Head Search 2025

April 21, 2025

To the New Garden Friends School Community,

The repeated use of the words “community” and “inclusion” characterized the 78 responses to the recent online survey that gathered information from the New Garden Friends School community for the Head of School search. On behalf of the Search Committee, we want to thank each of you who took the time to complete the questionnaire and share your views on the qualities sought in our next Head of School and the priorities for the next few years. The importance of community participation in the search process cannot be overestimated.

While a variety of thoughtful opinions reflected the range of thinking in our School community (faculty/staff, administrators, parents, grandparents, alums, and trustees), we are pleased to report that several clear themes emerged from the survey, including:

• Pride in the student-centered learning environment
• Appreciation for the accepting and tight-knit community at NGFS
• Support for ongoing emphasis of diversity and Quaker values in the school culture
• A desire for stronger enrollment and financial sustainability

These survey results, in conjunction with the on-campus interviews conducted by our search consultants, are instrumental in helping shape the direction of the search. Our consultants at ST Search prepared a slide deck summarizing the survey results, which we invite you to view here.

Using the information from the survey and focus group meetings, the Search Committee, in partnership with ST Search, crafted a Position Profile that summarizes New Garden Friends School and our community and outlines the goals and responsibilities for our next leader. The Position Profile ensures that our Head of School leadership opportunity is presented and marketed effectively to the most qualified candidates. 

Though every search is unique, and these dates could change, we are working with the following timeline moving forward:  

Spring: Advertise position and build candidate pool
Summer: Search committee interviews semi-finalist candidates
Early Fall: Finalist candidates visit campus
Late Fall: Search committee proposes leading candidate to Board of Trustees
Late Fall: Board announces new Head to School community
July 1, 2026: New Head of School officially begins

While ST Search will use its extensive networks to build a candidate pool, we also welcome nominations from our school community. If you know someone who would serve our School well based on the Position Profile, please contact swooster.board@ngfs.org so our consultants can follow up.

Thank you to everyone whose participation has brought us to this point. We will continue to update you as the search progresses.

In peace and with gratitude,
Nick Purrington                                                   Susan Wooster
Clerk of the Board of Trustees                            Clerk of the Search Committee

March 13, 2025

Dear New Garden Friends School Community,

After the announcement of Kim Freedman’s upcoming retirement and Craig Sellers’ appointment as interim Head of School for the 2025-26 school year, the search committee’s top priority was selecting a professional search firm to guide us throughout the entire process. 

After reviewing proposals and interviewing several firms, we selected ST Search (ST) out of Charlottesville, VA, because of its stellar reputation for understanding the unique culture of schools and producing high-quality candidates.

The consultants from ST have hit the ground running. They will be on campus on March 19 and 20 to conduct interviews with various constituent groups. The results of these meetings, as well as other information the school has provided, will be used to create the position profile, the document that will be used to market NGFS and the Head of School position. This profile will be disseminated nationally through advertising media (such as independent school associations) and ST’s own networks. This position profile will be posted on our website for all our community to see soon.

Over the following weeks, ST Search will be busy sourcing candidates.  They will handle the receipt of resumes, conduct phone interviews, and perform initial reference checking.  We expect to have a strong pool of candidates from which to narrow down the semi-finalists.  The Search Committee along with ST will conduct interviews with the semi-finalists over the summer and further narrow that group down to about three finalists, who will be brought to campus and interviewed by the search committee and various stakeholder groups no later than September.

Our goal is to identify the new Head of School and to make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees in October, with that person accepting and an announcement made to the school community soon after.   This will allow for ample interaction time between Craig Sellers, our interim head for next year, and the new Head of School before the July 2026 transition.  

This is a very exciting time in the life of our school, and we encourage you to follow our progress on the school’s website or contact us with any questions. In the meantime, please click here for a list of frequently asked questions.

In peace and with gratitude, 

Nick Purrington                                          Susan Wooster
Clerk of the Board of Trustees                Clerk of the Search Committee
 

February 27, 2025

Dear New Garden Friends School Community,

The Board of Trustees of New Garden Friends School is pleased to announce the appointment of Craig N. Sellers as Interim Head of School for the 2025-26 school year. 

Craig brings a wealth of experience in independent education, including 24 years of experience with Quaker schools (18 as head of school), and is currently the interim head at Princeton Friends School in Princeton, New Jersey. In addition to his current role at Princeton Friends, he has served as head of school at Friends’ Central School, The Derryfield School and United Friends School (and as interim head of Idyllwild Arts Academy). He began his career in education as Director of Development with Friends Seminary in New York in 1994. Craig has been active in the National Association of Independent Schools and Friends Council on Education throughout his career and recently published a timely article entitled “The Strategic Interim Head.”  

Craig and his wife, Cary, enjoyed a brief visit to the school in early February, but they look forward to meeting more members of our community later this spring before he officially starts in July. Stay tuned for visit dates and opportunities to meet Craig later this spring.

In addition, we are pleased to announce that we have engaged ST Search as our consultants to work with the Head of School Search Committee and assist in our search for a permanent Head of School.

