Trustees Launch Interim Head of Academy Search

Following the resignation of Principal Lisa MacFarlane, the Board of Trustees announced its search for an interim principal. The interim principal will serve for one school year, starting in the fall of 2018 and ending in the spring of 2019. After that year, a new principal will be introduced into the permanent position. Despite a short tenure, the interim principal will play a key role in the transition and the addressing of current problems at the school such as racism and equity.

In order to facilitate the transition, President of the Trustees John (Tony) Downer has stated that the Board of Trustees will retain an interim principal from within the existing Exeter community. “We will be very, very focused on naming someone known by and familiar with the community, so we will not be doing a nationwide search for the interim principal,” he said.

Unlike searches for a permanent principal, interim principal searches are usually local and shorter.  “In past principal searches, we have scoured the country—and indeed the world—for the best candidate,” Downer explained. After the interim principal is chosen, the international search for PEA’s permanent principal will begin, hopefully concluding by the end of the next school year.

“I’m sure the Trustees will act with all these considerations in mind, and they will pick an interim who will be great for the staff, faculty and students.”

A national or international search for a principal could bring fresh perspectives and ideas to Exeter. Still, some students find the prospect of having a longtime member of the Exeter community as their interim principal reassuring.

“I liked how relatable and open MacFarlane was with students. I could count on her waving back on paths and listening to our concerns,” upper Jeremy Xu said. “I want an interim principal who is just as engaged in the students’ day-to-day lives and invested in improving the quality of their lives here at Exeter. In order to be an engaged administrator over the course of a short tenure, they should probably already know what Exeter is like.”

Similarly, upper Rose Martin hopes to see a principal who will remain responsive to the diverse student body, after the outset of MacFarlane’s diversity and inclusion initiative this year. “I’d like to see that the interim principal will continue with the ALES proposal and help meet the demands of the community of color,” she said. “Since they’re from within our community, I hope they will have a bigger insight on these issues since they have one-on-one conversations with students and know what Exeter is like.”

For others, a fresh start would be more beneficial to the community. “I think it will be important to get someone who can step away from their attachment to this place,” said upper Adrian Kyle Venzon.

New students’ first impressions of PEA, the administration and the role of the principal will be determined by the interim principal in the 2018-2019 school year. Former Assistant Principal Ron Kim, who left Exeter at the end of last year, felt strongly about the interim principal’s ability to affect incoming students’ perspectives on the Academy. “Although it’s an interim role, the relatively short duration of that position still represents a significant part of the students’ whole experience,” he said.

According to Track Coach Olutoyin Augustus, the role of the interim principal in the community will be decided by the Trustees. “If their goal is to placehold, then I think that would look different than if they want to bring in someone who’s going to make a lot of changes,” she said. Augustus expressed uncertainty to the extent in which the interim will be involved in the school’s affairs. “In one year, I don’t think they’re going to be here to solve a bulk of the problems,” she explained. “It doesn’t make sense to come in and do that because any new position is going to need some time to transition.”

Although the interim principal’s role may not be to initiate new policies and ideas, the role will likely include the typical administrative and management responsibilities of a principal, which includes overseeing all campus activities and alumni relations, among other things. Martin expressed disappointment in this short tenure, saying, “I feel that if there is someone who wants to make some sort of monumental change, one year wouldn’t be enough,” she said. “One year is very limiting.”

However, Downer pledged that the interim principal will be a strong, assertive head-of-school with integrity and determination. “The interim should be someone who commands standing and respect from the members of the community due to her or his judgment, intelligence, demonstrated leadership and management capabilities, work ethic and ability to forge strong and effective relationships,” Downer explained. Kim pointed out that the qualities of an interim were linked to the issues that Exeter will have to deal with next year. “The desired qualities in an interim principal depend very much on what the Trustees and administration have as their goals for next year.  Once you know the goals, the necessary qualities of the interim principal will become clear,” Kim said.

Many wonder where the interim will actually come from. Some alumni believe the interim must come from another prep school. Deb Taft ’80, whose father taught at PEA and who has volunteered extensively in the Exeter community, noted that a leader from any organization might be helpful, saying, “I disagree with the notion that the next Principal must be a current Head from another independent school.” She also noted that “restricting the search only to current independent school Heads creates too narrow an aperture and will prevent the strongest candidate pool from being built at the outset.” Taft argued that an interim principal’s ability to lead should extend beyond the sphere of education. “The next principal must have independent school experience, yes, but most important is that she or he have proven experience in leading organizations through change and in building organizations to a next great era,” she said.

According to Downer, the interim will ultimately be named by the Board of Trustees. He also noted that they have begun the search right now, saying, “We are in the earliest of early stages in this endeavor.”

Kim believes the Trustees will ultimately make the right choice. “I’m sure the Trustees will act with all these considerations in mind, and they will pick an interim who will be great for the staff, faculty and students,” Kim said.