Head Search
Watershed Friends School is launching a national search for our first Head of School.
Selecting the right leader is vital to carrying forward our progressive vision for education. This is a milestone moment for our community — the opportunity to guide the exciting chapter of becoming a unified PS–12th school. We are committed to a process that is transparent, inclusive, and engaging, keeping our community informed every step of the way. We deeply appreciate the support of our families, students, faculty, staff and friends as we seek a leader who will inspire, steward, and strengthen our school for years to come.
Updates from the Head of School Search Committee
September 15, 2025
Dear Watershed Friends Community,
Many thanks again to all who were able to participate in the listening sessions hosted late last week by our search consultants, Tracy Bennett and Chris Bright, during their campus visit. They expressed their appreciation for the very warm welcome they received and for the thoughtful, informative feedback you offered. We greatly appreciate all who provided invaluable feedback through our online survey—we had over 100 respondents. Your input, in addition to conversations with school leaders, has guided our development of the Information for Candidates (IFC) document. This comprehensive document provides potential candidates with an overview of our school, an outline of the opportunities and challenges before us, and a profile of the skills and attributes we will look for in our next Head of School.
We would like to report back on what we heard from our community in the survey. Specifically, the most referenced answers from respondents were as follows:
- Most valued aspects of Watershed School and Friends School are commitment to social and emotional growth (58%), close student-teacher relationships (52%), small class sizes/low student-teacher ratio (41%), and outdoor program (local and global) opportunities (33%).
- Priorities for the Head of School include stewarding the school’s commitment to independent, progressive, experiential education (50%), recruiting, retaining, and compensating high-quality faculty and staff and supporting professional development initiatives (44%), assuring financial stability and sound management of resources, balanced with affordable costs for families (39%), and building the sense of community and school spirit in the newly unified school (32%).
- Professional skills believed most important for the next Head include expertise in progressive education and experiential education (58%), leadership and management experience in an independent school (40%), experience in change management and building community (37%), and recruitment, retention, support, and management of faculty and staff (35%).
- Most important personal attributes include approachable, accessible, and collaborative (65%), honest, trustworthy, and transparent (61%), forward thinking and visionary (41%), and inspiring, engaging, and motivational (31%).
As highlighted in the IFC, we are seeking “a strategic, collaborative, and inspiring Head of School to lead the community as it begins its journey as a newly unified school. This unique opportunity will be a great match for an experienced, passionate leader with an entrepreneurial mindset, strong financial acumen, a deep understanding of progressive education, and the ability to manage change with care and compassion.” We encourage you to share information about this exciting leadership opportunity in your personal and professional circles and to direct any interested individuals to our consultants, Tracy Bennett and Chris Bright, who will follow up directly.
Throughout the process, input and involvement from faculty, staff and our parent and alumni community will be highly valued, with opportunities provided for further input and participation.
This leadership opportunity will be highly attractive to many prospective candidates thanks to the inspiring and courageous vision we hold for Watershed Friends School. The next Head of School can continue to enhance the strong foundation built in both schools over the last few decades.
The Head of School Search page on our website will keep you updated on our progress. Search Committee communication, the search timeline, and Frequently Asked Questions are posted there—we hope you will find this helpful. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, and thank you in advance for your time and continued commitment to Watershed Friends School!
Warmly,
Elizabeth Henna and Carol Hoeffler, Search Committee Co-Chairs
August 19, 2025
Dear Watershed Friends School Community,
Last week we welcomed Head of School search consultants, Tracy Bennett and Chris Bright of Educators Collaborative, to our campuses to meet with senior leadership and trustees from Friends and Watershed. As they begin to develop the desired profile for the first Watershed Friends Head of School, Tracy and Chris are learning all they can about what uniquely distinguishes Watershed Friends, the opportunities and challenges before us, and the skills and attributes we are seeking in potential candidates. They will return September 11-12 to host forums with faculty, staff, parents, and students—watch for information later this month with more details about these forums. There will also be the opportunity for our community to provide input in an anonymous online survey in early September.
