Board Update, Summer 2024

Headwaters School
Dear Headwaters Parents, Faculty, Staff, Students, and Friends,

As we come to the close of the 2023-2024 academic school year, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the school’s accomplishments and express my gratitude to each and every one of you for your commitment to our school community. Headwaters is unique in its care and attention to each student.

I am delighted to extend a special thank you and farewell to four of our trustees who will be stepping down from their roles after serving on the board for six years- Adam Battani, Melanie Meador, Taina Palombo-Price, and Jerry Aubin, who served on the board for seven years. As a volunteer body, I am regularly inspired by their dedication and contributions.

In our past year of Board business, here are some notable achievements:
  • Each board meeting included robust updates on important school functions like Admissions & Retention, Program Development, Faculty & Staff, Health, Facilities, Development, and Finance.
  • We continued to collaborate with Ted and offer support, guidance, oversight, and counsel in his leadership and stewardship of the school. Next year, we will be working closely with Ted on goal-setting and strategy for the school’s future.
  • The board supported the Upper Elementary expansion on the Creek Campus and provided support, oversight, and guidance as the staff worked on that strategic project.
  • As part of our responsibilities focused on excellent programming and the school’s reputation, the board participated in the five-year review of our International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. 
  • We also revived a tradition, begun before the pandemic, of hearing a review of college counseling and the readiness of our graduates for the world after Headwaters.
  • Internally, the board maintained its fiduciary duties in reviewing the annual audit and the school’s 990.
  • Ted kept us apprised of our place in the accreditation cycle with ISAS and the board was informed of the process, content, and findings from our five-year interim report. We look forward to the next step in the accreditation cycle in five years with another self-study.
  • Most board meetings begin with a segment of board education on some aspect of the school and this spring a rising senior presented on his experience with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI), and he shared his proposal for a student-run River Campus Diversity Council.
  • As the school year closed, the Board welcomed three new members–Meg Moore, Brian Szymczak, and John Berkowitz. 
  • Additionally, Sean Murphy, Magdalena Vial, and Allan Cole agreed to serve a second three-year term on the Board, and they are joined by Anand Anbalagan,Tracy Manier, Jessica Rio, and Keith Martin, who are in the midst of their first or second terms, respectively.
  • The board is excited to support the school’s efforts in planning for an endowment initiated by two Class of 2024 Alumni.

It was a great honor to serve my first term as the Board Chair this year with the invaluable support and dedication of Magdalena Vial as Vice Chair. Her passion for education and strong leadership qualities have served our community in countless ways in just this first year. We are looking forward to our continued partnership.

As we look ahead to the next academic year, we are excited about the opportunities that lie before us. We will continue to build on our successes, guided by the school’s Purpose, Promise, and PACT to live authentically, think expansively, and create bravely. Our focus will remain on fostering an inclusive and dynamic learning environment that prepares our students for the complexities of the world beyond Headwaters School. 

We extend our deepest gratitude to our faculty and staff, whose passion and dedication are the heartbeat of our school. To our parents, your unwavering support and involvement are vital to our collective success. And to our students, you are the reason we strive for excellence every day. Your curiosity, resilience, and achievements inspire us all.

In closing, the Board of Trustees reaffirms its commitment to upholding the Purpose, Promise, and PACT of Headwaters School while embracing innovation and progress. Together, we will continue to create a nurturing and stimulating environment where every student can thrive.

Thank you for being an integral part of the Headwaters School family. We wish you a restful and rejuvenating summer and look forward to welcoming you back in the fall.

Sincerely,

Allan Cole
Board Chair 

If you have questions or wish to attend a meeting, please email boardoftrustees@headwaters.org.
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As a 501(c)3 non-profit school, Headwaters School does not discriminate because of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other classes protected by federal, state, or local law in its admissions, financial aid, hiring, or board membership processes.