Shore Joins Independent Schools in Open Letter on Student Safety

The following non-partisan open letter was featured in the Sunday, March 11, 2018 edition of The Boston Globe, and was written on behalf of Independent Schools of New England. Head of School Clair Ward joined her colleagues from across New England in support of this important message.

An Open Letter on Behalf of Independent Schools of New England

We, the heads of independent schools, comprising 176 schools in the New England region, stand in solidarity with our students and with the families of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The heart of our nation has been broken yet again by another mass shooting at an American school. We offer our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who died and are grieving for the loss of life that occurred.

We join with our colleagues in public, private, charter, independent, and faith-based schools demanding meaningful action to keep our students safe from gun violence on campuses and beyond. Many of our students, graduates, and families have joined the effort to ensure that this issue stays at the forefront of the national dialogue. We are all inspired by the students who have raised their voices to demand change. As school leaders we give our voices to this call for action. We come together out of compassion, responsibility, and our commitment to educate our children free of fear and violence.

As school leaders, we pledge to do all in our power to keep our students safe. We call upon all elected representatives – each member of Congress, the President, and all others in positions of power at the governmental and private-sector level – to take action in making schools less vulnerable to violence, including sensible regulation of firearms.

We are adding our voices to this dialogue as a demonstration to our students of our own commitment to doing better, to making their world safer. Our children’s safety is more important than partisan politics, and we pledge to work with any and all who share our commitment.

We stand together for our children and our children’s children to ensure that our country comes together for their right to learn and grow in safe communities nationwide. We know that action is needed now.

Respectfully,

Dr. Brian D. Bloomfield
Head of School
The Academy at Charlemont

Molly Martins
President
The Academy at Penguin Hall

Melissa P. Earls
Head of School
Academy Hill School

Courtney Dickinson
Founder & Head of School
The Acera School

Nicole A. DuFauchard
Head of School
The Advent School

Susanna H. Thompson
Interim Head of School
Amherst Montessori School

Martina B. Albright, Ph.D.
Director
Apple Orchard School

Chris Williamson
Interim Head
Applewild School

Amy Gold
Head of School
Arthur J. Epstein Hillel School

Marshall W. Carter
Head of School
Atrium School

James Hickey, Ph.D
Headmaster
Austin Preparatory School

Trey Cassidy
Head of School
Bancroft School

Ian Bickford
Provost and Vice President
Bard Academy at Simon’s Rock

Conrad Wildsmith
Head of School
Bay Farm Montessori Academy

Cindy Laba and Marsha Feinberg
Founders
Beacon Academy

Peter Hutton
Head of School
Beaver Country Day School

Brendan W. Largay
Head of School
Belmont Day School

Rick Melvoin
Head of School
Belmont Hill School

Christopher H. Wilson
Head of School
The Bement School

Bonnie J. Ricci
Head of School
Birches School

Grace Cotter Regan
President
Boston College High School

Dr. Ari M. Betof
Head of School
Boston University Academy

Judith Guild
Head of School
Brimmer and May School

Darren Nicholas
Principal
British International School of Boston

John Packard
Head of School
Brooks School

Laura Caron
Head of School
Brookwood School

Rebecca T. Upham
Head of School
Buckingham Browne and Nichols School

Franny Shuker-Haines
Director
Buxton School

Chris Gorycki
Interim Head of School
Cambridge Friends School

Dr. Ingrid W. Tucker
Head of School
Cambridge Montessori School

Jane Moulding
Head of School
The Cambridge School of Weston

Tom Trigg
Head of School
Cape Cod Academy

Christopher D. Day
Head of School
Cardigan Mountain School

Stephen Wilkins
Head of School
The Carroll School

Dr. Peter F. Folan
President
Catholic Memorial School

Isabel “Charlie” Spencer
Head of School
The Center School

Lance Conrad, Ed.D.
Head of School
Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School

