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A Chronology and Overview of Strategic School Leadership’s Work with Trinity School
Autumn 2022 – Strategic School Leadership LLC (“SSL”) was retained by the Trinity School Board in the a�ermath of the situa�on involving faculty member Ginn Norris and Project Veritas. The three partners from SSL who agreed to engage in this work are: Margarita Curtis, PhD. – former Modern Language Department Chair and Dean of Studies at Phillips Academy Andover and for 13 years Head of School at Deerfield Academy in western Massachusets Richard I. Melvoin, PhD. – former History Department chair and Dean of Studies at Deerfield Academy, former Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Harvard College, and for 25 years Head of School at Belmont Hill School, located near Boston, Massachusets Z. Vance Wilson – long�me English teacher, English Department chair and administrator at several independent schools before serving for 19 years as Headmaster of St. Albans School in Washington, D.C. December 7-8, 2022 – SSL spent two days on Trinity’s campus, mee�ng various representa�ves of the school, including the Advisory Commitee established to help in this work (and including parents, faculty and trustees), and refining the work ahead. December 2022 – In the a�ermath of the on-campus visit, SSL considered several firms to help SSL and Trinity conduct a survey of students, faculty and staff, and parents to explore issues of “open inquiry and viewpoint diversity” at Trinity. SSL presented two candidates to Trinity, and Head of School John Allman par�cipated in Zoom interviews with the two finalists. SSL and Trinity decided to work with the firm Mission & Data LLC (www.missionanddata.com). The three M&D partners engaged in this work were Ari Betoff, Sarah Enterline, and Avis Leveret. January 2023 – SSL and Mission & Data worked together to dra� a survey instrument for Trinity. With significant review and revision from Trinity, notably via the Head of School and Board chair, M&D completed a revised survey by the end of the month. February 2023 – M&D administered the survey and then dra�ed a report that summarized its findings. That was reviewed and revised by SSL. A 9-page slide deck was created out of the report for SSL to use when it visited school. March 13-16, 2023 – The three members of the SSL team spent four full days at Trinity. The goals in every mee�ng they led were the same and three-fold: to review the findings from the survey, to respond to ques�ons or comments, and to seek ideas for how Trinity could make changes to enhance opportuni�es for open inquiry and expressions of viewpoint diversity, both in and out of the classroom. SSL met with 28 groups over the four days:
Strategic School Leadership: Serving school leaders so their schools may thrive.