Head of School Search - San Francisco University High School

Introducing Matt Levinson, UHS's 10th Head of School

In July 2021, San Francisco University High School's Board of Trustees and the Head of School Search Committee unanimously selected Matt Levinson as our next Head of School starting in the 2022-2023 school year. Matt will succeed Julia Russell Eells in July 2022, following Julia's remarkable nine-year tenure as Head of School.

Incoming Head of School, Matt Levinson

Learn more about UHS' 10th Head of School, Matt Levinson, in this video interview by Lily Ehsan '23, Editor-in-Chief of The Devils’ Advocate.

Introducing Matt Levinson, UHS' 10th Head of School

When current Head of School Julia Russell Eells announced her intention to retire, we reflected on Julia's remarkable impact on UHS since 2013. Her steadfast dedication to carrying forward our Equity and Community initiatives, increasing financial aid, and enhancing faculty compensation and professional development stand out among many notable highlights. We are deeply grateful for Julia's leadership and hope you will join us in honoring her at one of the many UHS year-end celebrations.

With an exceptionally high bar set for the next Head of School, the UHS Board of Trustees and the Head of School Search Committee made their unanimous selection of Matt Levinson to serve as UHS's tenth Head of School beginning in July 2022. The Search Committee sought a transformative leader who is student-centric, collaborative, inspiring, and who has demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) as well as substantial financial, operations, and fundraising acumen. They found these qualities and experiences in Matt and also discovered an educator whose warmth and curiosity inspire others. In joining the UHS community, Matt will return to the Bay Area, where he previously served in leadership roles at local Independent Schools, Nueva School, and Marin Country Day School.

Following Matt's UHS campus visit this past September, he shared, "I am honored, humbled, and excited to be following Julia Eells, whose leadership has energized and transformed University High School. I am excited and eager to work closely with Julia and the Transition Committee on a successful and smooth leadership transition. Each day that I spend with the UHS community, I continue to be inspired by the palpable, dynamic, and generous spirit that permeates UHS."

Please join us in welcoming Matt and his wife Priyanthi, their college-aged children, Sanjay and Maya, and their dog Avi back to the Bay Area. We look forward to opportunities for you to further connect with Matt. More information on the search process and Matt's background can be found below.

13 Questions with Incoming Head of School, Matt Levinson

Learn more about UHS' 10th Head of School, Matt Levinson, in this fun video interview by Lily Ehsan '23, Editor-in-Chief of The Devils’ Advocate: 13 Questions with Incoming Head of School, Matt Levinson.

July 1, 2021

Dear Members of the UHS Community,

On behalf of the UHS Board of Trustees and the Head of School Search Committee, it is our great pleasure to announce that Matt Levinson has been unanimously selected as our next Head of School starting in the 2022-2023 school year. Matt will succeed Julia Russell Eells in July 2022, following Julia’s remarkable nine-year tenure as Head of School.

A thoughtful, visionary, and experienced Independent School leader, Matt Levinson has 28 years of experience as a passionate educator. Starting his career as a history teacher for the first 14 years, he has also served in various school leadership roles, including Department Chair, Grade Level Dean, Division Director, Assistant Head of School at Marin Country Day School and the Nueva School, and Head of School at University Prep, a 6-12 independent school in Seattle. Matt is currently the Head of School at The Pingry School, a K-12 independent school in New Jersey.

Matt’s appointment as UHS’s 10th Head of School represents the culmination of a comprehensive, national search process. Thanks to the thoughtful and detailed feedback from our community, we articulated the community’s aspirations in our position specification and conducted a comprehensive search. Additionally, we wish to thank the numerous faculty, staff, department heads, alumni, board members, parents, students, and other members of our community who provided invaluable guidance during the search process.

When we set out on our search, we wrote to you that we would look for a transformative academic leader who is student-centric, collaborative, inspiring, and who also possesses a proactive commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) as well as substantial financial, operations and fundraising acumen. We not only found all these qualities and experiences in Matt, but we also discovered a warm, engaging person whose heart is in the right place. His personal and professional characteristics align with our core values of inquiry, integrity, care, interconnection, and agency.

