New Head of School? Three Questions You Have to Ask

Brad Rathgeber

Over the last month, many, many independent schools have joyfully welcomed new heads of school to their campuses. A new head’s arrival comes with excitement and a dash of nervous energy. Everyone wants the new head to find success, and yet there is so much to learn, in a short period of time. So, how can Academic Leaders make sure that they are effectively supporting the new head? Start by considering these three questions, and leaning on these competencies.

​Why was this head hired?
Competency: Assess the present, understand the past, and design for the future
The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) has done exceptional research on why boards hire heads of school. NAIS uses the “jobs to be done” methodology to understand why boards hire a specific head of school and what that means for the work of the head in that school. The three jobs can be classified as: 1) replacement of the former head of school to turn around a major component of a school (enrollment, fundraising, curriculum, etc.); 2) continuation of the strategy set forth by the prior head of school; 3) offer a new perspective and suggest changes “so we can maintain our relevance while still executing our school’s existing vision.”  Academic Leaders might think of this a wholesale change, continuation of where we were going, and tweaks around the edges.  It is imperative for Academic Leaders to know which job the head was hired for, so that the Academic Leader can be in sync with the head’s priorities (and not, at worst, have priorities misaligned).

What’s essential for the new head to know about my work?
Competency: Maintain integrity to mission for the academic program 
Gone are the days when the head of school is also the chief academic officer. The role of the head of school has changed dramatically over the last twenty years, with trends accelerated by COVID. These days, the head of school must spend much more of their time in communications, governance, organization strategy, legal work, and financial matters. Put another way, the head of school work to maintain overall organizational adherence to the mission, meaning that you, Academic Leaders, are the linchpin to maintaining adherence to the mission for the academic program. The head of school can no longer know everything about the academic program, so you must distinguish between what is essential for the head to know and what is nice to have information – they will depend on you for that.

What relationships does the head of school need to know about?
Competency: Build and support trusting relationships
We all know that independent schools are relationship driven institutions, so it is important for a new head to understand the key relationships and begin to build trust quickly. As an Academic Leader, you need to consider: Who do I need to introduce the new head to in order for them to find success quickly? And, what landmines exist for them to avoid? Remember that a new head has little knowledge of the context they are entering, and, at worst, some people will try to exploit their lack of context for their own gains. Set the new head up for success by making key introductions and explaining why the relationships are so important, and the head will be grateful to you for their (hopefully) long tenure on campus.