An Open Letter on Behalf of Independent Schools of New England
The following open letter was featured in the Sunday, March 11, 2018 edition of The Boston Globe. Beth Black, Head of School, signed this letter along with her Head of School colleagues from 176 independent schools in New England.
An Open Letter on Behalf of Independent Schools of New England
We, the heads of independent schools, comprising 176 schools in the New England region, stand in solidarity with our students and with the families of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The heart of our nation has been broken yet again by another mass shooting at an American school. We offer our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who died and are grieving for the loss of life that occurred.
We join with our colleagues in public, private, charter, independent, and faith-based schools demanding meaningful action to keep our students safe from gun violence on campuses and beyond. Many of our students, graduates, and families have joined the effort to ensure that this issue stays at the forefront of the national dialogue. We are all inspired by the students who have raised their voices to demand change. As school leaders we give our voices to this call for action. We come together out of compassion, responsibility, and our commitment to educate our children free of fear and violence.
As school leaders, we pledge to do all in our power to keep our students safe. We call upon all elected representatives – each member of Congress, the President, and all others in positions of power at the governmental and private-sector level – to take action in making schools less vulnerable to violence, including sensible regulation of firearms.
We are adding our voices to this dialogue as a demonstration to our students of our own commitment to doing better, to making their world safer. Our children’s safety is more important than partisan politics, and we pledge to work with any and all who share our commitment.
We stand together for our children and our children’s children to ensure that our country comes together for their right to learn and grow in safe communities nationwide. We know that action is needed now.
Respectfully,
Dr. Brian D. Bloomfield Head of School The Academy at Charlemont
Molly Martins President The Academy at Penguin Hall
Melissa P. Earls Head of School Academy Hill School
Courtney Dickinson Founder & Head of School The Acera School
Nicole A. DuFauchard Head of School The Advent School
Susanna H. Thompson Interim Head of School Amherst Montessori School
Martina B. Albright, Ph.D. Director Apple Orchard School
Chris Williamson Interim Head Applewild School
Amy Gold Head of School Arthur J. Epstein Hillel School
Marshall W. Carter Head of School Atrium School
James Hickey, Ph.D Headmaster Austin Preparatory School
Trey Cassidy Head of School Bancroft School
Ian Bickford Provost and Vice President Bard Academy at Simon’s Rock
Conrad Wildsmith Head of School Bay Farm Montessori Academy
Cindy Laba and Marsha Feinberg Founders Beacon Academy
Peter Hutton Head of School Beaver Country Day School
Brendan W. Largay Head of School Belmont Day School
Rick Melvoin Head of School Belmont Hill School
Christopher H. Wilson Head of School The Bement School
Bonnie J. Ricci Head of School Birches School
Grace Cotter Regan President Boston College High School
Dr. Ari M. Betof Head of School Boston University Academy
Judith Guild Head of School Brimmer and May School
Darren Nicholas Principal British International School of Boston
John Packard Head of School Brooks School
Laura Caron Head of School Brookwood School
Rebecca T. Upham Head of School Buckingham Browne and Nichols School
Franny Shuker-Haines Director Buxton School
Chris Gorycki Interim Head of School Cambridge Friends School
Dr. Ingrid W. Tucker Head of School Cambridge Montessori School
Jane Moulding Head of School The Cambridge School of Weston
Tom Trigg Head of School Cape Cod Academy
Christopher D. Day Head of School Cardigan Mountain School
Stephen Wilkins Head of School The Carroll School
Dr. Peter F. Folan President Catholic Memorial School
Isabel “Charlie” Spencer Head of School The Center School
Lance Conrad, Ed.D. Head of School Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School
Gretchen Larkin Head of School Charles River School
Tamara Schurdak Head of School The Chestnut Hill School
Jeffrey Clark Head of School Clark School
Christine Lindeman Head of School The Common School
William Wharton Headmaster The Commonwealth School
Dan Corley Head of School Community Preparatory School
Rick Hardy Head of School Concord Academy
David Manzo President Cotting School
Margaret H. Lee and Catherine E. Pollock Co-Heads of School Cushing Academy
Katherine L. Bradley Head of School Dana Hall School
Allison D. Webster Head of School Dedham Country Day School
Margarita Curtis Head of School Deerfield Academy
Corrine Perkins Headmistress Delphi Academy of Boston
Joseph Perry Head of School Derby Academy
Brad Bates Head of School Dublin School
Dr. Peter J. (PJ) McDonald Headmaster Eagle Hill School
Andrew Chase Headmaster Eaglebrook School
The Rev. John H. Finley IV Head of School Epiphany School
Annmarie Quezada Interim Head of School Esperanza Academy
Moira Kelly Executive Director and President Explo School
Rob Wells Head of School Falmouth Academy
Robert J. Gustavson, Jr. Head of School Fay School
Edward Kuh Head of School Fayerweather Street School
Jerry Ward Headmaster The Fenn School
David Stettler Head of School The Fessenden School
Maura Spignesi Head of School Fontbonne Academy
Ben Kennedy Head of School Friends Academy
Rabbi Marc Baker Head of School Gann Academy
Dr. Jochen Schnack OSR Head of School German International School Boston
David Liebmann Head of School Glen Urquhart School
