Head of School Search

Dear Pike Community, 

The Board of Trustees is thrilled to announce that it has unanimously voted to appoint Honor Taft as the next Head of The Pike School, effective July 1, 2025.

Upon learning of her appointment to be the next Head of School, Honor shared, “From the moment that I arrived for my visit, I felt the welcoming, joyful spirit of The Pike School. In my conversations with members of the Pike community, I have been struck by the profound sense of purpose and connection that exists here. It is clear that Pike’s values—Intellectual Ambition, Authenticity, and Social Good—are truly lived. These values are foundational to the education provided at Pike and central to preparing students to be thoughtful, engaged citizens of the world.”

Honor is currently in her seventh year as Head of School at Friends School, a Pre-K through grade eight independent school in Boulder, Colorado. She began her career teaching grades three through six at The Caedmon School in New York and then served as Director of Lower School, Associate Head of School, and Interim Head of School. An accomplished educator who places joy at the heart of teaching and learning, her experience as a classroom teacher informs how she leads her community. Her genuine, relational, and visible approach to leadership fosters strong connections with students, families, faculty, and staff. Honor believes that while leading a school requires innovation, dedication, and perseverance, it should also be joyful. She champions celebrating successes and embraces a playful spirit.

As Head of School at Friends School in Boulder, Honor leads a dynamic team of educators focused on academic excellence, social responsibility, and social and emotional learning. Among her key accomplishments is a comprehensive framework enabling continuous improvement and innovation as well as curricular alignment across the school. Honor prioritizes professional development for her team, promoting a growth-oriented culture that enhances both the student and faculty experience. Her philosophy of educating the whole child and her deep commitment to fostering inclusive and innovative learning environments aligns directly with Pike’s Mission, Vision, and Values.

Honor deeply understands the challenges independent schools face and has developed strategic admissions policies to grow her current school in both numbers and diversity. While serving as her current school’s Director of Development, she revitalized the advancement efforts, significantly growing fundraising in both revenue and participation.

Interim Head of School Will Powers, shares, “It’s clear that Honor’s commitment to holistic education and her genuine approach to leadership is a perfect match for Pike’s Mission, Vision, and Values. Her forward-thinking approach and dedication to building strong connections across the community will undoubtedly help shape an inspiring future for our students, families, faculty, and staff. I look forward to partnering with Honor as we enter this exciting new chapter together."

Honor’s former Head of School shared, “Honor has all the best qualities of a relational leader... She is visible, relatable, and authentic. She understands the importance of connection and relationships.” Her Director of Lower School says, “I just want to reiterate how wonderful she is. What a powerful leader.….I cannot celebrate her enough.”

Honor is excited to be joined by her husband, Doug, and their two children, Gwyneth (age 15) and Wyatt (age 13), as they embark on this new chapter. The family shares a deep love for the outdoors, spending time hiking and biking, and their perfect day includes enjoying a good meal as a family. Honor and Gwyneth also connect over their shared passion for horseback riding. With extended family in upstate New York, they are thrilled to be returning to the East Coast and eager to reconnect with the region. Hear more from Honor in her letter to the community.

Pictured: Honor with her husband Doug and son Wyatt, full of Pike pride and ready for their next adventure!

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, thank you for your support and engagement throughout this search process. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Search Committee for their incredible dedication, insight, and collaborative spirit.

We look forward to Pike's bright future together. 

Sincerely,

Tasneem M Dohadwala, '96, P'20, '23, '33

Chair, Board of Trustees

Dear Pike Community, 

We wanted to thank you all for your participation in the Head of School search process. We understand that September is a particularly busy time for everyone as we try to get back in the swing of back-to-school. We’ve been guided by insights from the community since we began the search in the spring, and we were thrilled to see so many families on ZOOM calls and in person and such remarkable engagement from faculty and staff, who spent their scarce free time during the day meeting the finalists. We’re grateful for your thoughtful responses to the surveys. That so many took so much time to engage with our finalists reminded us of how committed our community is to the future of Pike. 

The Search Committee has been very excited to bring these finalists to campus, and the feedback we’ve received shows us that the community sees what a strong pool of candidates we have. Also, each finalist shared with us how much they enjoyed their visits and their delight to find such talented faculty and staff, connected families, and joyful and confident students. They all recognized that Pike is such a special school and community.