In all of our engagements and queries, we came to appreciate that Matt put students first. He loves engaging with students and supporting them in their journey into young adulthood. Matt was a history teacher and coach for 14 years before he went into administration, and his focus and love for student well-being have continued to inspire. Matt strives for academic excellence while keeping the whole child in mind. His colleagues have said that he wants to know everyone – every student, every parent, every teacher, every staff member, and every alum. He holds people when they are down, and he celebrates every achievement. Matt is a true community builder.

Equally important to Matt is his commitment to the principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging - work that he has prioritized and has been dedicated to for nearly a decade. At Pingry, Matt created an Anti-Racism Task Force to examine and transform practices and culture while developing strategic recommendations. Through this work, Matt and his colleagues reformulated hiring processes, implemented ongoing professional development of faculty and staff, initiated affinity groups for parents and caregivers and middle school students, and created a permanent DEI Board Committee. At University Prep, he led the community to adopt a diversity mission statement and a strategic diversity plan that led to enhanced professional development for faculty and staff, articulation of equity-based teaching practices, creating a permanent DEI Board Committee, and establishing equity-based hiring practices.

At both schools, DEI was central to Matt’s and his entire administrative team’s work, starting with extensive training of the board and the administrative team led by Alison Park of Blink Consulting. Matt believes that DEI work is critical at all levels and that the board and his administrative team are central to creating the tone and setting the culture for the entire community, beginning with their own commitment and training. Finally, Matt’s highly collaborative style and the strength in the relationships that he builds have shown to be highly effective in moving school communities forward, deepening their commitment to DEI.

We are excited for you to meet and work with Matt. His energy is captivating, and his creativity is inspiring. As a lifelong innovator, Matt has brought many initiatives to transform the student experience. At University Prep, Matt and his colleagues created a new daily schedule and launched “intensives” – three-week immersive, interdisciplinary courses twice per year that enabled students to examine and solve real-world problems while engaging in place-based learning in and around the city of Seattle. This past year, at Pingry, Matt and his colleagues created and implemented Pingry Anywhere, a learner-centered experience that allowed for both in-person and remote learning throughout the entire school year while engaging students in the entirety of the Pingry program, including arts, athletics, clubs, and extracurriculars.

After extensive research and time spent meeting with many candidates, the 13-member Search Committee enthusiastically concluded that Matt is the right person to be the next leader of our school. The Search Committee unanimously recommended him to the UHS Board of Trustees. The Board, in turn, unanimously accepted this recommendation and is delighted to introduce Matt Levinson as UHS’s next Head of School.

We are deeply grateful to our entire community for your engagement, thoughtfulness, and support. We could not have done this work without an incredible Head of School Search Committee and the excellent guidance from consultants at Spencer Stuart. The Committee’s insight, care, dedication, and commitment to the principles of DEIB, were crucial in finding the right leader for our school. Each member’s perspective, experience, generosity of time, and appreciation for UHS inspired the entire Committee to work hard and conduct a thoughtful, thorough, and rigorous search process.

Laura Spivy, the Chair of the Board of Trustees, shared, “I am incredibly excited to work with Matt. He is a head of school who puts students first and leads from the heart. This, combined with his strong strategic orientation, will enable him to effectively lead our school to the next level, achieving our future goals and vision. I am so grateful to the Search Committee for their time and incredible insights in finding such an inspiring and able leader for our school.”

More information about Matt, including a letter from Matt to the UHS Community can be found on the UHS Head of School Search page.

Please join us in welcoming Matt, his wife, Priyanthi Alahendra, and their college-age children, Sanjay and Maya, back to the Bay Area. Matt is eager to meet all of you. Matt will be on campus several times over the course of this coming year and will be working closely with Julia and her team to ensure a smooth and successful transition in July 2022.

