Head of School Search

Chris Front

Chris Front has spent the last 20 years at John Burroughs School, an independent pre-K-12 school in St. Louis. For the past five years, Chris has served as Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs; in this role, he supervises all aspects of the school’s academic program, including faculty recruitment and evaluation; curriculum; accreditation; and diversity, equity and inclusion work. He participates in Board of Trustees meetings, and has served on committees addressing diversity and education, strategic planning and finance. Previously, Chris spent five years as Principal, Grades 11 & 12 and has been a member of the History and Social Studies faculty since 2002. Prior to joining John Burroughs School, Chris taught history at Head Royce School in Oakland, California. Chris earned both B.A. and M.A. degrees in History from Columbia University.

Greg Martin, Ph.D.

Greg Martin has nearly 30 years of experience as an educator at the University level and in private independent schools. For the past five years, he has been Assistant Head of School at the Ranney School, a pre-K-12 school in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. In that role, he has collaborated with the Head of School on major school-wide initiatives and led strategic plan implementation. Previously, Greg was Upper School Head and a member of the English faculty at La Jolla Country Day School in California. Greg began his career in secondary education in Cincinnati, first as a member of the English faculty at Saint Ursula Academy and then at Cincinnati Country Day School, where he initially served as Upper and Middle School Technology and Media Services Coordinator and eventually became All-School Academic Dean in addition to a member of the faculty teaching English, History, Technology and Arts in the Middle and Upper Schools. Greg has also taught at the university level, as a Research Assistant, Teaching Fellow and Adjunct Professor at the University of Alabama, Kent State University and the University of Cincinnati. He earned a B.A. in English Literature from Miami University (Ohio), a M.A. in English Literature from the University of Alabama, and a Ph.D. in English Literature from Kent State University.

Shants N. Hart, Ed.D.

Shants N. Hart has more than 25 years of experience as a teacher and school administrator. She has spent the last 18 years of her career at Park Tudor, most recently as Associate Head of School. In this role, she has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of the school with oversight of Division Directors as well as the Directors of Curriculum & Instruction, Athletics, Fine Arts, College Counseling, Student Learning Services, and Equity & Inclusion. Shants collaborates closely with admissions, development, finance and operations on long-term planning with the Head of School, Chief Financial Officer and Board of Directors, and advises the Director of Strategic Communications and HR Director regarding marketing and hiring practices. Previously, Shants has served as Associate Head of School for External Affairs, Director of Admissions, Director of the Middle School, English Department Chair JK-12 and Middle School English Teacher and Curriculum Coordinator. Prior to joining Park Tudor, Shants was Assistant Principal and 5^th Grade Teacher at Joy Tabernacle Christian Academy, where she also created their first admissions department and formalized many processes for the school. Previously, Shants was English Teacher Grades 6/7/8 – GT/Honors/Reading at Northview Middle School in Indianapolis; while working in Washington Township she attended their Leadership Academy, which is designed to prepare future principals and school administrators. She is also the mother of three Park Tudor alumni. Shants earned a B.A. in English Education from Purdue University, a M.S. in Educational Administration from Butler University, and a Doctor of Education in Leadership & Policy from Vanderbilt University.

Dear Park Tudor Community,

As the new school year rapidly approaches, please find the following update on the committee's search for Park Tudor's next Head of School.

As an outcome of this summer's search and interview process with RG175, four finalist candidates have been selected. The candidates have extensive experience as educators and administrators in an independent school environment and represent a range of backgrounds and areas of expertise.

Each candidate will visit Park Tudor in the coming weeks, and there will be opportunities for faculty, parents, and alumni to meet them and provide feedback. More information - including candidate bios - will be forthcoming as we get closer to the visits. Out of respect for the candidates' confidentiality given their professional responsibilities at their current schools, we will not reveal their names until closer to each visit.

Please note the following dates:

• Candidate Visit #1: August 31 - September 1
• Candidate Visit #2: September 8 - September 9
• Candidate Visit #3: September 15 - September 16
• Candidate Visit #4: September 19 - September 20

We look forward to introducing our finalist candidates to the Park Tudor community and value your feedback. Thank you for your continued support of our school.

