Head of School Search

JCDS Seeking New Head of School

Ms. Pat Walker has announced her decision to retire at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Ms. Walker has dedicated 29 years to our school, as a teacher, Director of Admissions and for the past 9 years has served as Head of School. An esteemed leader and educator, Ms. Walker has set the tone and maintained an environment where our entire school community feels trusted, respected, and connected.

The Jacksonville Country Day School Board of Trustees has begun a nationwide search for a new Head of School. A Head of School Search Committee has been established and has enlisted the help of a search firm, Educational Directions, a nationally known consulting firm that works with independent schools to recruit and screen potential candidates. We expect to select our next Head before the 2023-2024 school year.

As we navigate through this important process, we will keep the JCDS community informed as to the progress of the committee.

Frequently Asked Questions

List of 6 items.

Why is JCDS looking for a new Head of School?

After 29 years of exceptional leadership, Ms. Pat Walker has decided to retire at the end of the 2022-2023 school year.
Who is conducting the search?

The Board of Trustees has engaged the nationally known firm, Educational Directions, to assist JCDS in the search. Consultants Mike Murphy and Sam Richards will be working with us.
What is the role of the search committee?

In March of 2022, the Board of Trustees appointed a Search Committee comprised of a group of talented, committed individuals with broad expertise and a deep passion for our school. Search Committee members have been thoughtfully selected to represent the perspectives of the key stakeholders in our community. The Search Committee will continue to work with the consulting firm to identify and select the best Head of School candidate to recommend to the Board of Trustees.

Search Committee Members:
Keri Morales, Chair, Head of School Search Committee; Vice-Chair, Board of Trustees
Mike Abel, Trustee, Former Parent
Kimberly Alula, Current Parent
Bernice Davis, Trustee, Current Parent
Mark Preston, Trustee, Current Parent
Bhavin Shah, Trustee, Current Parent
Justin Terry, Chair, Board of Trustees, Current Parent
Irene Wolfe, Former Trustee, Former Parent
Greg Wong, Former Chair, Board of Trustees; Former Parent
Communications to the Community

March 14, 2022 - Pat's Retirement Announcement

May 5, 2022 - Opportunity to Meet With Consultants
When will the new Head of School be selected?

We expect to select our next Head before the 2023-2024 school year.
Will the Community Have the Opportunity to Meet the Candidates?

Yes. Each of the three finalists will be invited to JCDS for a two-day visit. During this visit, members of the community will have an opportunity to meet with the candidates and will also have the opportunity to fill out a survey to provide feedback.

Head of School Search Timeline

List of 3 items.

3-10-22 - Head of School Search Committee Selected

The committee to lead the search for a new Head of School will include:

Keri Morales, Chair, Head of School Search Committee; Vice-Chair, Board of Trustees
Mike Abel, Trustee, Former Parent
Kimberly Alula, Current Parent
Bernice Davis, Trustee, Current Parent
Mark Preston, Trustee, Current Parent
Bhavin Shah, Trustee, Current Parent
Justin Terry, Chair, Board of Trustees, Current Parent
Irene Wolfe, Former Trustee, Former Parent
Greg Wong, Former Chair, Board of Trustees; Former Parent
3-14-22 - Announcement

Pat Walker's retirement after the 2022-2023 school year was announced.
5-10-22 - Parent Forums

Parents were invited to attend one of two Parent Forums with our consultants, designed to provide them an opportunity to share perspectives about our school, and to share their own vision for what they may like to see in the future.