We hope this FAQ’s section will provide information following the Retirement Announcement by current President/CEO Michael Hall-Mounsey and the announcement of our new school leader, Lars Kuelling, following an extensive leadership search. The Ojai Valley School Board of Trustees voted to return to “Head of School” as the title for the OVS Chief Executive Officer. All duties and responsibilities will remain the same.
Q: What are the responsibilities of the Head of School?
A: The Head of School is appointed by the Board of Trustees and is responsible for all aspects of the school, including the academic program, operations, financial health, external relations and fundraising. She/he leads the administrative team in running the day to day programs of the school. In partnership with the Board of Trustees, the Head is responsible for setting the school’s strategic priorities and achieving the school’s mission. The following prospectus was developed for candidates interested in the position: Leadership Opportunity Profile
Q: What is the role of the Board of Trustees in the search?
A: The Board of Trustees is responsible for selecting the Head of School. This is one of the most important responsibilities of all independent school boards. The OVS Board has delegated the detailed tasks of conducting the search to the Search/Transition Committee.
Q: What is the role of the Search/Transition Committee?
A: The Search/Transition Committee reaches out to all members of the OVS community for their thoughts on the leadership attributes required of the next Head of School. The Committee will review candidate files, interview the most promising candidates, and speak with multiple references to find a leader who is aligned with our philosophy and values. The Committee will recommend to the Board of Trustees the candidate it determines to be the right person for to be the next Head of OVS.
Q: Who is on the Search/Transition Committee?
A: The Search/Transition Committee consists of board members, current and past parents, teachers and administrators. Nicholas Thacher (L60) serves as the Chair of the Committee.
Q: What is the timeline for the transition?
A: The announcement of the next Head of School was name in November 2021. The new Head will assume responsibility on July 1, 2022.
Q: How will the Search/Transition Committee keep the community updated?
A: There will be communications from the Committee throughout the process through email and The names of candidates remain confidential until the finalist phase of the search in order to allow candidates to explore their match with OVS while remaining in their current position.
