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EVENTS: The Garden Festival was a huge success!
NEWS: Sign up to receive our latest news The Nantucket Lighthouse School Hires Head of School
The Nantucket Lighthouse School Trustees voted unanimously to hire Dr. Charles F. Clark of Vero Beach, Florida, as its first Head of School. Lizbet Carroll Fuller, Lighthouse School Co-Founder and Director of Education, will continue in her role as Director of Education and return to the classroom as a teacher. The Lighthouse School Board of Trustees recently undertook a strategic planning process focused on long range goals for the School, now in its 10th year. As goals for the school were identified, it became clear that a Head of School was a necessary next step in the School’s evolution. With the generous support of the Lighthouse School’s original benefactors, Kim and Liz Chace, the Trustees hired Carney Sandoe & Associates, an executive placement firm for independent schools, to conduct the search. The Boston firm, under the leadership of Larry Becker, who also assisted with the School’s strategic planning process, winnowed a field of candidates to four, with Dr. Clark quickly emerging as the finalist. The Lighthouse School Search Committee, co-chaired by Connie Umberger and the late Mimi Beman, and its members Molly Anderson, Lizbet Carroll Fuller, Cheryl Evans, Douglass Ellis, Matt Fee, Patrick Hehir, Elizabeth Sundell, and Quint Waters, approved Clark as its recommendation for the new Head of School. “Charlie Clark is a sophisticated and dynamic school leader with twenty-five years experience as a Head of School,” said Lighthouse School Board Co-Chair and Search Committee Co-Chair Connie Umberger. “Mission driven, with a strong belief in developmentally sound educational programs, he is singularly well suited to taking on the next phase of the Lighthouse School's growth. The Board of Trustees of the school is proud and excited to make this appointment.” Clark has served five different types of schools in his forty year independent school career, most recently as Head of School for Saint Edward’s School in Vero Beach, FL, an independent, co-educational preparatory school, pre-K through 12th grade serving 835 students. Prior to his six years as Head of Saint Edward’s School, Clark headed the Cincinnati Country Day School (CCDS), an independent school serving 900 students early childhood through grade 12. “During our years together at CCDS, Charlie oversaw the entire process of a successful 25 million dollar campaign and the subsequent construction of a 100,000 square foot facility,” said Thomas B. Main, Head of King School in Stamford, CT, and former Head of Upper School at CCDS. “His depth of knowledge and commitment to educational programs that recognize and accommodate different developmental states is rare, and the schools that he has led reflect this value and awareness. He is truly one of the great, experienced school heads in the field now.” Before CCDS, Clark was Head of The Orchard School in Indianapolis, IN for ten years. Earlier in his career he served as an administrator, teacher and coach at the Tatnall School in Wilmington, DE and the Peddie School in New Jersey. Clark’s resume includes leadership positions at NAIS, as well as serving on the Florida, Ohio, Indiana and Mid-West Regional Associations of Independent Schools. He has served several other independent schools facilitating long-range planning processes, chairing accreditation, and evaluation visiting teams, and consulting on developing school leaders for the future. In his forty years working in independent schools, Clark has led several successful capital campaigns. As part of its strategic plan, the Nantucket Lighthouse School has recently embarked upon the accreditation process and is in the midst of a capital campaign to complete the new facility at 1 Rugged Road. “One of the goals in our strategic plan is to become accredited via the Association of Independent Schools in New England,” said Patrick Hehir, co-president of the Lighthouse School Board. “Among the many impressive qualities and experiences that Charlie Clark brings to the Lighthouse School is his work with various independent schools on accreditation. That experience, along with his long track record of successfully raising funds for multi-million dollar capital campaigns, dovetails perfectly with our needs as a school right now. Most importantly, Charlie believes in Lighthouse School’s mission and approach to education.” Clark received his BA in Government and his M.ED in Educational Administration from St. Lawrence University in 1970 and 1973 respectively. He went on to complete his doctoral work at the University of Delaware earning his ED.D degree in Educational Leadership. Clark’s doctoral research focused on the physiological imperatives for maximizing knowledge in the pre and early teen years. Recently, Clark founded “Independent School Leadership” and writes a monthly newsletter, Head to Head, serving primarily Heads of Schools. In addition, he personally mentors others in the field. Dr. Clark is married to Gail Houston Clark, who has served for 28 years as a teacher in elementary and middle schools specializing in writing and tutoring. Life-long summer residents of Martha's Vineyard, the Clarks are seasoned island dwellers and sailors in Cape and Island waters. They have 3 children and 5 grandchildren. “In accepting the Head of School position at the Nantucket Lighthouse School, I feel I have returned to my roots,” said Clark. “The Nantucket Lighthouse School’s excellent curriculum and commitment to the whole child, and what is developmentally appropriate for children, align beautifully with my educational philosophy.” Lizbet Carroll Fuller commented, “As a Co-Founder of Lighthouse School, I am thrilled that Charlie Clark will be our very first Head of School. He brings a wealth of experience and an inspiring vision to guide what is an exciting period of growth for Lighthouse. As the Director of Education and a teacher, I feel that our Lighthouse staff has found a wonderful leader, mentor, and colleague in Charlie. I feel very lucky to be working with him.” Lighthouse School Co-Founder Elizabeth Sundell said, "As co-founder of Lighthouse School I am delighted to have a man of Charlie's wisdom and experience join us as we begin this important and exciting time in our school's growth." “We are so very fortunate to have found in Charlie all of the qualities we were seeking in a Head of School,” added Board Co-President Connie Umberger: “His experience working with accreditation; his success with capital campaigns; his expertise in middle school education as we prepare launch a satellite 7/8 grade program; and most of all, his commitment to developmental educational theory and mission-driven leadership are invaluable. I believe he will preserve the best of what Lighthouse School stands for and lead us confidently into the future.”
Nantucket Lighthouse School in the news:
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