October 2018 Update from the Head of School Search Committee


In late September through early October, four highly qualified Head of School finalists with diverse experiences and backgrounds visited Woodlynde's campus to engage with the Woodlynde community. 


Many of you participated in forums that provided you with the opportunity to both meet and ask questions of the candidates. The Search Committee is grateful for all of the enthusiastic participation and input from faculty, board members, parents, (current and alumni), and the candidates alike.
 
After much thoughtful consideration, the Search Committee has reached the conclusion that while these four candidates brought terrific sets of experiences and competencies, no single candidate had the combination of skills we believe are necessary to both lead - and importantly, advance - Woodlynde. Thus, we will continue to work with our Carney, Sandoe & Associates consultants to find the visionary who can lead and advance this special school community with such an exciting future. In fact, they are already hard at work identifying new candidates that they will present to the Search Committee in the coming months.
 
While some of you may be disappointed that a Head of School was not selected from this group of four finalists, I believe it is a strong sign of the commitment this Search Committee has to finding the best leader for Woodlynde's next chapter. After all, Woodlynde is a school that transforms not only the lives of its students, but also the lives of its families. As a Committee, we are confident that we will find that Head of School who can preserve those critical elements that make Woodlynde the unique, transformative school it is today, while also leading us successfully into the future.
 
Again, thank you all for your participation to date, and thank you in advance for your continued support of the search process. We will continue to keep you informed as we move through the next steps of the process.

Sarah Houston P'25, Search Committee Chair
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Woodlynde School is a private, co-ed college prep day school located in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that serves intelligent, talented students with learning differences in grades K - 12. Woodlynde provides a comprehensive, evidence-based Kindergartenelementarymiddle and high school program in a challenging yet nurturing environment for students with average to above average cognitive abilities (IQ) who have language- or math-based learning differences (such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia or Dyscalculia), Executive Function Challenges, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Auditory Processing Disorder. Even for those students without a diagnosed learning disability (LD), Woodlynde offers expert and caring teachers in small classroom settings that support academic success. Woodlynde School also offers a post-graduate (PG) program in partnership with Rosemont College as well as a regional Summer Camp for students who learn differently.