Gretchen Larkin
Head of School
Charles River School

Tamara Schurdak
Head of School
The Chestnut Hill School

Jeffrey Clark
Head of School
Clark School

Christine Lindeman
Head of School
The Common School

William Wharton
Headmaster
The Commonwealth School

Dan Corley
Head of School
Community Preparatory School

Rick Hardy
Head of School
Concord Academy

David Manzo
President
Cotting School

Margaret H. Lee and Catherine E. Pollock
Co-Heads of School
Cushing Academy

Katherine L. Bradley
Head of School
Dana Hall School

Allison D. Webster
Head of School
Dedham Country Day School

Margarita Curtis
Head of School
Deerfield Academy

Corrine Perkins
Headmistress
Delphi Academy of Boston

Joseph Perry
Head of School
Derby Academy

Brad Bates
Head of School
Dublin School

Dr. Peter J. (PJ) McDonald
Headmaster
Eagle Hill School

Andrew Chase
Headmaster
Eaglebrook School

The Rev. John H. Finley IV
Head of School
Epiphany School

Annmarie Quezada
Interim Head of School
Esperanza Academy

Moira Kelly
Executive Director and President
Explo School

Rob Wells
Head of School
Falmouth Academy

Robert J. Gustavson, Jr.
Head of School
Fay School
Edward Kuh
Head of School
Fayerweather Street School

Jerry Ward
Headmaster
The Fenn School

David Stettler
Head of School
The Fessenden School

Maura Spignesi
Head of School
Fontbonne Academy

Ben Kennedy
Head of School
Friends Academy

Rabbi Marc Baker
Head of School
Gann Academy

Dr. Jochen Schnack OSR
Head of School
German International School Boston

David Liebmann
Head of School
Glen Urquhart School

Ralph Wales
Head of School
The Gordon School

Peter H. Quimby
Head of School
The Governor’s Academy

Michael Junkins
Faculty Administrator
Great Barrington Rudolph Steiner School

Temba Maqubela
Headmaster
Groton School

Paul Horovitz
Head of School
Harborlight Montessori

Frances Cameron
Administrative Chair
The Hartsbrook School

Geraldine Kline
Head of School
High Mowing School

Ed Chase
Head of School
Hillside School

Phil Peck
Head of School
Holderness School

Laura Gauld
Head of School and President
Hyde School

Donna Milani Luther
Head of School
INLY School

Richard Ulffers
Head of School
International School of Boston

Anne Murphy
President
Jackson Walnut Park Schools

Susie Tanchel
Head of School
Jewish Community Day School

Andrea Katzman
Head of School
Jewish Community Day School of RI

Christopher S. Cheney
Head of School
Kents Hill School

Mike Schafer
Head of School
Kimball Union Academy

Renee DuChainey-Farkes
Head of School
Kingsley Montessori School

Robert J. Broudo
President and Headmaster
Landmark School

Amy Carroll
Head of School
Laurel School

Dan Scheibe
Head of School
Lawrence Academy

Michael McCord
Head of School
The Learning Project

Deanne Benson
Head of School
Lesley Ellis School

Aline Gery
Head of School
Lexington Montessori School

Suzanne Fogarty
Head of School
Lincoln School

Thomas J. Doherty III
Headmaster
Malden Catholic

Fanning M. Hearon III
Head of School
Maple Street School

Arvind S. Grover
Head of School
Meadowbrook School of Weston

Joshua Abrams
Head of School
Meridian Academy

John Kaufman
Head of School
Middlebridge School

Kathy Giles
Head of School
Middlesex School

Todd B. Bland
Head of School
Milton Academy

Julia Heaton
Head of School
Miss Hall’s School

Karen E. Bohlin, EdD
Head of School
Montrose School

Matt Glendinning
Head of School
Moses Brown School

Ed Hudner
Head of School
Mother Caroline Academy and Education Center

Eileen McLaughlin
Head of School
Mount Alvernia High School

Danielle Heard
Head of School
Nashoba Brooks School

Harry Lynch
Headmaster
The Newman School

Barbara Rogers R.S.C.J
Headmistress
Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart

Beth Black
Head of School
Newton Montessori School

Catherine Hall
Head of School
Noble and Greenough School

Peter Fayroian
Head of School
Northfield Mount Hermon

Elizabeth Pasciucco
President
Notre Dame Academy

Bill Perrine
Head of School
Oak Meadow School

Margaret Douglas
Head of School
Odyssey Day School

Sarah Herman
Head of School
Our Sisters’ School

Cynthia A. Harmon
Head of School
The Park School

Tracy Bradley
Head of Schools
Park Street School/Park Street Kids

Rob Kelley
Head of School
The Pennfield School

John G. Palfrey
Head of School
Phillips Academy

Lisa MacFarlane
Principal
Phillips Exeter Academy
Betsye Sargent & Barbara McFall
Heads of School
The Phoenix School

