Friday, September 23, 2011

We are pleased to announce Gould’s next head of school, Matthew Ruby. Please read the announcement below from Board of Trustees Chair, Richard Packard ’66.

Dear Gould Community,

On behalf of the board of trustees and the Head of School Search Committee, I’m excited to announce that Matthew Ruby has been named the next head of school for Gould Academy, effective July 1, 2012. After a thorough and global search, Matthew received unanimous support from both the search committee and the full board.

Matthew has served as the associate head of school at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, MN since 2009, after holding the position of director of studies from 2007. Prior to Shattuck-St. Mary’s, he taught at the Breck School in Minneapolis, MN from 2002-2007, where he also served as head of the history department from 2002-2003 and as the upper school dean of studies from 2003-2007. Matthew began his career in education, teaching in the Minneapolis public school system from 1998-2002. From 1987-1993 he served as a US naval officer and worked in the private sector from 1993-1996. He is a graduate of Strake Jesuit College Preparatory (1981), Carleton College (1985) where he earned a B.A. in history, and the University of Minnesota (1995) where he earned an M.A. in industrial relations. In 1998, he earned a secondary certification in social studies from Shippensburg University. Matthew and his wife, Kathy, have two children.

Matthew’s unanimous selection by the board of trustees is a testament to the diligent and detailed work of our search committee led by Co-Chairs Wendy Penley and Charlie Jacobs ’66. Over the last eight months the committee made of up faculty, staff, parents, and trustees retained the nationally respected search consulting firm, Educational Directions Inc., published the search Opportunity Statement based on essential feedback from the community outlining the qualities needed in the next head of school, reviewed over 20 candidate packets, chose and interviewed seven semi-finalists winnowing those seven down to three finalists, and conducted complete background checks and over 40 reference interviews.

However, it was the input and support from faculty, staff, parents, students, and alumni that made this search a comprehensive process, one that began and finished with overwhelming contribution and guidance from the Gould community. Over the last two weeks the committee and the community together have participated in three-day interviews with each candidate. As a result of these interviews, the search committee received and reviewed more than 500 evaluations from the participants. This level of involvement has defined the search’s success.

Matthew exemplifies the personal and professional character that Gould requires in its next leader as indicated by our community. These qualities include a leader who is energetic, confident and creative, one who can articulate Gould’s distinctive educational vision and inspire others to further strengthen the school; a leader who is hands-on, down-to-earth and approachable, one who understands Gould’s sense of community and embraces its love of its surroundings.

The Gould community has overwhelmingly recognized that Matthew not only understands these qualities as essential to leading Gould Academy, he embodies them.

Upon receiving the board’s offer to be the next head of school at Gould, Matthew responded, “Gould has an abundance of assets – healthy tradition, natural beauty, habits of innovation, strong faculty and community, and a humane spirit – that set the stage for great success in the decades ahead.  It will be a privilege to lead this school.”

Over the last ten years under the leadership of Dan Kunkle, Gould has moved forward at a rapid pace thanks to a tightly knit community of faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni who are devoted to the Gould experience.  On behalf of the board I thank our committee members and each of you for your support and exceptional contribution to this important process, and with you I look forward to the future.

On behalf of the board of trustees, please join me in welcoming Matthew and his family to Gould Academy.

Warmly,

Richard Packard ’66

Chair, Gould Academy Board of Trustees

Thursday, August 25, 2011

It is with great enthusiasm that we announce the finalists for Gould’s next head of school.

The search committee spent last weekend interviewing a very strong group of semi-finalists on campus. After considerable deliberation the committee narrowed the field to the following three candidates.

Zachary G. Lehman has served as assistant head of school for advancement at Gould Academy since 2006. He also teaches filmmaking, is an advisor, and is the varsity boys’ lacrosse coach. Prior to Gould, Zack practiced law for two years before founding MetroLacrosse Inc. in Boston, MA, where he served as executive director from 2000-2006. He is a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy (1991), Dartmouth College (1995), where he earned a B.A. in geography cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and Harvard Law School (1998), where he earned his J.D. magna cum laude. He and his wife, Amy, have three children.

Kevin M. MacNeil has served as academic dean at Culver Academies in Culver, IN since 2002. He came to Culver as the director of studies in 1999. Prior to Culver, Kevin taught humanities, biomedical ethics, and math at St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH from 1992-1999. He is a graduate of Bard College (1981), where he earned a B.A. in mathematics, Brown University (1984), where he received his M.S. in mathematics, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1992), where he earned his Ph.D. in philosophy. Kevin and his wife, Denise, have two children.

Matthew Ruby has served as the associate head of school at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, MN since 2009, after holding the position of director of studies from 2007. Prior to Shattuck-St. Mary’s, he taught at the Breck School in Minneapolis, MN from 2002-2007, where he also served as head of the history department from 2002-2003 and the upper school dean of studies from 2003-2007. Matthew began his career in education teaching in the Minneapolis public school system from 1998-2002. From 1987-1993 he served as a US naval officer and worked in the private sector from 1993-1996. He is a graduate of Strake Jesuit College Preparatory (1981), Carleton College (1985) where he earned a B.A. in history, and the University of Minnesota (1995) where he earned an M.A. in industrial relations. In 1998, he earned a secondary certification in social studies from Shippensburg University. Matthew and his wife, Kathy, have two children.

The search committee will conduct extensive two-day interviews with each candidate on campus in mid-September, where they will meet with trustees, faculty, staff, students, parents and alumni. It is our hope to announce Gould’s next head of school in October.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

The July 15 application deadline yielded a great response and a strong pool of resumes to consider. After many hours of reading and reflection, the search committee met on August 3 and selected a group of semi-finalists.

The search committee will interview semi-finalists in late August. From these interviews the committee will then choose two to three finalists, who will be invited back to campus this fall for more in-depth interviews with the search committee and meetings with trustees, faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

We are pleased to share with you the Opportunity Statement for the Head of School search.

You may view it online or download it by visiting the “Opportunity Statement” page on this site.

Sunday, April 10, 2011 – Tuesday, April  12, 2011

Head search consultants, Bob Fricker and Chris Arnold, of Educational Directions Inc. spent Sunday through Tuesday on campus meeting with and learning from the Gould community. With the information they’ve compiled through comprehensive meetings, question and answer sessions, and tours they will create a job description for the head of school position or an “opportunity statement.”

The opportunity statement will be posted on this site once complete.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Head of School Search Committee Co-Chairs, Wendy Penley and Charlie Jacobs ’66 announce the members of the fully constituted head search committee and the hiring of consulting firm,  Educational Directions Inc.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Head of School Dan Kunkle announces his plans to retire after the 2011-2012 academic year. Read Mr. Kunkle’s letter to the board of trustees and a letter of response from Board Chair Richard Packard ’66.