November 29, 2017
Announcement
Dear Members of the Lake Forest Academy Campus Community,
Last February I wrote to the entire Lake Forest Academy family concerning the anticipated Head of School leadership succession and transition. I now want to provide you with a brief status report of developments.
The Board of Trustees has authorized an international search for a successor to Dr. John Strudwick to assume Head of School responsibilities on July 1, 2019. The Board has constituted a search team to undertake the following tasks: (1) retain a search advisor; (2) solicit and review potential candidates; (3) assess and selectively reduce the list of candidates; and finally (4) recommend one or more candidates for selection by the Board.
The search team consists of 14 members of the Lake Forest Academy community listed below. Eleven are current trustees; three are life trustees; six are alumni; eight are parents of alumni; five are parents of current students; and two are faculty members.
Makola Abdullah (Trustee 2010-present; LFA 1986)
Petersburg, VA
Kerry Cedergren (Faculty 2001-present; P '13 '17)
Libertyville, IL
Jim Cowart
(Trustee 2011-present; LFA 1969)
Laguna Niguel, CA
Chris Dozois
(Faculty 1989-present; LFA 1984; P '17 '21)
Lake Forest Academy, LF, IL
Gloria Harper
(Faculty 1989-2006; P '93; Trustee 2007-2016; Life Trustee 2016)
Chicago, IL
Ned Jessen
(Trustee 1999-2008; 2009-present; P '01; 05; Life Trustee 2008)
Lake Bluff, IL
Gregory K. Jones (Trustee 2010-present; P '12 '14)
Lake Forest, IL
Beth Moritz
(Trustee 2016-present; P '15 '16 '18)
Winnetka, IL
Kathy Pollock
(Trustee 2014-present; Ferry Hall 1970)
Chicago, IL
Judith Reid-Anderson (Trustee 2015-present; P '13 '16 '18)
Lake Forest, IL
Mike Schell
(Trustee 2001-2010; 2011-present; Life Trustee 2010; LFA 1965)
Chatham, MA
Ramona Sequeira (Trustee 2017-present; P '17 '19)
Lake Forest, IL
Marianne Silver (Trustee 2015-present; P '08 '16 '19 '21)
Lake Bluff, IL
Richard Zhao
(Trustee 2010-present; LFA 2004)
Houston, TX
The search team has selected Triangle Associates – Heads Up Consulting to act as the search advisor for the team. Patrick F. Bassett will be their leader, and the remaining three principals of the firm – Richard Odell, Marc Frankel and Judith Schechtman – will be personally involved in leading the search.
The search process has begun. Our search advisor's team will be visiting the campus shortly to begin getting to know Lake Forest Academy's community and culture as well as they possibly can. We ask that you afford them every possible assistance in their efforts.
Our goal is to complete the search during 2018, but we will take whatever time is necessary. The search team will function in an orderly and efficient fashion that most likely would conclude in September or October 2018. It is of course possible the process could take somewhat longer – or, indeed, conclude earlier in May or June.
We are, however, confident of two things. First, the work of Dr. Strudwick, the board, the faculty and all the rest of the Lake Forest Academy family over the past 16 years has made this school an extremely attractive and desirable place to live, work and study – indeed, it is nonpareil. That bodes well for our search. Second, the search team and the board will make every effort to assure that LFA goes forward with the best Head of School that can be found anywhere.
Let me close with a bit of advice for all of us. We know that the transition to a new Head of School creates uncertainty. Please know that your search team and your board are acutely aware of their responsibility to deliver the school to a leadership that will respect, value and enhance what we have created these past nearly two decades – to say nothing of 160 years. We ask your trust and confidence as we welcome your thoughts and input.
With best regards,
J. Michael Schell '65
Board and Search Team Chair