The Search Committee is excited to move forward with our deliberations. We will consider all of the information we’ve accumulated for each finalist, including the exchanges we’ve had during the hours we’ve spent with them, the many professional references we’ve gathered, and the results of the candidate surveys. As a reminder, the Committee is composed of five members of the faculty, staff, and administration, as well as seven members of the Board of Trustees; five are current parents, four are former parents, and one is an alum. It’s been important to this process that all stakeholders are well represented. The Search Committee will recommend to the Board of Trustees one finalist for appointment to be Head of School.

We want to inform you that one of our finalists, Nancy Lang, has decided to withdraw from the search. Currently serving as Head of School at The New School in Fayetteville, AR, Nancy has chosen to remain in her role there. This was a difficult choice for her due to the strong connection she felt during her visit to Pike. We respect Nancy's choice and wish her all the best as she continues her work at TNS.

We’re grateful to you all for your participation in this process. Your voice in our community and this process is valued, and we appreciate your continued support. If you have further questions or comments that you would like to share with the Search Committee, please email us at search@pikeschool.org. 

Thank you,

Heather Clark, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Matt Murphy, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Dear Pike Community, 

Thank you for your interest in the Head of School interview process. The Search Committee was deeply impressed by the exceptionally qualified candidates interested in the Head of School position. Ultimately, we selected 4 finalists who best align with Pike’s current needs and anticipated challenges based on their professional expertise, personal attributes, and leadership style. We look forward to you meeting the candidates and providing feedback to the search committee to help us select the next best leader for Pike. The Search Committee is thrilled to invite you to meet the first two finalists for Pike’s next Head of School. 

INTERVIEW PROCESS

Each finalist will share brief opening remarks, and then we'll ask questions that have been prepared in advance. After each question, we’ll ask the assembled group if they have any follow up questions.

PARENT/GUARDIAN AND COMMUNITY SESSIONS 

We’re offering two opportunities for our current parents, guardians, and other community members to meet each finalist - one in person and one via Zoom. We’ll share more information about the finalists ahead of their session. Please see the schedule below. 

Finalist #1: 

• Monday, September 16,7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Via Zoom
• Tuesday, September 17, 7:45 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. In-person
• Please note: early drop-off is available for Pike students only

Finalist #2: 

• Wednesday, September 18, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.Via Zoom
• Thursday, September 19, 7:45 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. In-person
• Please note: early drop-off is available for Pike students only

FEEDBACK

For each session, we’ll send a follow-up survey via email. We’re eager to hear from you as your insights will help inform the Search Committee’s recommendation. Each follow-up survey will be open until 11:59 p.m. on the last day of each finalist’s visit.

QUESTIONS FOR FINALISTS

Please use this form to share any questions you’d like the Search Committee to consider asking the finalists during this meeting. We cannot ask every question, but we will look for common themes and do our best to elicit the information you will need to provide thoughtful feedback through the survey. As you submit your questions, we ask you to refer to the position description and frame your thinking in terms of the community and with the future of the school in mind. As much as we are getting to know the finalists, they are also getting to know Pike.

We’re grateful to you all for your participation in this process. Your voice in our community and this process is valued, and we appreciate your continued support. If you have further questions or comments that you would like to share with the Search Committee, please email us at search@pikeschool.org. Please visit our Head of School search page for additional information on the search process.

Thank you,

Heather Clark, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Matt Murphy, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Dear Pike Community, 

We hope that the opening days of school are going well and everyone is settling into their new routines. The Head of School Search Committee is excited to provide an update on the process and share dates for the campus visits for finalists. 

The Search Committee interviewed nine highly qualified candidates in August. After careful consideration, four finalists have been invited to visit campus and meet with members of the community. Please save the dates for these campus visits listed below.

We are finalizing the daily schedules and will soon share more details, including opportunities for faculty, staff, administrators, students, parents, Board members, and other community members to meet each candidate and learn more about their background and interest in becoming Pike's next Head of School.

Dates for Finalist Visits

Candidate 1

• Monday, September 16
• Tuesday, September 17

Candidate 2

• Wednesday, September 18
• Thursday, September 19 

Candidate 3

• Monday, September 23
• Tuesday, September 24 

Candidate 4

• Thursday, September 26
• Friday, September 27 

We’re grateful to you all for your participation in this process. Your voice in our community and this process is valued, and we appreciate your continued support. If you have further questions or comments that you would like to share with the Search Committee, please email us at search@pikeschool.org. Please visit our Head of School search page for additional information on the search process.

Sincerely,

Heather Clark, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Matt Murphy, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

We hope you’ve all had a fun and restful summer. With just a couple of weeks until we’re all back on campus, we wanted to reach out and update you all on the Head of School search process.