The Joint Unification Task Force has formed the Head of School Search Committee composed of trustees and educators with deep institutional and program knowledge and longevity from both schools. This group will work in partnership with Tracy and Chris to finalize the Leadership Profile, review all candidate applications, vet the pool of qualified applicants to identify semifinalists and then finalists, manage the on campus visits for finalists, and solicit feedback from the entire community. The Search Committee will then make a recommendation to the Boards of Trustees of both Watershed School and Friends School, who hold the ultimate hiring responsibility.
The Head of School Search Committee includes:
- Dave Boennighausen, Friends School Board Chair
- Elizabeth Henna, Friends School Board Vice Chair
- Katie Latier, Friends School Trustee
- Carol Hoeffler, Watershed School Board Chair
- Lisa Swift, Watershed School Board Vice Chair
- Eaton Scripps, Watershed School Trustee
- Erika Norman, Friends School Faculty
- Diane Bramble, Friends School Faculty
- Amir Erez, Watershed School Faculty
- Jen Curtis, Watershed School Faculty
In addition to the Search Committee, we will form an Advisory Committee representing a range of stakeholders including parents, faculty, staff, and students. This Advisory Committee will provide additional perspective and input during finalist visits in late fall, as we make every effort to ensure an inclusive and broad-based approach. We will provide more information on how to express interest in this opportunity and the time commitment involved in our next update. And of course, all community members will have opportunities to meet the finalists during campus visits in mid-November and offer feedback through a separate anonymous survey.
Finally, we’re pleased to share that you can find information about the search and communication updates on our Head of School Search page. There you will see an FAQ that provides details about the search process, timeline, and other helpful information. In the coming weeks, Tracy, Chris, and their Educators Collaborative colleagues will focus on generating a robust pool of candidates for our review.
We look forward to keeping you apprised and welcome your questions as we move forward.
Warmly,
Dave Boennighausen, Friends School Board Chair
Carol Hoeffler, Watershed School Board Chair
FAQs about the Head of School Search
What role will the Board of Trustees play in the Head of School search process, and what is the role of the search committee?
The Boards of both Friends School and Watershed School have charged the Search Committee with conducting a comprehensive national search for the first Head of Watershed Friends School. The Boards will refer all inquiries related to the search to the Co-Chairs of the Search Committee and Educators Collaborative. As the process draws to completion, the Boards will review the recommendation of the Search Committee, formally resolve to pursue a candidate, bear responsibility for negotiating any terms of employment, and ultimately appoint the new Head of School. The Head of School is the only employee that is hired by and reports directly to the unified Watershed Friends Board of Trustees. Selecting, supporting, and evaluating the Head is one of the Board’s most important responsibilities.
How are Search Committee members selected?
To ensure there is broad engagement and input from the entire Watershed Friends community, we selected trustees and faculty for the Search Committee with longevity and breadth and depth of relationships with both Friends School and Watershed School. Search Committee members are charged with holding the vision and future of Watershed Friends School at the forefront of its work, and it is our hope that collectively a wide range of perspectives and experiences will inform our discussions.
Will people other than the search committee get to meet the candidates?
Absolutely – community input in this process is very important and we are committed to making the search an inclusive process. There are a number of opportunities for input, starting with on campus listening sessions in September. All stakeholders are encouraged to participate in these forums, where our consultants will learn more about the opportunities facing Watershed Friends School over the next several years, and the traits, skills, and experience desired in the next Head of School. An anonymous online survey also solicits input from community members. As the search nears its conclusion, finalists (usually 2-3) will be invited to campus and have an opportunity to meet with members of the Watershed Friends community through a variety of venues and forums. Everyone who meets with finalists will be asked to share feedback through an online survey, providing valuable perspectives for the Search Committee.
In addition to the Search Committee, we will form an Advisory Committee representing a range of stakeholders including parents, faculty, staff, and students. This Advisory Committee will provide additional perspective and input during finalist visits in late fall, as we make every effort to ensure an inclusive and broad-based approach
How will candidates be evaluated?
Candidates will be assessed in light of the skills and characteristics identified by the community and described in the Leadership Profile in the Information for Candidates document. Those skills and characteristics will be drawn from the survey responses and listening sessions conducted by the Educators Collaborative consultants. With the assistance of the consultants, the Search Committee will go through a series of steps to acquaint themselves with the pool of candidates before narrowing that group down to a group of semifinalists who will be confidentially interviewed, and then to a smaller group (likely three or four) of finalists. The Search Committee’s evaluation of the finalist candidates will be informed by input from members of the community who will meet with the candidates when they are on campus.