In peace, 

Nick Purrington, Clerk
On behalf of the Board of Trustees

January 7, 2025

To the New Garden Friends School Community,

Immediately following the announcement that Kim would be retiring at the end of this school year, the NGFS Board of Trustees began working to form a Head Search Committee tasked with finding a permanent replacement to begin in the 2026-27 school year. Members of the committee held an initial meeting on December 18, and their names are listed below.
In the interim, before a permanent head of school is hired, the Board of Trustees, in consultation with the NGFS Administrative Leadership Team, staff, and parents, is working to ensure that we have a qualified individual to lead New Garden Friends School during the 2025-26 school year. The Board of Trustees will consider both internal and external candidates to fill this interim  position.

In various ways, the Board of Trustees and the Head Search Committee will be asking the entire New Garden Friends School community for help in finding a replacement for Kim. Rest assured that we value the voices of all, and we will be reaching out to faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and students for feedback and engagement as this process unfolds.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Susan Wooster, clerk of the NGFS Head Search Committee at swooster.board@ngfs.org.

In peace and with gratitude, 
Nick Purrington
Clerk, On behalf of the NGFS Board of Trustees

Members of the New Garden Friends School Head Search Committee:

Susan Wooster, Clerk (Secretary of the NGFS Board of Trustees)
Nick Purrington, Clerk ex officio (Clerk of the NGFS Board of Trustees)
Alanna Adams (NGFS parent)
Tony Allen (Member of the Board of Trustees and NGFS parent)
Barry Bell (Middle School English Teacher and NGFS parent)
Jeff Bills (Director of Auxiliary Programs)
Justin Burke (NGFS parent)
Anyua Clark (NGFS parent)
Kim Costello (Member of the Board of Trustees and NGFS parent)
Aisha Dad (International Admissions and Student Coordinator and NGFS parent)
Brad Harrell (Galaxy Teacher and NGFS parent)
Tanisha Jones (Head of Middle and Upper School)
Maura Kern (Lower School Art Teacher)
Christine Lawe (Director of Literacy Instruction)
Pattie Midgett (Director of Enrollment Management)
Jennifer Milton (Middle and Upper School Counselor)
Genny Smith (Head of Lower School)
Maura Way (Upper School English Teacher)

12/9/2024

To the New Garden Friends School Community:

For the past twenty plus years, Kim Freedman has shared her gifts with New Garden Friends School, first as a parent and volunteer, then as Director of Admissions, and for the last eight years as our Head of School. It is impossible to overstate the impact that Kim has had on New Garden Friends School. We chose Kim to be our Head of School after several years of leadership transition due to her intimate knowledge of our community and her commitment to our mission to honor and develop each person’s gifts. She has consistently proven that we made the right choice, exemplifying what it means to lead with integrity, compassion, and resilience.
It has not always been easy, but Kim’s steady leadership through challenging times ensured that NGFS remained a safe and stable place for students and staff. During a global pandemic that caused unprecedented uncertainty and disruption in all aspects of life (but especially in our schools), Kim was a dedicated and resourceful leader. Our community not only persevered, but emerged stronger, more united, and deeply rooted in the values we hold dear.
Kim has shaped the future of New Garden Friends School through the creation and implementation of two strategic plans, ensuring that our school will remain a vibrant, inclusive, and innovative educational community in the Triad. Kim has led by example, always striving for improvement as a leader, innovator, and advocate for academic excellence and inspiring students and educators to reach their fullest potential. Her commitment to enhancing our program can be felt daily in our classrooms as teachers support and encourage student growth and individual learning styles.  
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to thank Kim for her years of service.  We wish Kim the best in her retirement and hope that she will overcome her health challenges the same way that she has led the school to overcome many challenges that it has faced over these years. New Garden Friends School would not be the place that it is today without her leadership.  
In peace and with gratitude, 

Nick Purrington
Clerk, On behalf of the NGFS Board of Trustees

12/9/2024

Dear New Garden Friends School Community,

One of the things I admire most about our teachers is their ability to shift gears when things aren’t going according to plan. Nowhere is that more evident than on our trips, where students learn first-hand how to adjust and make new plans when the weather doesn't cooperate, the bus breaks down, or a classmate gets ill. Travel, even on day trips, provides our students with opportunities to problem-solve, collaborate, and compromise. Over the years, I’ve realized that when students return from trips, they are most excited to tell the stories of when things didn’t go exactly as they anticipated. Our teachers use these experiences to help our students learn that they have what they need, not only to shift gears, but to help their friends do the same.  
Friends, the 24 years I have spent in this community have been a master class in learning to take things in stride and find courage and community when one might least expect it. It wasn’t my plan to follow a new road next year, but it is time for me to do so. The health challenges I’ve been struggling with are not going exactly as we had hoped. With a heavy heart, I have made the difficult decision to retire at the end of this school year. 
Over the last few months, I have thought a lot about the significant gifts we give our students when we use curves on the road to teach them about resilience, fortitude, and the power of kindness and friendship. I smile when I hear our alums talking about how it was years before they realized that NGFS helped them to meet, not dread, the unexpected. 
This community has nourished my family and enlightened, inspired, and challenged me. The opportunities to work among our generous and dedicated educators and incredible students and families have profoundly altered how I perceive the people and paths I encounter. I couldn’t be more grateful. I have NGFS to thank for surrounding me with people who have helped me listen deeply and act thoughtfully and with greater compassion. As George Fox said, I have learned to walk cheerfully over the world; there is no greater gift.
It is my hope that we will be together again soon and that I will be able to spend these last months of my tenure doing the work I love in the company of this extraordinary community.

With massive gratitude,

Kim