(PRWEB) October 03, 2015
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy’s Board of Trustees and the Head of School Search Committee announced today the appointment of Dr. Stephen L. Druggan to succeed Dr. Mark Segar as SCH’s Head of School, effective July 1, 2016.
Steve Druggan has served as Deputy Head of School for Learning at Jakarta Intercultural School in Jakarta, Indonesia since 2011. Prior to his tenure at Jakarta Intercultural, Steve was the Deputy Head of School at Munich International School from 2009 to 2011. A seasoned educational leader, he brings his visionary leadership, his proven ability to build strong and cohesive communities, his keen understanding and appreciation for global education and awareness, and his passion for the integration of technology throughout the curriculum to the students, faculty, and staff at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy.
“After a thorough and open search, I am delighted that SCH Academy has found Steve Druggan to be its next Head of School,” stated Richard Hayne, Board Chair. “The Search Committee and I believe Steve has the necessary qualities including leadership, resilience and entrepreneurial vision, to advance our school’s mission and keep it at the forefront of 21st C education,” he concluded.
Steve comes to SCH with more than 20 years of independent school experience, most recently at one of the largest and most culturally diverse independent schools in Asia, supporting 2,500 students and a faculty/staff totaling over 700. He is an international thought leader in contemporary education, mission-based leadership, and community building.
As an administrator, Steve has been described as a thoughtful, deliberate, and decisive leader. He has been highly effective in managing a complex organization and creating a strong school community committed to a shared mission. He has managed challenges with grace and composure and has been credited by his superiors and his peers for leading Jakarta Intercultural through a particularly difficult period in the school’s history.
Steve grew up in western Pennsylvania and has an Ed.D. in Organizational Management from Nova Southeastern University, Miami, Florida, his Principal’s Certification from The College of New Jersey, Mallorca, Spain, an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from United States International University, London, and a B.S. from Slippery Rock University in Elementary Education.
Steve was attracted to SCH because of the focus on innovation, rigorous academic program, and happy students. He distinguished himself from the moment the Search Committee read his Educational Philosophy Statement accompanying his application. He wrote, “The best schools make the ‘why’ of learning clear to students. This happens when our students make things, break things and learn more about the academic disciplines and their own dispositions along their journey.” At each subsequent encounter with the Search Committee and through feedback from the many community members who met Steve, it became increasingly clear that we had found a leader with the skill, passion, and experience to lead SCH into the future with great strength.
The enthusiastic support of SCH’s faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, and administrators during Steve’s campus visit, coupled with the unanimous support of the Search Committee, led to a recommendation to the Board of Trustees that Steve be offered the position as Head of School. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve his appointment, which he has accepted. Steve was thrilled to learn of his appointment: “SCH is a remarkable institution built on an incredible collective history. I am so honored to be selected as the next Head of School for SCH Academy. I look forward to joining this remarkable community as we together write the next chapter in the School’s history.”
Steve and his family will move next summer from Jakarta to Philadelphia. He and his wife, Pia, have two children, one who is a senior at Jakarta Intercultural and one who will join SCH for his senior year. Steve and Pia have a passion for art and enjoy spending time outdoors. Family is a key component to their lives and their free time often finds them in western Pennsylvania or northern Italy cooking and enjoying time with their extended family and friends.
About Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy is an independent school offering a rigorous college preparatory program that goes beyond the expected to deliver an unparalleled academic experience. The school’s unique model is distinguished by single-sex education for the lower grades (Pre-K through 8) followed by a coed Upper School. The school is situated on a 62-acre campus in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia and serves 1,100 boys and girls from more than 90 zip codes and internationally. SCH Academy combines nearly 300 years of academic leadership.