There are great people already working at both Friends and Watershed – wouldn’t it be easier to choose someone here?
We are fortunate to have such a capable and committed group of professionals working at both schools. Individuals who have an interest in the Head’s role should apply for the position, and information about all candidates is held as confidential until finalists are selected. All candidates will be considered and reviewed in the same manner – this is crucial to the integrity of the process and to ensure we select the individual we believe to be best suited to be the first Head of School for Watershed Friends School.
What is the timeline for the search and when will the new Head of School begin?
Like most independent schools, Watershed Friends School will engage in a thoughtful search and well-planned transition over the next five months. One way to think about the search process is that it essentially consists of three phases.
In the first phase, the Educators Collaborative consultants get to know Watershed Friends School through conversations with the Search Committee, the Boards of both Watershed and Friends, administrators, staff, and faculty, parents, alumni, and students; through a community survey; and through reviewing data and documents provided by the school. This enables the consultants to develop a leadership profile for the new Head of Watershed Friends School. Simultaneously, the consultants publicize the leadership opportunity and begin their outreach to prospective candidates.
The second phase takes place almost exclusively behind the scenes and is highly confidential, as the Educators Collaborative consultants recruit and do the initial vetting of candidates through interviews and reference checks. While any qualified candidate will be considered up until the completion of the search, interested candidates will be asked to contact Tracy and Chris so that their candidacies can be appropriately vetted.
In the final phase, the Search Committee becomes very engaged, learning more about candidates whom the consultants have put forward for consideration, conducting preliminary confidential interviews, selecting the finalists, and assuring that the finalists’ visits to the school are successful. During the finalists’ visits, members of the community will meet with each of the candidates and provide detailed feedback through the search consultants to the Search Committee for consideration in determining which individual will be recommended to the Boards of Trustees for approval. The work of the Search Committee concludes when it presents its nomination of the candidate of choice to both the Watershed and Friends School Boards of Trustees.
We anticipate the following timeline:
| Position posted | Late August |
| Application deadline | Mid-October |
| Semifinalist interviews | Early November |
| Finalist visits | Mid-November |
| Appointment | December |
| Start date | July 1, 2026 |
What if I know someone who may be interested?
Interested candidates should contact Tracy Bennett or Chris Bright of Educators Collaborative directly. They will maintain confidentiality in reaching out to potential leaders. We also invite members of the community to make referrals of appropriate candidates. Please contact Tracy or Chris to share names and contact information of potential candidates, and they will reach out directly to them.
What is the scope of the search?
We are conducting a national search. While we know there are many talented education leaders locally, we also know that our vision for Watershed Friends School and commitment to student-centered progressive education, as well as our beautiful Rocky Mountain West location will be a draw for school leaders from across the country.
What if you don’t find the right person?
We are optimistic that given the exciting opportunities this position offers we will attract highly skilled, passionate educators and successfully recruit the first Head of School for Watershed Friends. However, should we not identify that individual, we would move forward to retain an interim Head. This is not uncommon, and there are many schools that choose to hire an interim Head for a period of time and then resume their search for a permanent Head. Again, we believe that appointing an interim Head is a highly unlikely outcome, and that we will name a new Head by the end of the calendar year.
What if I have additional questions?
Feel free to contact the Search Committee chairs, Carol Hoeffler and Elizabeth Henna, directly or either of our search consultants:
Tracy Bennett, Partner
tbennett@educatorscollaborative.com
Chris Bright, Partner
cbright@educatorscollaborative.com
Head of School Search Committee
- Dave Boennighausen, Friends School Board Chair
- Elizabeth Henna, Friends School Board Vice Chair
- Katie Latier, Friends School Trustee
- Carol Hoeffler, Watershed School Board Chair
- Lisa Swift, Watershed School Board Vice Chair
- Eaton Scripps, Watershed School Trustee
- Erika Norman, Friends School Faculty
- Diane Bramble, Friends School Faculty
- Amir Erez, Watershed School Faculty
- Jen Curtis, Watershed School Faculty