John “Muddy” Waters
Head of School
The Pike School

Susannah Wells
Head of School
Pine Cobble School

Diana Owen
Head of School
Pine Point School

Dr. Timothy M. Johnson
Head of School
Pingree School

Margaret Bagge
Head of School
Pioneer Valley Montessori School

J. Timothy Richards
Head of School
Pomfret School

Vince Watchhorn
Head of School
Providence Country Day School

Emily Jones
Head of School
The Putney School

Michael Barclay
Head of School
Quest Montessori School

Mallory Rome
Head of School
The Rashi School

Ned Parsons
Head of School
The Rivers School

James Tracy
Head of School
Rocky Hill School

Kerry P. Brennan
Headmaster
The Roxbury Latin School

Marie P. Leary
Head of School
The Sage School

Alex Zequeira
Headmaster
Saint John’s High School

Tom Nunan, Jr.
Head of School
Saint Joseph Prep

Jennifer Borman
Head of School
School One

Mark Stanek
Head of School
Shady Hill School

Clair Ward
Head of School
Shore Country Day School

Frank Schwartz, Ph.D.
President
Showa Boston Institute

Rebecca Lurie
Head of School
Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston

Gigi DiBello
Head of School
Sophia Academy

David Tinagero
Headmaster
St. Andrew’s School

Alixe Callen
Head of School
St. George’s School

Edward P. Hardiman, Ph. D.
Headmaster
St. John’s Prep

John Warren
Head of School
St. Mark’s School

Mike Hirschfeld
Head of School
St. Paul’s School

Scot Landry
Acting President
St. Paul’s Choir School

William L. Burke III
Headmaster
St. Sebastian’s School

Houry Boyamian, M.Ed.
Principal
St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School

Sally L. Mixsell
Head of School
Stoneleigh-Burnham School

Martha Torrence
Head of School
Summit Montessori School

John H. Quirk
Head of School
Tabor Academy

Christian B. Elliot
Head of School
Tenacre Country Day

Don Grace
Head of School
Thacher Montessori School

Ted Koskores
Headmaster
Thayer Academy

Dr. Mary Halpin Carter
Head of School
The Derryfield School

Walter Hubley
Head of School
The Woodward School

Peter Saliba
Head of School
Tilton School

Susan Diller
Head of School
Touchstone Community School

Timothy Delehaunty
Head of School
Tower School

Linda Echt
Interim Head of School
Tremont School

Rosann Whiting
President
Ursuline Academy

Mara D. White
Director of School
Waldorf High School of Massachusetts Bay

Robert Schiappacasse
School Director
The Waldorf School of Lexington

Antonio Viva
Head of School
Walnut Hill School for the Arts

Timothy Bakland
Head of School
Waring School

Teri Schrader
Head of School
Watkinson School

Geoffrey Wagg
Head of School
Waynflete School

Allison Gaines Pell
Head of School
The Wheeler School

Timothy Breen
Head of School
The White Mountain School

Brian P. Easler
Head of School
Wilbraham & Monson Academy

Robert W. Hill, III
Head of School
The Williston Northampton School

Sarah Pelmas
Head of School
The Winsor School

Edward A. Cooper
Head of School
Wolfeboro

Walter Hubley
Head of School
The Woodward School

Ron Cino
Head of School
Worcester Academy

Brother Daniel Skala, C.F.X.
Headmaster
Xaverian Brothers High School


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Shore Country Day School

545 Cabot Street, Beverly, MA 01915
(978) 927-1700
Shore Country Day School’s mission is to provide an education that inspires a love of learning and encourages children to embrace academic challenge. We seek to build character, cultivate creativity, and value diversity as we help our children become healthy, compassionate citizens of the world.
The School admits qualified students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law, and extends to them all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its admissions, scholarships, and loans, and its educational, athletic, and other programs.