Sincerely,

Raj Atluru (P'19, '22, '24)
Search Committee Co-Chair

Kay Yun (P'19, '21)
Search Committee Co-Chair

A Message from Matt Levinson

Dear UHS Faculty, Staff, Students, Families, Alumni, Trustees and Friends,

I am thrilled to be joining the UHS community as the next Head of School. From the first minute I spent with the Search Committee throughout the entire process, I was inspired and moved by the shared commitment of everyone to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, student wellness, academic and intellectual growth, and a culture of inquiry rooted in strong support for teacher development. Over and over, I heard stories of UHS students engaged in academics, arts, and athletics, being able to find pathways to reach their full potential. The innovative, entrepreneurial, and inclusive spirit of UHS, coupled with kindness and compassion, came through clearly and helped me feel welcome, seen, and valued.

Having lived in the Bay Area, I have long known about UHS’s reputation as a school focused on nurturing a sense of belonging through the nationally recognized mentor program as well as providing an innovative academic program, filled with opportunities for students to pursue their passions in the hands of skillful teachers committed to their growth and development. UHS is a community that never stands still. The school continues to seek ways to expand and enrich the student experience and asks important questions about what is best for students now and in the future. The Search Committee challenged and pushed me to think with them about the future of UHS and what I see as visionary and transformational while also being firmly rooted in the founding principles of equity and excellence.

Having spent the first 14 years of my career as a history teacher and coach, I value listening to and empowering student voices to help shape community and see students light up with joy and curiosity when they are engaged in meaningful, deep learning with outstanding educators. Every member of the Search Committee had one story or another of how a UHS student is filled with joy and, as the UHS mission statement says, “a purpose larger than the self.”

I feel grateful to be following Julia Eells, a superb and visionary educator who has built an enduring, positive, and transformational legacy at UHS. She has forged a path that I want to follow.

The Search Committee could not have put more effort, thought, and care into this comprehensive process. I learned from them at each step along the way, and they showed me the level of devotion and love they have for UHS, which reflects the broader UHS community that I so eagerly await the opportunity to get to know.

My wife, Priyanthi Alahendra, and our two college-age children, Sanjay and Maya, along with our dog Avi, cannot wait to join UHS in July 2022.

I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Sincerely,

Matt Levinson

Career Highlights

Matt Levinson and his wife, Priyanthi Alahendra, are lifelong independent school educators who have devoted their lives and careers to educating young people, building and strengthening community connection, cultivating a sense of inclusion and belonging, and developing innovative programs. Matt was born in Bethesda, Maryland. The greatest influences in his life are his mother and father, who have helped shape him into the person and educator he is today. His mother is a professional artist and imbued in Matt an early appreciation for creativity. At the same time, his father was a lawyer and law professor, infusing a commitment to the importance of language, history, and social justice. Matt was an avid athlete in high school and college, where he played soccer at Haverford College and majored in history, combining his twin loves of athletics and academics. He later earned his M.A. in Social Studies Education from Teachers’ College, Columbia University.

Matt began his career at Princeton Day School in New Jersey, where he served in various roles, including middle and upper school history teacher, grade level dean, department chair, and coaching the girls’ and boys’ varsity soccer teams. Matt’s 14 years in the classroom set a strong foundation for his leadership approach grounded in student belonging, growth, and wellness.

Matt served in senior leadership roles at some of the country’s top independent day schools. He made his first move to the Bay Area in 2007 when he became the Assistant Head of School and Middle School Director at the Nueva School. He then joined his wife, Priyanthi, a first-grade teacher at Marin Country Day School, where he served as Assistant Head of School and Head of the Upper Division. At both schools, he helped to lead strategic initiatives, a passion for Matt throughout his career.

Matt is an experienced head of school, leading both University Prep in Seattle, Washington, and The Pingry School in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. At both schools, he helped to lead strategic work in diversity, equity, and inclusion, promote student support and wellness, and develop innovative academic programs to best meet the needs of all students.

Matt and Priyanthi are excited to return to the Bay Area, along with their two college-age children, Sanjay and Maya, and their dog Avi. The Levinson/Alahendra family will join the UHS community July 2022.

