 | About Us Head of School Search
 Ensworth School Announces New Head of SchoolNovember 28, 2011
Dear Ensworth Community,
The Board of Trustees of Ensworth School is delighted to announce the appointment of David J. Braemer as Ensworth’s seventh Head of School. The Trustees were captivated by David’s intelligence, warmth, passion, and energy, and are confident that David’s vision for the future will inspire and engage the entire Ensworth community.
After graduating from Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, David received a B.A. from Amherst College in 1991, and an M.Ed. from Boston College in 1996. David played varsity football and lacrosse at Amherst and was the recipient of the Friends of Amherst Lacrosse Award for leadership and character. David spent the summer of 1994 at Columbia University as a Klingenstein Fellow, and the summer of 1998 in Japan as a Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholar.
David began his teaching career as a faculty intern at Culver Academies in Culver, Indiana, where he taught history and coached football and lacrosse. David next taught history, served as an advisor, and coached lacrosse, football, and basketball at Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey, where he met his wife, Timiny. David was a teacher and coach at Durham Academy in Durham, North Carolina for two years before being named Durham Academy’s Dean of Students in 1999. In 2003, David accepted the position of Head of Upper School at Greenhill School in Addison, Texas; David is now in his ninth year at Greenhill.
The entire Ensworth community looks forward to welcoming David, his wife, Timiny, and their three children Hailey (10), Dax (8), and Wynne (5) to Ensworth, and to Nashville, this coming summer.
"I am humbled, honored, and excited to have been chosen to serve as Ensworth's seventh Head of School. The opportunity to join such a strong, vibrant school community is a privilege that comes with the inherent challenge of building upon the efforts of Will Moseley, whose exceptional leadership has helped guide Ensworth through a period of unprecedented growth and development. I look forward to working with students, faculty, parents, trustees, and alumni, all of whom are passionate about Ensworth, as we endeavor to do what all great schools strive to do: to continue to get better. Ensworth is clearly in a position of great strength within the independent school world and can take great pride in all that it has accomplished. At the same time, if we are to live the school motto "In Search of Truth," there will always be work to do and our best days will invariably lie ahead. I relish the opportunity to be an integral part of this process and I am eager to learn from all of you about Ensworth and to better understand what makes this school such a special place. My wife, Timiny, and our three children, Hailey, Dax and Wynne, share in my excitement, as we are thrilled to be joining the Ensworth community."
The members of the Search Committee interviewed eight exceptional candidates for Head of School and invited only three finalists for a second round of interviews. After extensive two-day visits with each of the three finalists, the Search Committee unanimously recommended to the Board of Trustees the nomination of David Braemer as Ensworth’s seventh Head of School. The members of the Search Committee had the opportunity to spend many hours with David, and to contact numerous references who spoke enthusiastically about David as an educator and as a leader.
 From the members of the Search Committee - eight great reasons why David Braemer is the perfect person to become Ensworth’s seventh Head of School:
I had the pleasure of talking with five faculty members from Greenhill School. Every conversation was as friendly, easy and honest as if I were speaking to a faculty member at Ensworth. One story that I really loved hearing was from a faculty member who has been at Greenhill for more than 15 years. David is the fourth Head of Upper School she has worked with, and she told me he is the best one she has ever worked with — the most knowledgeable, visionary, and approachable. When making decisions, David asks very thoughtful questions and always ends with, “How will this help the children?” I am very excited that David will be the next Head at Ensworth.
— Kathryn Brown
I found that David's educational philosophy aligned well with Ensworth's. I think he will be able to confidently lead the school in a rapidly changing educational world, while staying true to our mission and values.
— Reed Trickett
David Braemer has the confidence and knowledge to inspire our School and all its constituents to greater heights. He has the humility and curiosity to listen, self-evaluate and learn. He has the integrity and communication skills to make tough decisions and build the trust that a great Head of School must have. The Search Committee appreciated and carefully read every survey response, and David Braemer is clearly the type of leader who will lead our community into the future; a leader who will value our traditions and strengths while challenging us to be better.
—Trisha Elcan
My over-riding focus through the search process was to identify a new Head who would best continue to positively lead this community called Ensworth while respecting all of its constituents. When asked at the High School faculty meeting about how he has changed since working at Greenhill, David responded that he now has to think about decisions through the lens of his family. I am confident that David will make sure that the Ensworth community becomes part of his family, and his decisions will be made through that family lens.
— Phil Krebs
In this case, the cream rose to the top. David Braemer engaged our community. He knows that the most important relationship is the one between teacher and student, and he will do everything he can to nurture this relationship. I believe that David is extremely well prepared to be the seventh Head of Ensworth School.
— Hill McAlister
We heard from Greenhill teachers and parents about the love and respect that everyone has for David. Students who have graduated, and teachers who have retired stop by David’s office when visiting Greenhill. David is a community-focused leader who earns the love and respect of everyone.