Since Carney, Sandoe, and Associates posted the Head of School position in May, there has been significant interest in the role at Pike. Their team received over 90 inquiries and conducted preliminary interviews with over 50 candidates, including current Heads of School, Assistant Heads, and seasoned educators from across the country. As a result of those conversations, they received 34 applications for the position. From these, 15 candidates were forwarded to the Pike Head of School Search Committee.

After thoughtful review and consideration, the Search Committee has selected nine highly qualified candidates to be interviewed over the next two weeks. Following those interviews, the committee will invite finalists to visit campus and meet with families, faculty, staff, administrators, and members of the Board of Trustees. These finalist visits will take place in mid to late September. Information about how you can meet finalists will be sent by email in the coming weeks.

Following the finalist visits in September, the Search Committee will consider all of the feedback and insight gathered from all constituencies and recommend a single candidate to the Board of Trustees. Once approved by the Board, that next Head of School will be announced to the Pike Community by early November.

We’re grateful to you all for your participation in this process. Your voice in our community and this process is valued, and we appreciate your continued support. If you have further questions or comments that you would like to share with the Search Committee, please email us at search@pikeschool.org. Please visit our Head of School search page for additional information on the search process.

Sincerely,

Heather Clark, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Matt Murphy, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Dear Pike Community, 

We'd like to share some updates about the Interim Head of School search. Throughout June, the Interim Search Committee conducted interviews with external candidates. Additionally, it hosted one finalist on campus for meetings with members of the admin team, faculty, staff, Family School Partnership leaders, and search committee members. As we conducted the search, our goal was to find the best leadership for the 2024- 2025 school year. That meant considering the strengths, challenges, and impacts of each possibility and choosing what was best for Pike. 

After a thorough and thoughtful process, we are pleased to share that the Interim Search Committee has recommended and the Board of Trustees has voted to extend Will Powers as Interim Head of School for the 2024- 2025 school year, effective July 1, 2024.

Will stepped into the interim role at a pivotal moment and our entire community welcomed his warm, relational, and collaborative leadership. His emotional intelligence, connection with the community, and strong commitment to an exceptional student experience demonstrate he is the best choice as Interim Head of School for the 2024- 2025 school year.

“It is an honor and privilege to be part of this community and I am excited about the opportunity to serve as the Interim Head of School for the 2024-2025 academic year.”

-Will Powers

To ensure Will has the support he needs, the administration team will adopt a distributive leadership model. This approach leverages each team member's collective strengths and enhances the whole team's overall capabilities. The Board fully supports this approach as a key strategy to position the school for continued success and is deeply grateful to the administration team for their continued leadership and their steadfast commitment to building upon Pike’s many strengths.

The search committee has heard from many members of the community throughout the search process. Your insights and feedback remind us that such transitions offer a sense of opportunity, possibility, and hope. As we move forward, we eagerly anticipate an exciting and promising school year ahead!

Have a wonderful summer,

Heather Clark, Search Committee Co-Chair

Bobbie Crump, Board of Trustees, Search Committee Member

Aaron Hovel, Director of Technology, Search Committee Member

Matt Murphy, Search Committee Co-Chair

Debby Murphy, Assistant Head of School, Search Committee Member

Dear Pike Community, 

Thank you to everyone who joined us for site visits by Carney Sandoe & Associates (CS&A) and who participated in the survey to help us shape the search for Pike’s next Head of School. Through both the site visit and survey, the Search Committee and CS&A gathered useful and thoughtful insight about Pike and the important qualities needed in the next Head of School. This valuable input from the Pike community will help the Search Committee and CS&A in finding Pike’s next Head of School.

The survey captured the insights of over 300 members of the Pike Community. The results of the survey and site visits can be summarized into four categories: what the community values most about Pike, the six priorities of opportunity for improvement, the most important professional experiences for the next Head of School, and the most important personal characteristics or qualities for the next Head of School. Read the CS&A summary report.

Below is just some of what we heard from our community.

“Recruit and retain excellent teachers. Strive for academic excellence.”

- Current Parent

“Build a strong community where all members feel safe and welcomed. Maintain the fundamental core values of Pike - Inclusion, diversity, kindness.”

- Faculty Member

“…someone who is easy to talk to, to open up to, and easy to build a connection with . . . someone who cares about students and their well-being and teachers and their well-being.”