Meet the Search Committee

Raj Atluru (P'19, P'22, and P'24)
Board Trustee, Search Committee Co-Chair

Kay Yun (P'19 and P'21)
Board Trustee, Search Committee Co-Chair

Katie Albright (P’18 and P’21)
Board Trustee, Chair

Lily Beischer (P’21)
Board Trustee, Audit Committee Chair

Terrence Brewer
Music and Western Civ Teacher & Junior Mentor

Dan Carroll (P’13)
Former Board Trustee

Sue Decker (P’15 and P’21)
Board Trustee

Sean Hamer (P’23)
Board Trustee

Sherief Meleis (’88)
Board Trustee

Jessica Osorio (’10)
English Teacher & Mentor Coach

Alexandra Simmons
Dean of Students

Laura Spivy (P‘18, P‘20 and P‘23)
Board Trustee, Vice Chair and Capital Campaign Chair

Paul Wythes (P’23)
Board Trustee

Click HERE to view full Search Committee bios

Community Messages

Update From the HOS Search Committee - June 9

June 9, 2021

Dear Members of the UHS Community,

As we begin summer, we would like to update you on the UHS Head of School search. As you know, Julia Eells will be retiring at the end of next school year.

The 13-member Search Committee, which is composed of members from the Board, faculty, administration, and alumni, have worked together since January 2021 to run a robust search process to find our next Head of School.

The process has included:

Broad and inclusive community engagement
A clearly articulated Candidate and Position Specification
Comprehensive candidate research
Strategic and substantive outreach to key sources and prospects
Rigorous assessment of prospects
Behaviorally based interview, conducted both virtually and in-person, and case studies with candidates
Deep 360˚ referencing

We’ve set out to find outstanding candidates with ideal experiences and skill sets that include:

Transformative Academic Leadership - Supporting an academically challenging program while promoting a sense of wellness; encouraging the faculty to think expansively about curriculum, pedagogy, and the use of technology; having a vision for what education could look like for the next decade and the courage to lead UHS there
A Student Centric Mindset - Engaging effectively and forging strong, authentic bonds with smart, curious young adults; deep commitment to helping students identify their passion and individual paths
Culture and Community Building – Embracing the school’s culture and community; building authentic relationships; managing and honoring different and opposing views
Committed and Proactive Leadership of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging - Leading diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives and making an impact on the organizational culture, practices, and strategies
Collaborative and Inspiring Management Style – Empowering and inspiring a talented, diverse team to work collaboratively, listen well, and partner to solve problems and chart an ambitious, sustainable path forward
Strategic Leadership with Strong Financial and Operational Acumen - Being a strategic and effective steward of the school’s financial, physical, and human assets; securing a fiscally sustainable institution; able to bring our new building to fruition with all the programmatic and fundraising aspects associated with the project
Effective Fundraising - Fostering a culture of philanthropic support from alumni, parents and caregivers; able to communicate the value of UHS in a compelling way and drive success in both annual and capital giving

Comprehensive research was conducted throughout the search. Spencer Stuart identified and reviewed prospects from the following pools: i) Heads at well-regarded independent day and boarding schools across the country; ii) Assistant Heads and Upper School Directors at top independent schools, with management scope/scale; iii) BIPOC leaders at NAIS member schools, and iv) All nominations from the UHS community.

We have been striving for an inclusive and bias-free approach throughout the process, consistent with all UHS norms and practices. We conducted an anti-bias training for the Search Committee, took a systematic and intentional approach to our research, applied a consistent process for all candidates, developed a rubric to assess candidates and conducted interviews that were structured, consistent and focused on skills, behaviors and capabilities.

As we wrote to you earlier, our national and local reputation as a top-tier high school with an enduring commitment to academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, and the support of the whole child garnered strong interest from an extensive and diverse group of candidates. Over 145 individuals were identified via targeted research as potential prospects and sources. Spencer Stuart reached out to 75+ qualified prospects and relevant sources. Twenty-two profiles were reviewed by the Search Committee, eight candidates were interviewed in the first round and four in the second round.

Pandemic-related travel and social constraints have not severely impacted the search. On the contrary, the ability to take advantage of virtual interviews has assisted in scheduling and conducting the first and second rounds in a timely manner. Moving forward, our next steps involve thorough referencing and continued virtual and in-person discussions with the leading candidates.

We have made great progress and are pleased with the results thus far. We anticipate making a formal recommendation to the Board during the summer and then completing the process by announcing UHS’s next Head of School shortly thereafter.

