About Us

Head of School Search

October 15, 2024

Dear Berwick Community Members,

As a follow up to the recent announcement of Jim Hamilton’s departure at the end of this academic year, The Board of Trustees is excited to announce that after an extensive vetting process, having considered several national firms, we have retained Resource Group 175 (RG 175) to partner with us in the search for our next Head of School. Founded in 2002, RG 175 has an outstanding reputation of partnering with leading independent schools across the country to identify and hire inspiring leaders. The principals who will be working on this search, John Green, Robert Henderson and Marcia Prewitt Spiller, each offer extensive experience and personal qualities that will be indispensable as we move through this important process.

RG 175 is confident there will be a deep pool of high-quality candidates excited to be considered for this role. Typically, the hiring cycle for most Head of School searches begins in the Spring. As we are starting our search later in the cycle, it is possible we may choose a candidate who is not available to start until July 2026, due to contractual requirements. If we determine that hiring such a candidate is in the best long-term interest of the school, RG 175 will assist in the selection of an external interim head. They will work with the board to ensure a seamless transition through that process.

On Monday, October 28 and Tuesday, October 29, RG 175 will be on campus to conduct an extensive discovery process. They are looking forward to holding meetings and forums with faculty, staff, administration, trustees, parents, students and alumni. They will also solicit additional input through surveys. Each of these are important opportunities for everyone to have a voice in the selection criteria for identifying candidates. Detailed information on how you can participate in this process will be forthcoming.

In the coming weeks a search committee will be announced. I am excited to share that Nicole Outsen has agreed to chair this committee. A trustee since 2021, Nicole is the parent of two Berwick alums, Finn '22 and Kaya '24 Garside. Nicole is the Head of School at Seacoast Charter School, a K-8 art integration charter school in Dover, NH and is a PhD student in education at the University of New Hampshire. Her experience in educational leadership and her passion for Berwick Academy make her an excellent choice to lead this effort. RG 175 and board leadership will work closely with Nicole to create a search committee comprised of trustees, faculty, parents and administration.

Please feel free to reach out directly if you have any questions or thoughts. As the Board of Trustees manages through this process, we are grateful to Jim Hamilton and his entire team for their continued diligence in partnering with us to advance the initiatives outlined in our strategic plan and manage the ongoing activities that are the joy and energy of life on the Hilltop.

Sincerely,

Barbara Rose O'Connor
Board of Trustees - President

Partnership With Resource Group 175

The Board of Trustees has selected RG175, a premier executive search firm, to partner with the search committee. RG175 is staffed by a host of long-serving, successful heads of school with decades of experience conducting successful high-profile national and international searches for independent school leaders. RG175 consultants John Green, Marcia Prewitt Spiller, and Robert Henderson will co-lead the effort.

List of 3 items.

John Green

Before joining RG175, John worked for thirty-two years at a range of independent schools, including Fessenden School, Western Reserve Academy, and St. Paul School. In 2001, he was appointed the head at Peddie School in New Jersey, retiring in 2013. John has served as a trustee at Choate-Rosemary Hall School.
Marcia Prewitt Spiller

Marcia Prewitt Spiller is the former senior vice president for academic and student life at Woodward Academy in Georgia. Prior to being appointed to this position, she was head of The Children’s School in Atlanta for more than two decades. In 2009, she was elected chair of the board of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). She is also a former board chair of the Enrollment Management Association (EMA) and a current board member at Western Reserve Academy in Ohio.
Robert P. Henderson, Jr

Before joining RG175 as a consultant in 2017, Bob Henderson worked for thirty-seven years at schools in three different time zones, including both boarding and day schools, and schools of differing configurations, cultures, and philosophies. In June of 2017, he stepped down as the head of school at Noble and Greenough School (Nobles), in Dedham, Massachusetts. Prior to Nobles, Bob was headmaster of North Yarmouth Academy in Portland, Maine. Bob has served as a trustee for Tenacre Country Day School and Tilton School, and served on the board of advisors of Chewonki Foundation in Maine.