October 26, 2020

On behalf of the trustees. I am writing to announce we are opening a search for our next head of school whose term will begin on July 1, 2021. Kevin Breen has accepted a position in his home state of Massachusetts, closer to his family, and will serve in his current capacity through the end of the school year.

As Kevin shared with the Board of Trustees:

"Dana and I consider ourselves so very fortunate to have found the Marshall School in the wonderful city of Duluth, a school which will forever hold a special place in our hearts.

For more than seven years, I have worked alongside some of the finest people I have ever met.  I am deeply respectful of my administrative team, a team comprised of the most loyal and dedicated professionals I have ever known, and equally indebted to our amazing teachers and staff who, among other things, helped raise my two children. Finally, I have a profound appreciation for the current and past trustees who have guided the school as we accomplished a great deal, all the while supporting and caring for me and my family.

In my new role, Dana and I will be within 50-minutes of our children, parents, grandparents and siblings at a time where being available to help and spend time together is important.  It is the right time for me and my family to be back home and this position is the right place for me for the future.

The school is in excellent hands and I am committed to be fully engaged through the 2020/2021 school year. This chapter is not yet complete. Together we will continue to deliver on the Mission of Marshall School today and as we transition to the future."

Knowing Kevin from the start I can tell you that his move here was for both family and career.  He saw Marshall not only as an innovative gem he could help polish, he also saw a caring community where he could raise his children.  His move back East is very similar.  Kevin will be closer to both sets of parents allowing for more time spent together and a career move that is to help a school improve itself.  These choices earn my highest respect and his impact will echo through our halls for decades.

In searching for a new Head of School, the Board sees a great opportunity to build on the school's current momentum.  Our facilities have seen great improvements in efficiencies and aesthetics. The teachers, the core of our quality, are industry leaders in curriculum and new era delivery.  We have just witnessed a jump in enrollment as the scope of education has changed and we were there to offer a way through.  All of these accomplishments and momentum will attract a strong candidate who will help deliver these new steps and forge the way through this changing landscape.

The search for Kevin's replacement is already underway, and we will seek input from all constituent groups at the appropriate time. To that end, we are in the process of interviewing consultants from several search firms and will choose one this week. Once we select a firm, a formal search committee will be established, and we will maintain a page on our website where you will be able to find frequent updates. 

Our new head of school will be joining a sailing vessel at full sail with a reliable crew, their job will be to show us improvements and take us to our next destination.

We know you will have questions regarding the search process. Please look for an FAQ on the website in the very near future. 

The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees will continue working for the next several weeks, with the expectation of forming a Search Committee by early November. The Search Committee will work with a consultant to build a pool of candidates and eventually name Marshall's next Head of School in early spring of 2021. We will work as expeditiously as possible while ensuring a thorough, thoughtful process. The next Head of School will begin on July 1, 2021. 

The Board of Trustees has asked the Head Search Committee to engage in a thoughtful and thorough process to develop and assess prospective candidates, ultimately recommending one person to the Board for consideration as Marshall's next Head of School. The Board expects the Committee to engage broadly with the School community, to listen to a wide variety of views about the School and the qualities needed in the next Head of School. The Board asks the Search Committee to keep the community informed and engaged throughout the search process, while respecting the confidentiality of the candidate recruitment process. 

As the caretakers of Marshall School, the Board of Trustees holds the important responsibility of appointing the Head of School. Members of the Board will share their thoughts with the consultants prior to the development of the position statement. The Board of Trustees will have the opportunity to meet with the finalist candidate(s), and, acting on the recommendation of the Search Committee, will vote to approve the appointment of the next Head of School.

The faculty will remain actively engaged throughout the Search, from giving feedback and commentary to the search consultants during the information gathering stage prior to publication of the Leadership Profile, to meeting semifinalists and finalist candidates. Faculty, staff, and administrators will remain in close contact with the Search Committee throughout the process and will be represented on the Search Committee as well. 

Parents will be invited to complete surveys and participate in listening sessions. Once semi-final candidates are named, a representative parent group will be formed to participate in the interview process. 

No. All related information sessions, forums, and interviews will be built around faculty, staff, and student schedules so as not to disrupt the academic calendar and schedule.