The Country School have notified the school’s community that the Easton private school will begin a Head of School search to replace Bill Ennist who resigned earlier this summer.
A letter was sent to parents and school supporters by John Hockmeyer, president of the School’s Board of Trustees, last month explaining the change of leadership. It is printed in full below:
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Dear Friends,
Today, we write to you to share the news that The Country School’s Board of Trustees has accepted the resignation of our Head of School, Bill Ennist. We support his decision, and we wish Bill and his family well in their future endeavors.
Taking the helm of a school following the departure of a long-tenured Head is never easy. Add to that a global pandemic and a nationwide reckoning on social justice. This was truly a year unlike any other in our school’s — and our nation’s — history. And, through this extraordinary year, Bill led our school community with grace, dignity, and an unrelenting commitment to giving students the best possible experience. It was thanks to Bill’s decisiveness and leadership that our community was able to be together, in person, safely, as so many of our families aspired to be.
Since joining the school last July, Bill has provided valuable leadership to our community. His approach to education and his vision for enhancing our child-centered curriculum has led to a rewarding experience for our students, families, faculty and staff alike.
As the school’s Board of Trustees, we are dedicated to ensuring your children continue to receive the exceptionally high level of enriching education you have come to expect from The Country School. We are thrilled to announce that Jean Waller Brune has agreed to serve as Acting Head during this transition period. Jean is formerly a member of the Board of Trustees of The Country School and is the Head of School Emeritus of the Roland Park Country School, a distinguished preK-12 all-girls school in Baltimore, MD that Jean led for 24 years. Jean is a visionary leader and an extraordinary resource for The Country School and brings a lifetime of deep knowledge of independent schools and of our community due to her tenure on the Board of Trustees.
The School has retained an outstanding firm to begin our search process for an Interim Head. This will be an opportunity to direct the future of our School, and our goal is to ensure it will be a thoughtful and deliberative process. We will share more details as soon as we are able.
The Country School is a special place, and as we look ahead to the school year, we are filled with optimism. Moreover, as we look to find a new leader, we, too, will be guided by our school’s mantra — “do your best, always.”
During this transition period, parents should direct any questions to Kitty Davis, Head of the Lower School and Wilson Everhart, Head of the Upper School. Kitty and Wilson will be working closely with Jean Brune during the transition period. As always, thank you for your support of The Country School community.
John Hockmeyer
President, Board of Trustees
The Country School
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