— Sarah Buchanan
I am very excited that David will be our next Head of School. He has the communication skills and leadership abilities to carry Ensworth to even greater heights. David's enthusiasm is infectious and his love of students and faculty unabashed. He and his family will be incredible assets to our community.
— Neal Patel
David Braemer and his family will be a great addition to the Ensworth community and I think he will fit in so well that we will quickly forget that he is new. In the couple of days David was on our campus I felt even more confident of his ability to understand us and to know where we want to go as a school.
— Julie Stadler
Please join the Search Committee and the Board of Trustees in welcoming David Braemer and his family to Nashville and to Ensworth.
Kathryn C. Brown
President, Board of Trustees |
| The Board of Trustees of Ensworth School is currently engaged in an active search for Ensworth’s seventh Head of School. The Board appointed a Search Committee composed of six Trustees and one School Liaison, and engaged the firm of Wickenden Associates to assist with the search. Please visit this site frequently for current information about the search. |
Search Update 11/8/11
11/8/2011
The final candidates for Ensworth’s next Head of School have completed their two-day campus visits, and all three candidates left Nashville very enthusiastic about Ensworth, the people they met, and the school program. They shared their appreciation for the time that everyone took to visit with them, to ask questions, and to help them understand why Ensworth is such a special place. The candidates made presentations at faculty meetings on both campuses, visited classrooms, spoke with the Board of Trust and with Parent Association officers, and attended meetings with many school personnel such as Division Heads and Department Chairs.
The Search Committee hopes to complete the selection process by Thanksgiving break. The work that remains for the Search Committee includes the continued reviewing of input from the Ensworth community, completion of reference checks, and making a recommendation to the Executive Committee and then to the Board of Trustees. Clearly there is much to be done, but the Committee will make every effort to finish the process by the Thanksgiving break. We look forward to welcoming a new Head of School to Ensworth very soon. |
Search Update 9/15/11
9/16/2011
Since the middle of June, the consultants from Wickenden Associates have been identifying and reaching out to well-qualified candidates for Ensworth's next Head of School, and yesterday was the last day that applications could be submitted. Kathryn Brown, Hill McAlister, and the Search Committee are delighted to report that Wickenden received 57 applications, including some sitting Heads of School, some aspiring Heads of School, and both national and international representation. Our Wickenden partners are enthusiastic about this applicant pool.
The Search Committee will meet later this month to review the applications and determine those applicants who will be invited to interview in early October. Following these confidential interviews, a small number of final candidates will be invited to spend time with the Ensworth community in late October and early November.
The months ahead will clearly be exciting ones for all of us as we look to the future. Thank you in advance for the work ahead that we will be doing together. |
Search Update 9/7/2011
9/7/2011
The 2011-2012 school year is well underway, as is the search for Ensworth’s next Head of School. Wickenden Associates have been working tirelessly on Ensworth’s behalf throughout the summer months and will bring the first round of candidates to Nashville in early October for confidential campus visits and interviews with the Search Committee. In late October and early November, the Search Committee will welcome the final candidates to Ensworth for extensive interviews that will include faculty, student, and parent groups. Detailed information about the finalists’ visits will be shared with the Ensworth community on this web page. The Search Committee welcomes your input and encourages you to contact the Committee by email at the address on the right-hand side of this page. Please also find time to read the Opportunity Statement posted on this page, and to visit this site often as the search progresses. |
Ensworth Head of School Opportunity Statement Released
8/10/2011
The Opportunity Statement for the Ensworth Head of School postition has been released. The statement can be downloaded on the right side of this page. |
Search Committee Appointed and Search Firm Chosen
6/17/2011
Dear Ensworth Community,
Following the announcement of Will Moseley’s 2012 retirement as Headmaster of Ensworth School, the Ensworth Board of Trustees formed a Search Committee to begin the work of selecting the next Headmaster. Hill McAlister, President-Elect of the Board, and I are serving as co-chairs of the Search Committee, and are joined by Board members Phil Krebs, Trisha Elcan, Neal Patel, Julie Stadler, and Reed Trickett, along with school liaison Sarah Buchanan.
The Search Committee has been hard at work and has already accomplished its first important task: the selection of an executive search firm. After we considered ten firms who were all recognized and respected for their outstanding work, five of the firms were invited to campus to interview with the Search Committee on June 6th and 7th. The unanimous choice of the Search Committee was Wickenden Associates, a firm that has worked with nearly 500 independent schools from across the U.S. and abroad over the past 25 years. Wickenden founder and president, Jim Wickenden, and senior search consultant, Sue Walters, are working with Ensworth. Jim and Sue spent two days this week on campus meeting with school administrators, department heads, Board members, and Parent Council representatives in preparation for this important search. As they ended their visit, Jim and Sue commented specifically on Ensworth’s strong sense of community and our supportive, involved, and talented faculty.