Regards,

Aman Brar
Chair, Head of School Search Committee

Dear Park Tudor Community,

We are excited to announce Dennis Bisgaard as Park Tudor’s Interim Head of School, beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2023.

Dennis has over 30 years of experience as an independent school educator, and prior to his upcoming post at Park Tudor, he has led five institutions as Head of School. Most recently, Dennis has successfully led two independent schools through a transition period as Interim Head of School and is currently Interim Head of School for the Friends School of Baltimore.

Dennis, along with Monica (spouse) and his mother-in-law, will reside at the Head of School’s house. Dennis has sent a quick video as an opportunity to get to know him (see below). He will also visit Park Tudor in the coming months. We are confident Dennis will have a positive and lasting impact on the Park Tudor community, and we look forward to welcoming Dennis, Monica, and their family to Park Tudor School and Indianapolis.

On a related note, the Head of School Search Committee continues to advance the search led by our partners at RG175. RG175 is completing the discovery phase of the search which included campus visits, surveys, group meetings, and one-on-one sessions with various stakeholders of the school. RG175 is building a comprehensive talent pipeline during the early days of the search by leveraging their extensive network and experience in the independent school space. Soon, the position will be publicly posted through various talent boards relevant to independent schools. Importantly, we are on schedule to announce a permanent Head of School in October of this calendar year.

Thank you for your continued support of Park Tudor.

Regards,

Carlie Irsay-Gordon
Chair, Interim Head of School Search Committee

Aman Brar
Chair, Head of School Search Committee

Click Here to Read Dennis Bisgaard's Statement of Educational Leadership

Dear Park Tudor Community,

On behalf of the Park Tudor Head of School Search Committee, please find an update on our Head of School transition. 

We have been focused on identifying and interviewing prospective Head of School search firms to assist us with the transition. It is essential we identify the right partner to help us find our next Head of School as the Search Committee stewards a robust, diverse, and disciplined process.

To that end, I am pleased to announce the Committee has selected RG175 to assist us in our Head of School transition. RG175 focuses exclusively on helping schools like Park Tudor find top talent nationwide for key leadership positions. In the last five years, 96% of Heads of School placed by RG175 remain in their position. In addition, they have committed to an inclusive search that aligns with our community values.

While the Search Committee has a deep desire for a permanent Head of School for the next school year, based on clear market feedback from RG175 and additional search firms, our transition plan will require an interim Head of School. At its last meeting, the Park Tudor Board of Directors approved our recommendation to proceed with identifying an interim Head of School while we search for our permanent Head. We have assembled a subcommittee of the Search Committee to focus on the search for an interim Head. Search Committee and Park Tudor Board members Carlie Irsay-Gordon (Interim Search Committee Chair), Justin Christian, Scott Moorehead, and Ersal Ozdemir will lead this process with RG175.

RG175 is committed to developing a strong partnership with our school. Tom Olverson will lead the RG175 team, with assistance from Arlyce Seibert and John Farber. All three of our consultants have extensive experience with successful Head of School searches and all spent many years working in independent schools in top leadership positions (including as Heads of School).

RG175 has already started the process of getting to know Park Tudor. Additionally, the team will be visiting Park Tudor soon after winter break to meet with representatives from our key constituencies, including students, faculty and staff, parents, and alumni. There will also be an opportunity for our community to provide insight to RG175 regarding Park Tudor via a survey to be conducted after the break; we hope you will participate.

We will continue to keep you updated as we achieve milestones regarding our Head of School search.

Sincerely,

Aman Brar
Chair, Park Tudor Head of School Search Committee

Dear Park Tudor Community,

Recently I wrote to you that Gareth Vaughan, our Head of School, will be stepping down at the end of this school year. Since that communication, the Park Tudor Board of Directors has been working diligently to prepare a national search for our next Head of School. The Board understands that selecting the next Head of School is the most important job it has, and as such, the development of a thoughtful process is critical to attaining the best result. To this end, my first responsibility as Board President is to appoint a search committee.

I am pleased to share with you the members of the Park Tudor Head of School Search Committee. The members were chosen for their commitment to the mission, values, and tradition of excellence that have defined Park Tudor since 1902.

Park Tudor Head of School Search Committee

• Aman Brar (Chair of the Search Committee): Aman is a member of the Board of Directors and a current parent. He is the former CEO of Jobvite, a recruiting software company.
   
