Head of School Search

Head of School Announcement

On October 6, 2022, Head of School Michael Barclay informed the community that he would be leaving Virginia Beach Friends School effective June 30, 2023, after five inspiring years in the position. Over the coming months, as the Search Committee conducts its work for Friends School's next Head of School, please check back here for updates on this process and progress.

READ LETTER FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL MICHAEL BARCLAY

READ LETTER FROM SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES

HEAD OF SCHOOL SEARCH DECEMBER UPDATE

NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENT

A NOTE FROM NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL, GREG ANGILLY

PRESS RELEASE

View the Position Statement

Please view the Position Statement for the next Head of School, which outlines the core mission, strengths, and opportunities of Virginia Beach Friends School, as well as the qualifications and qualities that the next Head of School will embody.

FAQs

Who is leading the search process?

The Board of Trustees is responsible for selecting and hiring the next head of school. To facilitate the search process, the Board created a Search Committee to accept and assess candidate applications and recommend an outstanding applicant to the Board. Recognizing that selecting our next leader is a critical milestone for the school, the Board has engaged Southern Teachers (ST) to serve as consultants. ST will be an invaluable resource throughout the entire process, from the development and posting of the job description to the final selection of the new head of school, and will also provide assistance in the transition.

What is the role of Southern Teachers?

The ST consultants will advise the Search Committee throughout the process based on their years of experience in the industry. They will help create the position profile, which they will use to market the head of school position. Over the coming weeks, ST will interview candidates and check references before presenting a pool of candidates to the Search Committee. The consultants will help prepare the Search Committee and other groups for semifinalist and finalist interviews and will facilitate the flow of feedback between the candidates and the committee. Finally, they will advise the Search Committee during the transition period.

What is the role of the HOS Search Committee?

The search committee’s role is to direct the search process. The committee vetted and proposed ST for Board approval, coordinated the input from the school’s varied constituent groups and worked with ST on creating the position profile. The committee will work with ST on narrowing the candidate pool and interviewing semifinalists. Based on those interactions, the committee then will narrow the field and organize finalist visits for the community. The committee will propose its top candidate to the Board for selection as the new head of school. Upon the Board’s approval, the committee will help to facilitate the leadership transition. One of the primary responsibilities of the search committee is to keep the school community informed and engaged throughout the entire search process, while respecting the confidentiality of the candidate recruitment process.

What is the role of the Board of Trustees?

The Board is responsible for hiring the next head of school. Trustees will meet the finalist candidates and acting upon the recommendation of the search committee, will make the appointment of the next head of school. In making its decision, the Board will ensure that the next head of school is the best fit for Virginia Beach Friends School, based on the school’s unique needs and the Board’s strategic plan.

What is the expected timeline of the search process?

How will the community be involved in the process?

The Virginia Beach Friends School community will be actively engaged during the search. Faculty members will meet with the ST consultants and will be asked to participate in an online survey. Additionally, faculty and staff will be invited to meet a select group of candidates during their on-campus visits.

Students will also be invited to meet with the ST consultants, to share their thoughts on what makes Virginia Beach Friends School special and what qualities they would like to see in the next head of school. Student insights will be sought again when the candidates are on campus.

Parents are asked to participate in a community-wide survey and will have an opportunity to meet the finalist candidates. Throughout the search process, parents are encouraged to share their thoughts and questions with the Search Committee via email at [email protected].