Articles & Blogs

Julia Russell Eells and Jerry Larson, in their publication The Nearly Complete Guide to Navigating the Head of School Transition, cite research showing that even a basic transition plan can increase the success of a new leader by 40%. So why do so many boards and schools invest heavily in

Jerry Larson believed in me before I fully believed in myself. He called me into leadership, made my pivotal placement at Dunn School possible, and, in his final days, left me a voicemail I still play when I need grounding: a reminder that leadership is not about titles, but about

Is the declining engagement of trustees in head of school searches contributing to the rise in failed searches and premature departures of school leaders? While we have yet to conduct a formal longitudinal study on the matter, our extensive experience guiding head searches across the independent school landscape points to

Over the years I’ve come to realize just how right on target Mr. Houle was. Achieving this victory is made all the more difficult when one takes into account that each board has its own culture and what might help transform one board into a good board may not be the appropriate steps for another board.

There is strong agreement that Heads of Independent Schools and other leaders are facing more pressure than ever to navigate complex environments, partner with employees and clients who are increasingly transactional, manage diverse teams, and achieve results while balancing their own well-being with the well-being of their school communities. Emotional

Educational Directions places a high value on reference checking. Ensuring that we, and the search committees we support, receive meaningful information is paramount in selecting the right candidate for a position. Initially, we ask all candidates to submit five references, and if a candidate advances to the finalist stage, we