe & Associates
Spring/Summer 2025
Candidate Recruitment and Screening
Fall 2025
Finalist Interviews and Community Meetings
Board of Trustees Announces Head of School Appointment
Host Community Meetings with Search Committee and Carney Sandoe & Associates
Spring/Summer 2025
Candidate Recruitment and Screening
Fall 2025
Finalist Interviews and Community Meetings
Board of Trustees Announces Head of School Appointment
Search Updates
Contact Us
Get in touch with our Search Committee at search@newroads.org with questions and feedback.
New Roads School is a college preparatory K-12 private independent school in Santa Monica, CA, serving over 514 school age children from the greater Los Angeles area. New Roads School provides an inspired educational program from which an authentically diverse student population, mirroring the rich diversity of Los Angeles, develops a personal dedication to learning, a respect for independent thinking, and an expanding curiosity about the world and its people.
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS New Roads School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.