Thank you for your continued support.

We wish you a wonderful summer,

Raj Atluru and Kay Yun
Search Committee Co-Chairs

Search Committee Update - April 22

April 22, 2021

Dear Members of the UHS community,

Thank you for your interest in and your valuable input on the Head of School search. We want to provide you with a progress update. As you know, we started the Search in January when we hired Spencer Stuart as our search consultant and commenced a series of community feedback sessions to gather thoughts from faculty, staff, alumni, students, parents, and caregivers. This feedback informed our Position Specification for the next Head of School, which our search team at Spencer Stuart has utilized to identify and recruit potential candidates for this position.

Our local and national reputation as a top-tier high school with an enduring commitment to academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, and the support of the whole child garnered strong interest in the Head of School position from an extensive, impressive, and diverse group of educators. After careful consideration of these candidates, the Search Committee has narrowed the list to a diverse group of highly qualified, inspiring candidates. We are looking forward to virtual interviews with them in May and expect to continue the conversations with the candidates through the coming months.

We have made great strides and are pleased with the progress thus far. We are grateful for your help and support. Please continue to send your questions and input to UHShead@spencerstuart.com.

Raj Atluru and Kay Yun
Search Committee Co-Chairs

Search Committee Update with Position Specification - March 2

March 2, 2021

Dear Members of the UHS Community,

Over the past two months, we have gathered your input for use in the search for the next Head of SF University High School. During this time, the Spencer Stuart executive search team held individual and small group meetings with members of the administration as well as group Zoom calls with faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents and caregivers. The faculty representatives from the Search Committee held a Zoom session for the faculty and the Co-Chairs held two Zoom sessions for parents and caregivers. Many of you submitted input via the Spencer Stuart email address created for the search. In addition, over 200 members of the UHS community participated in the Community Survey. These efforts were designed to provide the entire community with an opportunity to share thoughts regarding UHS, the attributes you hope to see in the next Head of School, and the opportunities and challenges that await our next Head of School. We received very helpful feedback throughout this process, and we thank each of you for taking the time to provide your input on the Head of School search.

Here are a few of the key themes we heard regarding the attributes and experiences that the community is seeking in the next Head of School:

A Transformative Academic Leader - Support an academically challenging program while promoting a sense of wellness; Encourage the faculty to think expansively about curriculum, pedagogy, and the use of technology; Have a vision for what education could look like for the next decade and the courage to lead UHS there
Student Centric Mindset - Engage effectively and forge strong, authentic bonds with smart, curious young adults; Deep commitment to helping students identify their passion and individual paths
Culture and Community Builder – Embrace the school’s culture and community; Build authentic relationships; Manage and honor different and opposing views
Committed and Proactive Leader of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging - Lead the diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives and make an impact on the organizational culture, practices, and strategies
Collaborative and Inspiring Manager – Empower and inspire a talented, diverse team to work collaboratively, listen well, and partner to solve problems and chart an ambitious, sustainable path forward
Strategic Leader with Strong Financial and Operational Acumen - Be a strategic and effective steward of the school’s financial, physical, and human assets; Secure a fiscally sustainable institution; Bring our new building to fruition with all of the programmatic and fundraising aspects associated with the project
Effective Fundraiser - Foster a culture of philanthropic support from alumni, parents and caregivers, communicating the value of UHS in a compelling way and driving success in both annual and capital giving

The comments and feedback we received were critical to developing a Position Specification for our next Head of School. We are pleased to share the final Position Specification with you today here . This document will also be posted on the Head of School Search webpage. The Spencer Stuart team and the Head of School Search Committee are moving forward with identifying candidates and will use the Position Specification to promote this special opportunity. Specific candidate suggestions made during the community feedback sessions or directly through email or the survey have also been shared with Spencer Stuart.

Moving forward, we continue to welcome your nominations and comments at UHShead@spencerstuart.com. We look forward to providing you further updates.

Thank you for your continued support.

