On January 25, 2022, Chair of the Board of Trustees David Koo shared the following with the Latin community:
Dear Latin Community,
His leadership ability has been proven through years of consistent and collaborative management in complex academic settings, and he brings a deep understanding of the conditions required for innovative teaching and learning, including supporting students, faculty and staff.David Koo
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am thrilled to announce and welcome Dr. Thomas Hagerman as Latin's next Head of School succeeding Randall Dunn effective July 1, 2022. This decision is the result of a national search process initiated late last summer which included input from all of our community constituencies on both the position statement and feedback on candidates. Dr. Hagerman was unanimously recommended by the Head of School Search Committee to the Board of Trustees which unanimously approved his appointment.
Dr. Hagerman currently serves as the Superintendent of the Scarsdale Public Schools in Scarsdale, New York. Prior to his role in Scarsdale, Thomas held superintendent positions in school districts in Winnetka and River Forest, Illinois and Portland, Oregon. A career educator, Dr. Hagerman's first job was as a middle and upper school teacher in the Portland public schools.
As a community, we identified the following opportunities for Latin's next leader:
- Unite all members of the Latin community around the school's future
- Execute the Strategic Design in collaboration with the Latin community
- Advance the cultivation of a diverse, equitable and inclusive school community
- Advance Latin's internal organizational capacity and opportunities for academic leadership
- Optimize Latin's resources and facilities in support of our mission and future ambitions
Dr. Hagerman's skills and experience align with these priorities in important ways. His leadership ability has been proven through years of consistent and collaborative management in complex academic settings, and he brings a deep understanding of the conditions required for innovative teaching and learning, including supporting students, faculty and staff. He has successfully directed all aspects of school operations, implemented strategic initiatives, led efforts focused on advancing work in diversity, equity and inclusion and has been a champion for wellness for students, faculty and staff. In addition, his demonstrated strengths as a communicator and relationship builder will serve the Latin community well as we embark on this transition.
I want to extend my gratitude to Maury Tognarelli, Chair of the Head of School Search Committee, the members of the Head of School Search Committee: Dontrey Britt-Hart, Jenny Cizner, Charlie Gofen, Shelley Greenwood, Kathleen Meade, Dara Milner, David Williams; and members of the Faculty & Staff Advisory Council chaired by Kathleen Meade: Nick Baer, Fiona Deeney, Alexandra Fields, Russell Harris, Kate Lorber-Crittenden, Avani Tandon. Each of these individuals committed significant time and valuable insights, input and feedback in this process. I am also grateful to our search partner, Storbeck, for their thoughtful guidance throughout this process.
My final thanks goes to the entirety of our incredible Latin community–faculty, staff, students, parents/guardians, alumni and trustees–all important voices and active participants throughout the process clearly demonstrating our shared interest and commitment to the future of Latin.
We are extremely excited for Dr. Hagerman to learn more about Latin, and look forward to implementing an onboarding and transition plan for him during the balance of this school year.
With gratitude,
David J. Koo
Chair, Board of Trustees
Dear Latin Community,
I am proud to say that I am also now an official Latin Learner, and I look forward to absorbing as much as I can about this community and our priorities in advance of my arrival.Dr. Thomas Hagerman
I am honored and excited to accept the role as Latin School of Chicago's next Head of School. It is an amazing opportunity to be able to partner with and lead your community into the next phase of the school's venerable and prestigious history.
I have been aware of Latin and its accomplishments from the time I first came to Illinois to work in the River Forest School District. To me, and many educators I know, it is the pinnacle of excellence in education: rigorous, yet personal; innovative, yet committed to the traditions of a liberal arts curriculum. Latin is a school community that wraps itself around the needs of students and makes sure that every child can succeed.
As soon as I engaged in the process, it was affirmed that many of my perceptions of Latin were accurate, but I also learned a lot that I did not know, including that Latin is not a place that is willing to simply rest on its reputation. The conversations about teaching and learning were thoughtful and exciting; the care and well-being of students were ever-present; and the depth of knowledge around best practices across school functions was inspirational. But, the highlight of my days on-campus was the time spent with people–students and adults–who clearly love learning, and especially Latin learning. It was evident throughout my time that a Latin education is indeed an experience that informs every aspect of a student's being.
Beyond the people I met, what impressed me most was the desire of the Latin community to continually improve. The spirit and willingness to do authentic and important work, no matter how hard, is a quality that I deeply admire and intend to support as I move into this role.
I am proud to say that I am also now an official Latin Learner, and I look forward to absorbing as much as I can about this community and our priorities in advance of my arrival. I am also excited to reacclimate myself to Chicago, and, on that front, introductions and advice are encouraged!
Gratefully,
Thomas Hagerman
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