-Upper School Student

The combination of these results has led CS&A and the Head of School Search Committee to create a Head of School position description that provides a comprehensive view of what the Pike community is looking for in its next leader.

The Search Committee is available to you at any time throughout this process. if you have any questions or additional feedback, please email us at search@pikeschool.org.

For more information, please visit our Head of School search page on our website. 

Thank you for your ongoing support of this important process.

With appreciation,

Heather Clark, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Matt Murphy, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

The Search Committee is available to you at any time throughout this process. if you have any questions or additional feedback, please email us at search@pikeschool.org.  

Thank you for your ongoing support of this important process.

With appreciation,

Heather Clark, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Matt Murphy, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Thank you for taking a few moments to share your input. Your voice in our community and this process is valued and we appreciate your participation and continued support.

If you have further questions or comments that you would like to share with the Search Committee, please email us at search@pikeschool.org. Please visit our Head of School search page for additional information on the search process.

Sincerely,

Heather Clark, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Matt Murphy, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Dear Pike Community, 

As we mount a search for Pike’s next Head of School, we are eager to share with you the steps that we have taken, and those that are to come. 

As has already been shared, Heather Clark, Vice Chair of the Board, P’11,’14,’19 and Matt Murphy P’21, ‘23 will co-chair the Search Committee that will lead a national search for the next permanent Head of School. The Search Committee is invested in this very important work and in upholding Pike’s Mission, Vision, and Values. We are pleased to announce the members of the Search Committee, comprising a mix of faculty, staff, administration, and Trustees, who will keep our students and school values at the heart of the process.

Claudia Bach, Board of Trustees, Former Superintendent Andover Public Schools

Uzma Bogwani, Director of Academics

Heather Clark, Co-Chair Search Committee, Board of Trustees, P'11 '14 '19

Roberta Crump-Burbank, Board of Trustees, P'07

Sarah D’Annolfo, Upper School ELA Teacher, P‘29, ‘30, ‘33

Jessica Howie, Grade 2 Teacher

John Kole '81, Board of Trustees, P'29, '29

Debby Murphy, Assistant Head of School

Matt Murphy, Co-Chair Search Committee, Board of Trustees, P'21, '23

Varsha Rao, Board of Trustees, P'18, '21, '27

Sara Stevens, School Nurse, P‘25, ‘26, ‘29, ‘31

John Yang, Board of Trustees, P’23, ’29, ‘31

We are also pleased to announce that we have engaged Carney, Sandoe & Associates (CS&A), an internationally recognized search and recruitment, consulting, and coaching firm, to partner with us in our Head of School search. Known for its highly personalized approach to understanding a school’s particular strengths, needs, and culture, CS&A brings more than 45 years of experience guiding schools through searches for exceptional Heads, senior administrators, and faculty. 

We will conduct an inclusive process that will enable us to learn from many Pike voices to help shape the search. To that end, on Monday, May 6, and Tuesday, May 7, our CS&A consultants will be on campus to engage with the Pike community. A combination of individual and small-group meetings with members of the faculty, staff, administration, parents, and students will enable them to understand the opportunities and challenges that await the next Head of School. Moreover, these conversations will help identify the qualities and characteristics the community thinks are essential to enable the Head of School to be successful. Please look for more detailed information about the consultants’ site visit in the coming weeks. 

Coupled with the site visit will be an online Community Survey in which we invite you all to participate. The confidential survey will provide another opportunity to learn from the community what matters most as we start the search. Please look out for an email with a link to the survey in the next couple of weeks.

Lastly, following the site visits, we will conduct small-group sessions with parents, guardians, and Trustees and faculty, staff, and Trustees to coalesce around the ideas that we have heard to date. All of this information in aggregate will inform our position statement and provide CS&A with a comprehensive view of what Pike is looking for in its next leader. The process for setting Interim leadership is ongoing and we hope to share an update in the coming weeks. If you have further questions or comments that you would like to share with the Search Committee, please email us at search@pikeschool.org. 

We recognize that leadership transitions bring with them uncertainty and apprehension. However, this moment has also revealed our community’s immense strength, resilience, and commitment to Pike. Your collective response reminds us that such transitions offer a sense of opportunity, possibility, and hope.

We begin this search with the tenets of the Portrait of a Pike Graduate in mind - as Agile Collaborators and Courageous Advocates, we will find a gifted leader who can build on the important work we have already done and lead us into the future with boldness, humility, and purpose.

Sincerely,

Heather Clark, 

Search Committee Co-Chair

Matt Murphy, 

Search Committee Co-Chair