Raj Atluru and Kay Yun
Search Committee Co-Chairs

Head of School Search Community Survey - February 4

February 4, 2021

Dear Members of the UHS Community,

Thank you for your time and attention over the past several weeks as Spencer Stuart and the Head of School Search Committee gathered input from the UHS Community, including faculty, administration, students, parents, and alumni. We would like to invite the entire community to share their thoughts regarding the direction and leadership of UHS and the qualities the ideal candidate should possess through this online survey.

We want to be respectful of your time, and this survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. Individual responses are anonymous and will be aggregated by our search consultants at Spencer Stuart. We appreciate your time and candor, and your feedback will help inform the position specification and guide our work. Responses should be submitted by midnight Monday, Feb. 15, when the survey will close.

We look forward to remaining in touch with periodic updates on the search process as we move forward.

Raj Atluru and Kay Yun
Search Committee Co-Chairs

UHS Head of School Search Initial Steps - January 27

January 27, 2021

Dear members of the UHS Community,

As co-chairs of the UHS Head of School Search Committee, we are writing to share with you our goals and initial steps in the search for the next Head of University High School. As mentioned in Katie Albright's letter to you on January 21, we are able to approach this search from a position of exceptional institutional strength, thanks to Julia's remarkable leadership and the community we have collectively fostered. Our goal is to create a transparent, engaging, and as open process as possible, which includes input from the UHS community.

As we commence the search, the Committee and consultants at Spencer Stuart will solicit feedback from the UHS community, including faculty, administration, students, parents, and alumni. These conversations will provide an opportunity for you to share your thoughts regarding the direction and leadership of UHS and the qualities the ideal candidate should possess. Each conversation will include the following four questions

What is distinctive about UHS? What do you value most about the school?
What do you see as the significant challenges and opportunities that the next Head of School at UHS will face?
What proven professional characteristics, experiences, and personal attributes would you most like to see in UHS' next Head of School?
Is there anyone you would like to nominate for the position?

The insights shared in these conversations will help the Committee create and refine a position specification, which we will use to promote the opportunity to prospective candidates and guide our work in the months ahead.

In the coming days, you will receive an email that outlines the specific dates, times, and details for the discussions with Spencer Stuart. Thank you in advance for making time in your schedule to participate in these discussions. For those unable to participate, there will be additional opportunities to provide your feedback through an online survey as well as an email address (UHShead@spencerstuart.com) that has been created for the Committee and Spencer Stuart to receive questions and input. Throughout this process, we direct you to the Head of School Search page for information and updates related to the search.

Thank you in advance for your support and participation.

Warm regards,

Raj Atluru and Kay Yun
Search Committee Co-Chairs

Announcement of Search Committee and Search Firm - January 21

January 21, 2021

Dear UHS Faculty, Staff, Students, Families, Alumni, Trustees and Friends,

I hope you are well and safe. This letter provides an update on the Board of Trustee’s process to hire a new Head of School, following my letter and the announcement of Julia’s retirement in June 2022.

As I mentioned in my December letter, the University High School Board of Trustees is entrusted with hiring our next Head of School. Thanks to Julia’s remarkable leadership and the community we have collectively fostered, we are able to approach this search from a position of exceptional institutional strength. In undertaking our search for Julia’s successor, the Board will remain firmly grounded in our school’s core values of inquiry, care, integrity, agency and interconnection, as well as our strategic vision to create a transformational high school experience. Consistent with our shared belief that diversity is excellence in education and guided by our Equity and Community Statement, we will seek to build a strong and diverse pool of candidates for our top leadership position.

I am honored to announce that Raj Atluru and Kay Yun will serve as Co-Chairs of The Head of School Search Committee. Kay (P’19 and P’21) has been a member of the Board since 2016 and serves as the Treasurer and the Chair of the Finance Committee. Raj (P’19, P’22, P’24) has been a member of the Board since 2018 and serves as Chair of the Investment Committee. In addition to myself, our other Search Committee members are:

Lily Beischer (P’21), Audit Committee Chair
Terrence Brewer, Music and Western Civ Teacher & Junior Mentor
Dan Carroll (P’13), Former Board Trustee
Sue Decker (P’15 and P’21), Board Trustee
Sean Hamer (P’23), Board Trustee
Sherief Meleis (’88), Board Trustee
Jessica Osorio (’10), English Teacher & Mentor Coach
Alexandra Simmons, Dean of Students
Laura Spivy (P‘18, P‘20 and P‘23), Board Vice Chair and Capital Campaign Chair
Paul Wythes (P’23), Board Trustee

