Head of School Search
Head of School Search
With the departure of our longstanding Head of School, Melinda Bihn, planned for the end of the 2025-2026 academic year, the Board of Trustees has begun the search process for a new Head of School for The International School of San Francisco. This is an important transition for all of us, and we will ensure that the community is informed and engaged in the process as it unfolds. This page will be a place to share information on the next steps, update on progress, and communicate opportunities for community members to be involved.
Recent Communications
Our Search Committee
Choosing a new Head of School is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees. While all Trustees will be involved in the selection process and ultimate appointment, a focused Search Committee has been formed to work with the Search Consultants and manage the appointment process. We are fortunate to have both current and former trustees/board chairs on this Committee, who bring a wealth of experience in both The International School of San Francisco and executive hiring.
The Committee will be chaired by Felicity Singleton (Trustee, P ‘32, P ‘34) and Paul Loeffler (Trustee, P ‘22), and its members are outlined below.
- Brian Keil (Board Chair, P ‘26)
- Alona Scott (Trustee, HoS)
- Nick Josefowitz (Trustee, P ‘34, P ‘34)
- Eric Friedman (Trustee, P ‘31, P ‘34)
- Tony Fenner-Leitao (Trustee, P ‘21, P ‘23, P ‘26)
- Josh Nossiter (Former Trustee and Board Chair, P '02, P '04, Grandparent '39)
- Laurie Poston (Former Trustee and Governance Chair, P '17, P '19)
Timeline
Below are the expected milestones in the process to appoint our new Head of School. This is a guideline. Timelines may change as the process progresses. We plan to provide updates on progress, next steps, and opportunities for participation.
- January 2025: Search Consultants Appointed
The Search Committee will appoint a search firm whose specialty is working with independent schools to work with The International School of San Francisco to identify, assess, and appoint our next Head of School. - January - February 2025: Discovery Phase
The appointed Search Consultants will undertake a discovery process alongside the Search Committee. They will meet with faculty, staff, Trustees, students, parents, and other members of our community to understand the mission and values of the school and develop a profile for our ideal candidate in the form of a Candidate Position Statement. All individuals will have the opportunity to participate via a schoolwide survey. - February - March 2025: Application Period
The Search consultants will circulate the Position Statement and identify and cultivate a strong pool of candidates nationally, internationally, and/or internally. - March - April 2025: Semi-Finalist Review
The search consultants will support the Search Committee in reviewing submitted applications and selecting the strongest candidates to be Semi-Finalists. Semi-Finalist interviews will be held over zoom (or the like). The Search Committee will select the strongest Semi-Finalists to be Finalists and invite them to campus for onsite interviews. All applications will remain confidential until just prior to each candidate's campus visit. - April - May 2025: Finalist Interviews
Each Finalist will be invited on campus for in-depth in-person interviews. These two-day visits will include meetings with faculty, staff, Trustees, students, parents, and other community members. The Search Committee will identify the strongest candidate and make a recommendation to the full Board for a full board vote. - May - June 2025: Board Vote
The Board of Trustees will vote to hire our new Head of School. Assuming agreement is reached, the selected candidate will be announced to the school community before the summer break. - 2025 - 2026 Academic Year: Transition Period
Melinda Bihn will remain our Head of School through the 2025-2026 school year. The incoming Head of School prepares for the Transition, supported by Melinda, the Board Chair, and the Board. This will likely include several visits to campus to meet the community. - July 1, 2026: Proposed Start date for new Head of School
FAQs
- What is the role of the Board of Trustees in the Head of School search?
- What is the role of the Search Committee?
- What is the role of the current Head of School in the search process?
- Will a current member of staff become the next Head of School?
- Who are the Head of School search consultants?
- What is the timeline for the search process and Head of School transition?
- When and how will the community be updated?
- How may I participate in the search process?
- How do I apply?
- To whom do I send the name of a great candidate?
- Questions?
What is the role of the Board of Trustees in the Head of School search?
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the appointment of the Head of School. It is one of the most important responsibilities of the Board. The Board will support the consultant to develop the Candidate Position Statement, meet with all finalists and, based on the recommendations of the Search Committee, appoint the new Head of School. The Board will ensure that the process is fair, inclusive, and rigorous and in keeping with our school values.
What is the role of the Search Committee?
The Search Committee is a sub-committee of the Board of Trustees, tasked with overseeing the search process on behalf of the Board. The Committee will work in collaboration with the appointed Search Consultants to gather community input, identify the application criteria, interview candidates, and make a recommendation to the Board about which candidate to hire. The full Board is responsible for appointing the new Head of School.
What is the role of the current Head of School in the search process?
The appointment of the new Head of School is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees. Our current head, Melinda Bihn, will continue to lead the school in day-to-day operations while leaving the work of the search to the Search Committee and the Search Consultants. However, Melinda is, of course, invested in the success of the process to find a new leader and has offered to support the process in any way that the Committee may request of her.
Will a current member of staff become the next Head of School?
The Board of Trustees thinks that it is essential that we conduct a full open search that follows the principles of best practices established by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and identifies potential candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and experience. There may be qualified candidates within International and they will be equally welcome to participate in the process. The search consultants will manage the applications and confidentiality will be maintained throughout the process.
Who are the Head of School search consultants?
What is the timeline for the search process and Head of School transition?
When and how will the community be updated?
How may I participate in the search process?
How do I apply?
To whom do I send the name of a great candidate?
Questions?
Please reach out to headsearch@internationalsf.org with any questions.