Over the coming weeks Jim and Sue will continue to make every effort to get to know Ensworth and our entire community, and they need everyone’s help. We hope to include as many people as possible in the search, and we welcome your questions and comments. Soon we will have a page on the Ensworth website dedicated to the search, including email links, search updates, a position description, and important news and communications. Hill and I will notify everyone when the page is complete, and we will make every effort to keep you informed throughout the search process.
Please know that the Search Committee welcomes your input and recognizes the importance of including everyone in our search for a visionary, talented leader who will help Ensworth continue the remarkable accomplishments of the past 53 years.
Sincerely,
Kathryn C. Brown
President, Ensworth Board of Trustees |
Head of School Search Announcement
5/31/2011
Dear Ensworth Community,
I am writing to you today because I want you to be among the first to know of an important milestone ahead for Ensworth, a milestone of change that is both bittersweet and exciting.
As you will read in his letter that accompanies mine, Will Moseley has recently informed the Board of Trustees of his decision to leave Ensworth in May 2012, at the end of the next school year. While we are saddened by this departure, Will continues to be with us for another year. As you know, Will has led Ensworth through an extraordinary period of growth and development. Will and his wonderful wife, Jenny, and their three children, Tyler, Megan and Brady, have again and again shared so much of themselves and their own family time with the Ensworth family.
The Board is already planning to undertake a national search to commence this summer, with new leadership selected by January 2012. Our goal is to ensure a seamless and effective transition, even as Will finishes the 2012 school year with us.
This change comes at a time when Ensworth occupies an unprecedented position of strength, with strong enrollment, increased endowment and both new and ongoing campus enhancements. Just as important is the academic environment in which our students are challenged each day — an environment shaped by your talent, experience and dedication. Your contributions to the school are the essential ingredient in its outstanding reputation.
We have all heard the saying, "Change is the only constant." It is true in all of our lives. It is abundantly true in the lives of our students as they grow. And it is true for this remarkable school. What does not change for Ensworth, however, is our strong and caring community. Just as we recently celebrated the 8th grade’s Closing Exercises and the Graduation of the Class of 2011 and as we welcome new students next fall, our community will also plan a number of ways to celebrate and honor Will’s many contributions to Ensworth — and prepare to welcome new leadership.
Please know that in the coming months, I will be in touch to keep you informed about our search process. I hope you will always feel free to contact me with any questions you may have as well.
I wish you and your families a lovely summer in the months ahead. Thank you for all you do for Ensworth.
Sincerely,
Kathryn C. Brown
President, Board of Trustees |
Letter from Will Moseley
5/31/2011
Dear Members of the Ensworth Community,
Very recently, I made one of the toughest decisions of my professional life and have informed our Board of Trustees that I will be leaving Ensworth in May 2012, the end of the next school year. It was a decision I made after months of personal reflection and deliberation, and one that will bring great changes for me and my family. It is also a decision that will open wonderful new paths of leadership for Ensworth’s bright future.
I came to Ensworth almost a dozen years ago. At that time, we were one campus with 535 students and a teaching staff of 75. Our student body is now 1,045 strong, our faculty-staff numbers 200, and we just graduated our fourth high school class. And, through the generosity of many, we have had significant growth in our endowment which is so vital in securing the school’s future. By all measures, quantitative and qualitative, Ensworth is exceptional, and I am enormously grateful to have had the chance to lead the school through this time of growth and achievement.
I believe wholeheartedly that this is a perfect juncture for new leadership at Ensworth. Our school’s position of strength and stability will allow its next headmaster to think and dream big, envisioning new heights and goals for which to strive. Our talented Board of Trustees, led by Kathryn Brown, is thinking strategically and proactively about succession, and they will begin a comprehensive search process very soon. I am more than confident that Ensworth will attract interest from the best among this country’s educational professionals. In the months to come, I look forward to working with the Board, with our faculty and staff, and with all of you on this transition.
Over the next year, I will also determine my next role in the education profession I care so deeply about. At this point, I have no “new job” for which I’m leaving Ensworth. It is simply the right and best time. As my children move to new phases in their own educational growth (I was so proud to watch Megan graduate with the Ensworth Class of 2011; Tyler has just completed his first year at Denison; and Brady just finished her first year at Ensworth), the nationwide dialogue over how best to educate our young people has never been more dynamic or more important. Whatever I do next, education is the service, the challenge and the work that attracts and inspires me. I have found exactly that here at Ensworth for almost twelve years, and I look forward to undertaking new challenges in this important work.
I know that whatever comes next, I will find no better friends, colleagues, parents, alumni and students than all of you who comprise the Ensworth community. That was underscored time and time again over the last few weeks in the many joyous occasions that marked the end of the school year. I have a year ahead in which to say thanks to each of you personally. Count on hearing from me often.
Sincerely,
Will Moseley
Headmaster |
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