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Tom Sheppard will become the 12th Head of School in St. Andrew's 70-year history on July 1, 2018. He will succeed the current Head of School, Dr. George Penick, who announced his plans to retire from St. Andrew's in early 2017."On behalf of the St. Andrew's Board of Trustees, our students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends, I'm very pleased to welcome Tom Sheppard as our next Head of School," said Ravi Raju, Chairman of the St. Andrew's Board of Trustees. "We are all very grateful to Dr. Penick for his outstanding service, dedication, and commitment during his 10 years as Head of School. Under his leadership, St. Andrew's has grown and reached new milestones while always remaining focused on our vision and values. I'm confident that Tom Sheppard is the right choice to lead as our next Head of School based on his background, experience, and the very extensive search process that was undertaken to make this selection."
To select its new Head of School, St. Andrew's appointed a Search Committee consisting of members of the Board of Trustees, parent leadership, and faculty that conducted a national search with the assistance of a highly-respected firm that specializes in independent schools. Tom Sheppard was the committee's unanimous recommendation from among a very strong pool of applicants.
Tom Sheppard stated, "It may be impossible to fully convey the sense of honor, responsibility, and excitement I feel envisioning a future that includes an opportunity to serve as the next Head of School at St. Andrew's Episcopal School. Throughout the entire search process, every member of the St. Andrew's family with whom I interacted embodied the school's mission with remarkable clarity, enabling me to understand why the school is so well-positioned for continued success in the years ahead. It became readily apparent that the foundation for the future has been established over the past 70 years because of St. Andrew's unwavering commitment to its Episcopal heritage within a diverse community where a life of honor and service to others binds generations of graduates past, present, and still to come."
Tom Sheppard comes to St. Andrew's, a Christian school in Jackson, MS, from The Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, where he serves as Dean of Enrollment Management and part of the senior leadership team. The Lawrenceville School was recently recognized by Niche as the #4 Private School in the Country, and Tom's work has been recognized for leadership in the areas of enrollment management and admissions including receiving the Bretnall Award by the Enrollment Management Association for outstanding contributions to the profession.
During his career, Tom has also been a classroom teacher, coach, and held various senior administrative positions at several highly-acclaimed independent schools including Perkiomen School near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Trinity-Pawling School near New York, New York; and Stevenson School in Pebble Beach and Carmel, California. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Washington and Lee University and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Lehigh University. Tom and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, Zachary and Olivia.
"I am extremely comforted in the deliberate, careful, and thorough process that the search committee used to choose my successor, Tom Sheppard. In addition to his unique background and reputation, I was impressed from my personal interaction with him during his final interviews on campus. Continuing the current momentum and excitement at St. Andrew's is critical, and Tom has the personality and the educational expertise to lead St. Andrew's to new heights," said Dr. George Penick, current Head of School.
St. Andrew's continues to expand including the recent grand opening of its new Athletics and Recreation Center (ARC), which is the largest addition to the school in several decades and is one of several major projects in the Forward Saints capital campaign. The ARC's completion follows the opening of the Early Childhood Center and Discovery Center in 2016 and concludes the first stage of the campaign. The remaining two stages will add new and renovated facilities benefitting the entire St. Andrew's community, including a fifth grade loft, expanded dining commons, learning commons, and Episcopal chapel.
St. Andrew's Episcopal School is a coeducational college preparatory day school serving students in pre-K through 12th grade on campuses in Jackson and Ridgeland, Mississippi. Founded in 1947 and grounded in the Episcopal tradition, St. Andrew's is a close-knit community of approximately 1,200 students. The school emphasizes a comprehensive approach to education through outstanding academic, athletic, and artistic programs. St. Andrew's has excellent college placement, a nationally recognized global studies program, and a strong commitment to being a diverse and inclusive community. For more information about St. Andrew's, visit https://www.gosaints.org.
Contact Info:
Name: Stephanie Garriga
Email: Send Email
Organization: St. Andrew's Episcopal School
Address: 370 Old Agency Road, Ridgeland, MS 39157
Phone: 601-853-6029
Website: https://www.gosaints.org/
Release ID: 248500
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