Head of School Search

Derby Academy is beginning a comprehensive, national search for its next Head of School.

Search Committee

Jeff Alexander P'24, Trustee and Committee Co-Chair
Caroline Counselman P'21,'24, Committee Co-Chair
Lori Cashman P’19,’19,’22,’22,’23 Trustee, Board President
Caroline Curtis Hayes '99, Trustee
John Drew P'20,'21,'25, Trustee
Jake Heller P'25,'26, Trustee
Suzanne Norris P'22,'23,'28, Trustee, Board Governance Chair
Jay Sadlon P'92,'96, Trustee, Former Faculty

Advisory Committee

Elizabeth Alvord, Faculty
Richard Andriole, English Department Co-Chair
Chris Brooks P’22,’24
Deborah Callahan ’59, P’83,’85,’88, Former Faculty, Former Interim Head of School, Derby Council
Jamison Gregory P’13,’15, Development
Pam Jensen P’13,’16,’20
Dave Kleberg, Faculty
Jill Mazzocco P’21,’23
Ellen Mitchell ’85, P’22,’24, Former Trustee, Derby Council Co-Chair
Maria Martignetti-Murphy P’12,’14,’17, Former Trustee, Derby Council
Mary Beth Murphy P’21,’25, Interim Head of PS/LS
Susannah Murphy, Faculty
Aileen Nalen, English Department Co-Chair
Samantha Sears ’06, Faculty
Tanya Stevens P’20,’25
Lara Thompson P’22,’24,’27
Kirk Wolford P’17,’19,’23

Search Process Timeline

  • November 17, 2019: Joe Perry shares that the 2019-2020 academic year will be his last year at Derby Academy.
  • November 25, 2019: Derby Academy’s Board of Trustees informs the community on Joe Perry’s resignation, reflecting on his remarkable five years of leadership, and expresses their intent on commencing a structured, thorough, and inclusive search for our new Head of School. 
  • November-December 2019: A series of community coffees between faculty, parents, and members of the Board are held in late November and early December to discuss the transition.
  • December 18, 2019: Head of School Search Committee Co-Chairs announce selection of educational consulting firm Educators’ Collaborative to help conduct the Head of School search.
  • January 15-16, 2020: Representatives from the educational consulting firm Educators' Collaborative visit campus to meet with constituents and discuss the search process.
  • February 7, 2020: Members of the Search Committee are announced and Advisory Committee nominations are opened.
  • February 19, 2020: Advisory Committee nominations are closed.
  • March 4, 2020: Derby Academy is pleased and honored to announce the appointment of Thomas J. Reid, as Interim Head of School.
  • March 7, 2020: Members of the Advisory Committee are announced.
  • June 15, 2020: Thomas J. Reid officially begins his role as Interim Head of School.
  • Mid-July 2020: The Search Committee reviewed the dossiers of more than 40 candidates submitted by search consultants, Educators’ Collaborative.
  • August 12-13, 2020: Nine candidates are invited to Zoom interviews with the entire Search Committee.

  • August 29, 2020: The Search Committee reserves four dates and times for the selected candidates to visit Derby as finalists: September 10-11, September 14-15, September 17-18, and September 21-22.

  • September 25, 2020: Derby Academy and its Board of Trustees announce the appointment of Colleen M. Ramsden as Derby Academy’s 35th Head of School, beginning July 1, 2021. 

Derby Academy, Hingham, sunset, campus, Head of school search