The Pathfinder School- Leadership Update
February 20, 2023
Dear Pathfinder Families,
I am writing to share some bittersweet news. Jill Vigenski will be stepping down from her Head of School role at Pathfinder after this school year to focus on her family.
Jill has been with The Pathfinder School since 2018, and has made significant contributions to our community during her time here. She ensured the continuation of in-person education amid the unprecedented challenges posted by a global pandemic, prioritizing the safety and well-being of our school community while upholding academic excellence. Through strategic recruitment efforts, she successfully attracted world-class faculty and staff, whose expertise and creativity have greatly enriched our educational programs and student experiences. She helped expand access to a Pathfinder education through innovative philanthropic initiatives and robust financial aid programs, allowing more students to benefit from our transformative learning environment regardless of their financial circumstances. She led significant improvements in our school facilities, leveraging grants and donations to enhance our campus infrastructure, including the development of a state-of-the-art playground that provides additional opportunities for play-based learning and recreation and new stairs. (Coming soon!!)
Jill will be with us through the end of this school year, and has agreed to help with the transition when we welcome a new Head of School. She will also remain a familiar face in our community as we hope she and her family will continue to brighten our days as part of the Pathfinder school.
The search for a new Head of School will commence immediately. Brianne (Bri) Allen will chair the search committee, which will include myself along with fellow Board of Trustees members Andy Weir, John Stillwell, Christopher Walter, Erin Word, and former board president Curtis Kuttnauer. Faculty and parent representation will be equally important. We have engaged the nationally recognized search firm, Educators Collaborative, and they are already working on a strong pool of candidates.
Members of the search committee will be in attendance at the State of the School event on Thursday, February 22nd. They will be available both before and after the presentation to answer any questions and receive any feedback you may have. I hope you will plan to join us. We will also be in attendance at the March PPA meeting. In addition, we will send out a monthly newsletter with updates on the search as it progresses.
We look forward to partnering with you in this process.
Thank you,
Dina Kennedy
Board Chair
The Pathfinder School