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Letters to The Country School Community

By: The Country School
Dear Country School Community,
 
Below are two letters for your immediate attention. 
 
 
A letter to the School community from Bill Ennist:
 

Dear Friends, 
 
It is with a heavy heart that I announce to you that I have resigned my position as Head of School at The Country School, effective July 24, 2021. 
 
As you might imagine, following the tenure of a 30-year Head of School is a daunting task in the best of circumstances – the transition process is accompanied by much anticipation and excitement, but also by much unpredictability. Add to that a pandemic that none of us had ever faced before, and the challenges of this leadership transition were magnified greatly. Over the past several weeks I have come to realize that it is best to allow an Interim Head of School to lead the community through this challenging transitional phase and best position the school for its future. 
 
I have very much enjoyed greeting your children every day, seeing them in their classrooms during the day, or at dismissal at the end of the day. I have also appreciated the opportunity to connect with so many of you – over Zoom, in person, or in carpool. It has been a pleasure to be part of this wonderful community, and there are many memories – having Mrs. Kullman's class sing "Happy Birthday" to me; hearing the PreK class present the alphabet; watching proud students in Mrs. Wood's class show me how their rollercoasters worked; watching our entire student community all together (for the first time!) during Dorothy Andrew Day – that will remain with me for a long time to come. 
 
Thank you for allowing me to be part of this special community. 
 
Kind Regards, 
 
Bill
 
 
A letter to the School community from The Board of Trustees:
 
 
Dear Friends,
 
Today, we write to you to share the news that The Country School’s Board of Trustees has accepted the resignation of our Head of School, Bill Ennist. We support his decision, and we wish Bill and his family well in their future endeavors. 
 
Taking the helm of a school following the departure of a long-tenured Head is never easy. Add to that a global pandemic and a nationwide reckoning on social justice. This was truly a year unlike any other in our school’s — and our nation’s — history. And, through this extraordinary year, Bill led our school community with grace, dignity, and an unrelenting commitment to giving students the best possible experience. It was thanks to Bill’s decisiveness and leadership that our community was able to be together, in person, safely, as so many of our families aspired to be. 
 
Since joining the school last July, Bill has provided valuable leadership to our community. His approach to education and his vision for enhancing our child-centered curriculum has led to a rewarding experience for our students, families, faculty and staff alike. 
 
As the school’s Board of Trustees, we are dedicated to ensuring your children continue to receive the exceptionally high level of enriching education you have come to expect from The Country School.  We are thrilled to announce that Jean Waller Brune has agreed to serve as Acting Head during this transition period.  Jean is formerly a member of the Board of Trustees of The Country School and is the Head of School Emeritus of the Roland Park Country School, a distinguished preK-12 all-girls school in Baltimore, MD that Jean led for 24 years. Jean is a visionary leader and an extraordinary resource for The Country School and brings a lifetime of deep knowledge of independent schools and of our community due to her tenure on the Board of Trustees.
 
The School has retained an outstanding firm to begin our search process for an Interim Head. This will be an opportunity to direct the future of our School, and our goal is to ensure it will be a thoughtful and deliberative process. We will share more details as soon as we are able.

The Country School is a special place, and as we look ahead to the school year, we are filled with optimism. Moreover, as we look to find a new leader, we, too, will be guided by our school’s mantra — “do your best, always.”
 
During this transition period, parents should direct any questions to Kitty Davis, Head of the Lower School and Wilson Everhart, Head of the Upper School.  Kitty and Wilson will be working closely with Jean Brune during the transition period. As always, thank you for your support of The Country School community.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
 
John Hockmeyer
President, Board of Trustees
The Country School 
 
 
 
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