• Dr. Heather Carmody: Heather teaches Middle School math at Park Tudor and is a current parent.
   
• Justin Christian: Justin is a member of the Board of Directors and a current parent. He is the CEO and Founder of BCforward, an IT consulting company.
   
• Ben Evans: Ben is the incoming Chair of the Park Tudor Trust, an alumnus, and a current parent. He is the Founder and Chief Growth and Strategy Officer for Marathon Health.
   
• Andrea Hailey: Andrea is a member of the Board of Directors and a Park Tudor alumna. She is the CEO of Vote.org, a non-profit specializing in non-partisan voting registration.
   
• Lisa Hoskin: Lisa is the Park Tudor Parent Association Co-chair and a current parent.
   
• Carlie Irsay-Gordon: Carlie is a member of the Board of Directors, a current parent, and an alumna of the school. She is Vice-chair/Owner of the Indianapolis Colts.
   
• Dr. Scott McDougall: Scott is the Science Department Chair at Park Tudor and teaches Upper School science.
   
• Scott Moorehead: Scott is a member of the Board of Directors and a current parent. He is the CEO and Owner of Round Room LLC and each of its entities: TCC, Wireless Zone, Redux, and Culture of Good.
   
• Molly Murphy: Molly teaches Junior Kindergarten at Park Tudor and is a current parent.
   
• Ersal Ozdemir: Ersal is a member of the Board of Directors and a current parent. He is the Founder and Chairman of Keystone Group, a real estate development company.

The first order of business for the Search Committee will be the selection of a search consulting firm, which will help the Committee establish a process, recruit candidates for its consideration, and provide counsel throughout the search process and leadership transition. The Committee will begin this work right away and anticipates selecting a firm by early November.

The search for a new Head of School offers a wonderful opportunity for our school to think about its future. The recent success of our capital campaign provides a solid foundation for launching a search. Ours is a powerful story, one that includes many successes and an unswerving commitment to excellence in education. The identification of our next great Head of School will contribute to this unfolding story of living our mission of preparing students to become balanced, confident, and resourceful lifelong learners.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Sincerely,
Cathy

Cathryn Ferree '82
President, Park Tudor Board of Directors

Dear Park Tudor Community,

Gareth Vaughan has shared with the Board of Directors his decision to retire as Head of Park Tudor at the conclusion of the 2021-2022 school year. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank Gareth for his many contributions over the last five years and look forward to his continued leadership through June 2022, ensuring a smooth transition to his successor.

When the Board of Directors selected Gareth to become our next Head of School we were looking for a veteran leader with the experience and vision to lead the school through a critical strategic planning process and the most ambitious capital campaign that we had ever undertaken. Perhaps because he began his long career in independent schools as a teacher, Gareth has always kept students at the forefront of his vision. Inspired by Park Tudor’s mission to “create an inspiring college-preparatory learning environment, with exceptional educators and extraordinary opportunities,” Gareth quickly demonstrated that a key focus of his tenure would be to empower today’s learners for tomorrow’s world.

In just five years Gareth has helped the school achieve healthy enrollment and oversaw strategic planning and accreditation. He is also leading the school’s largest-ever capital campaign, raising $22 million to-date that will enable the school to build new, nationally recognized facilities. While this was more than enough to keep him busy, Gareth and his team successfully reimagined how to maintain the academic excellence that is a hallmark of a Park Tudor education, while establishing a new normal for day-to-day operations in the face of a global pandemic. His enduring commitment to our mission has served Park Tudor superbly in each of these endeavors.

The process for identifying Park Tudor’s next Head of School will be inclusive, thoughtful and thorough, informed by our mission, vision and values. We will conduct a national search for our next Head of School and my first task as Board president will be to identify and communicate the search process. You will hear more in the coming weeks, and we are committed to keeping the community updated throughout the process.

Together with the many trustees who have had the pleasure to serve with Gareth, I offer tremendous gratitude for his unwavering commitment, steadfast leadership and profound contributions to the school we all cherish. We thank you all in advance for your support as we embark on the search to identify Gareth’s successor and as we look forward to this exciting next chapter in the life of our school.

Sincerely,

Cathy Ferree
President, Park Tudor Board of Directors