The Search Committee will be supported by a team from the Education and Nonprofit Practice at Spencer Stuart, a leading global executive search and leadership consulting firm. We are excited to be working with the Spencer Stuart team of Mary Gorman, Susan Clifford, and John Harpole. Spencer Stuart has conducted searches for many of the nation’s leading independent schools, and recent searches include the leadership searches at Phillips Academy in Massachusetts, Punahou in Honolulu, St. John’s School in Houston, and Chapin School in New York. Beyond independent schools, this team has worked on college, university, foundation, and research institute searches across the nation. We have already established a confidential mailbox for our community and the market to use for nominations and general comments: UHShead@spencerstuart.com.

Our goal is to create a process that is transparent, engaging and as open as possible to ensure success. To this end, Kay and Raj will be sharing more information with you about the search process, including opportunities for you to participate in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Additionally, we have created this webpage with up-to-date information about the search process.

In addition to our audacious responsibility to select a new Head of School, we will also be sharing details over the coming months about how we can come together to celebrate Julia for her tremendous leadership and to thank her husband John for his partnership and service to our school.

In closing, I wish to convey sincere appreciation to all the members of the Search Committee. In the meantime, the important work of UHS continues without pause, and the Board of Trustees is deeply grateful for your vital role in the search. Your participation and commitment make it possible to anticipate UHS’s future with enthusiasm and confidence.

Warmly,

Alternate text

Katie Albright (P’18 and P’21)
Chair, Board of Trustees

letter from board chair Katie Albright - December 16

December 16, 2020

Dear UHS Faculty, Staff, Students, Families, Alumni, Trustees and Friends,

I write to announce that our Head of School Julia Eells has chosen to retire at the end of next school year in June 2022, having then served our community for nine incredible years. On behalf of the entire University High School Board of Trustees, I wish to convey our deepest gratitude to Julia for her outstanding service to our school and our community.

This time marks one of reflection and appreciation as we consider all that our school community has accomplished under Julia’s profound leadership. Under her guidance, our school has reached new heights through the development of a shared vision for a transformational high school experience, based upon our collective values of inquiry, care, integrity, agency and interconnection. Through this work, Julia has always been ever-focused and ensured that our school culture is student-centered, diverse and full of warmth, care and connection. We certainly see this every day in our mentoring program, a hallmark of this commitment. At the same time, Julia has ensured that our school strategy is based on research, data and sustainability.

In addition to our programs, our campus is now on a path of transformation because of Julia's leadership and her partnership with the Board of Trustees, with the opening of Paul Goode Field in 2017 and the current development of the school's property on California Street. Exemplifying Julia's commitment to our students’ wellness and our community, Paul Goode is not only a true home field for UHS athletics, but also affords our students with wellness through increased time given its proximity to the campus and community, and the sharing of the field with nonprofit partners and neighbors throughout the city.

We are also on the critical journey to fulfill our values as stated in our Equity and Community Statement developed under Julia’s leadership. These values include expanding financial aid at twice the rate of tuition increases for four consecutive years; securing Summerbridge as an essential part of UHS’s community, culture and public purpose; and, developing our faculty, staff, and board of trustees to achieve increased diversity, equity and inclusion.

And, throughout the challenges of the global pandemic faced this past year, Julia has been the deeply inspiring and trusted leader that we all have needed. Julia’s constant calm has provided stability and hope -- ensuring community safety, prioritizing mental and physical well-being and creating excellent online learning for our students.

Now, the UHS Board is entrusted with hiring our next Head of School and, with that, helping to set the path to our future. Initially, the Board will guide the search process, selecting a Search Committee and finalizing the selection of a search firm in the next few weeks. We intend the process to be as transparent, engaging, and open as possible to foster success. You will hear much more from the Board and the Search Committee about the search and how to become involved over the coming weeks and months. We believe that UHS is one of the most attractive opportunities for Head of School candidates in the Bay Area and beyond, and we expect to select a new leader from an impressive and highly qualified pool of candidates.