Ralph Wales Head of School The Gordon School
Peter H. Quimby Head of School The Governor’s Academy
Michael Junkins Faculty Administrator Great Barrington Rudolph Steiner School
Temba Maqubela Headmaster Groton School
Paul Horovitz Head of School Harborlight Montessori
Frances Cameron Administrative Chair The Hartsbrook School
Geraldine Kline Head of School High Mowing School
Ed Chase Head of School Hillside School
Phil Peck Head of School Holderness School
Laura Gauld Head of School and President Hyde School
Donna Milani Luther Head of School INLY School
Richard Ulffers Head of School International School of Boston
Anne Murphy President Jackson Walnut Park Schools
Susie Tanchel Head of School Jewish Community Day School
Andrea Katzman Head of School Jewish Community Day School of RI
Christopher S. Cheney Head of School Kents Hill School
Mike Schafer Head of School Kimball Union Academy
Renee DuChainey-Farkes Head of School Kingsley Montessori School
Robert J. Broudo President and Headmaster Landmark School
Amy Carroll Head of School Laurel School
Dan Scheibe Head of School Lawrence Academy
Michael McCord Head of School The Learning Project
Deanne Benson Head of School Lesley Ellis School
Aline Gery Head of School Lexington Montessori School
Suzanne Fogarty Head of School Lincoln School
Thomas J. Doherty III Headmaster Malden Catholic
Fanning M. Hearon III Head of School Maple Street School
Arvind S. Grover Head of School Meadowbrook School of Weston
Joshua Abrams Head of School Meridian Academy
John Kaufman Head of School Middlebridge School
Kathy Giles Head of School Middlesex School
Todd B. Bland Head of School Milton Academy
Julia Heaton Head of School Miss Hall’s School
Karen E. Bohlin, EdD Head of School Montrose School
Matt Glendinning Head of School Moses Brown School
Ed Hudner Head of School Mother Caroline Academy and Education Center
Eileen McLaughlin Head of School Mount Alvernia High School
Danielle Heard Head of School Nashoba Brooks School
Harry Lynch Headmaster The Newman School
Barbara Rogers R.S.C.J Headmistress Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
Beth Black Head of School Newton Montessori School
Catherine Hall Head of School Noble and Greenough School
Peter Fayroian Head of School Northfield Mount Hermon
Elizabeth Pasciucco President Notre Dame Academy
Bill Perrine Head of School Oak Meadow School
Margaret Douglas Head of School Odyssey Day School
Sarah Herman Head of School Our Sisters’ School
Cynthia A. Harmon Head of School The Park School
Tracy Bradley Head of Schools Park Street School/Park Street Kids
Rob Kelley Head of School The Pennfield School
John G. Palfrey Head of School Phillips Academy
Lisa MacFarlane Principal Phillips Exeter Academy
Betsye Sargent & Barbara McFall Heads of School The Phoenix School
John “Muddy” Waters Head of School The Pike School
Susannah Wells Head of School Pine Cobble School
Diana Owen Head of School Pine Point School
Dr. Timothy M. Johnson Head of School Pingree School
Margaret Bagge Head of School Pioneer Valley Montessori School
J. Timothy Richards Head of School Pomfret School
Vince Watchhorn Head of School Providence Country Day School
Emily Jones Head of School The Putney School
Michael Barclay Head of School Quest Montessori School
Mallory Rome Head of School The Rashi School
Ned Parsons Head of School The Rivers School
James Tracy Head of School Rocky Hill School
Kerry P. Brennan Headmaster The Roxbury Latin School
Marie P. Leary Head of School The Sage School
Alex Zequeira Headmaster Saint John’s High School
Tom Nunan, Jr. Head of School Saint Joseph Prep
Jennifer Borman Head of School School One
Mark Stanek Head of School Shady Hill School
Clair Ward Head of School Shore Country Day School
Frank Schwartz, Ph.D. President Showa Boston Institute
Rebecca Lurie Head of School Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston
Gigi DiBello Head of School Sophia Academy
David Tinagero Headmaster St. Andrew’s School
Alixe Callen Head of School St. George’s School
Edward P. Hardiman, Ph. D. Headmaster St. John’s Prep
John Warren Head of School St. Mark’s School
Mike Hirschfeld Head of School St. Paul’s School
Scot Landry Acting President St. Paul’s Choir School
William L. Burke III Headmaster St. Sebastian’s School
Houry Boyamian, M.Ed. Principal St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School
Sally L. Mixsell Head of School Stoneleigh-Burnham School
Martha Torrence Head of School Summit Montessori School
John H. Quirk Head of School Tabor Academy
Christian B. Elliot Head of School Tenacre Country Day
Don Grace Head of School Thacher Montessori School
Ted Koskores Headmaster Thayer Academy
Dr. Mary Halpin Carter Head of School The Derryfield School
Walter Hubley Head of School The Woodward School
Peter Saliba Head of School Tilton School
Susan Diller Head of School Touchstone Community School
Timothy Delehaunty Head of School Tower School
Linda Echt Interim Head of School Tremont School
Rosann Whiting President Ursuline Academy
Mara D. White Director of School Waldorf High School of Massachusetts Bay
Robert Schiappacasse School Director The Waldorf School of Lexington
Antonio Viva Head of School Walnut Hill School for the Arts
Timothy Bakland Head of School Waring School
Teri Schrader Head of School Watkinson School
Geoffrey Wagg Head of School Waynflete School
Allison Gaines Pell Head of School The Wheeler School
Timothy Breen Head of School The White Mountain School
Brian P. Easler Head of School Wilbraham & Monson Academy
Robert W. Hill, III Head of School The Williston Northampton School
Sarah Pelmas Head of School The Winsor School
Edward A. Cooper Head of School Wolfeboro
Walter Hubley Head of School The Woodward School
Ron Cino Head of School Worcester Academy
Brother Daniel Skala, C.F.X. Headmaster Xaverian Brothers High School