Together with the full Board of Trustees, I am extremely confident about our school's future. Julia will be at the helm until the end of the 2021-2022 school year continuing to direct our school as we search for and identify a new Head of School, and she will work to ensure a smooth leadership transition. Over the next 18 months, we will also create opportunities to celebrate Julia for her tremendous leadership and to thank her husband John for his partnership and service to our school. Until then, please join me in expressing thanks and appreciation to Julia for her incredible contributions to our school and our community.

Very truly yours,

Alternate text

Katie Albright (P’18 and P’21)
Chair, Board of Trustees

Letter From Julia Russell Eells - December 15

December 15, 2020

Dear Members of the Board of Trustees of San Francisco University High School,

Having the opportunity to lead San Francisco University High School continues to be the single greatest professional honor of my life. What originally drew me to UHS was our collective desire to grow and adapt as a school with a reputation for excellence without complacency in all areas of our programs and community. Even in the midst of this global pandemic, the work of preparing our students for the complex world they are entering remains deeply gratifying and inspiring.

However, as much as I am energized and challenged by the work, I am also looking ahead to the next chapter of my life after 40 years working in independent education. I am writing to let you know that I will be retiring at the end of the next school year (June 2022) having served as Head of School for nine years. Though it is still 18 months away, I want to give the Board all the time it needs to identify and choose the next Head of School to lead UHS through the next chapter in its history.

My husband John and I have devoted our lives to our family and to our respective careers in education. We are fortunate to have our health and a vibrant family that includes grandchildren who are growing up too fast. My Head of School responsibilities have been engaging and all-consuming and it is time for us to focus on family, travel, volunteerism, and our love for and engagement in the arts.

As I reflect on our work together, I have such a sense of pride in the foundation UHS has built on the development of our shared core values and vision for a transformational high school experience. Our Strategic Design boldly positions UHS to be a leader in shifting high school culture to one of challenge, balanced with support and care to inspire authentic engagement. It has been gratifying to acknowledge that UHS is not only in the conversation of educational reform, but leading it with a national reputation in independent schools for strategy, research and student wellness.

So much has changed at UHS since I arrived in 2013. During our time together, we have made significant headway in

realizing many aspirations of our Equity and Community Statement,
expanding access by increasing financial aid,
securing Summerbridge as an essential part of UHS’s community, culture and public purpose,
enhancing faculty compensation and financial support for professional development,
significantly diversifying our faculty, staff and board of trustees,
promoting multi-disciplinary curricular development and assessment innovation,
realizing the potential of our signature mentoring program and
opening Paul Goode Field – not just for UHS to have as a true home field, but to share with our nonprofit partners and neighbors throughout the city.

The vision that we, together, are realizing and continue to steward will provide a robust onramp for dedicated leadership of the school in the future. In the meantime, our work isn’t done. I look forward to tackling our self-study for the upcoming CAIS reaccreditation in 2021-22; completing the entitlement process for the California Street property that will unlock potential across our entire campus providing an integrated and state-of-the-art facilities for STEM education, community and athletics; continuing our fundraising momentum to realize that dream; nurturing and celebrating some sense of normalcy after COVID; and supporting a successful leadership transition.

The privilege to work with such a talented and committed team of faculty, staff and senior administration has been inspiring, humbling, and a lot of fun. I will always carry with me the deepest admiration and fondness I have for my UHS colleagues. I have also been so moved by the support, dedication and talent of the UHS Board of Trustees who are championing a dynamic strategic vision; heartily endorsing and participating in our journey toward a stronger, more equitable and inclusive community; and stewarding a campus master plan that will be the most significant (and transformational) capital project for the school since our opening in 1974.

Finally, I want you to know that my time at UHS has been especially enhanced by working with our UHS students who are curious, clever, passionate, resilient, playful, kind and dedicated. My admiration for their camaraderie and spirit despite unimagined setbacks during the past nine months is the single greatest treasure that I will carry into my retirement. They remain at the center of our work and at the center of my heart.

With deep appreciation, respect and affection for the entire UHS community,

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Julia Russell Eells
Head of School