Head of School Search

PROCESS & TIMELINE

Discovery Phase

During this phase, RG175 studies data and other critical information about the school in preparation for interviews with key stakeholders. They search for broad themes that reflect the strengths and qualities of the school that must be preserved during the leadership transition, the challenges and opportunities the next Head of School will face, and the key leadership attributes of strong candidates. This is accomplished through an online survey sent to constituents which include current parents, former parents, alumni, alumni parents, faculty, staff and grandparents. During this phase, focus groups are conducted with various constituent groups to better identify wants, needs and skills for the next Head of School. This stage ends with a meeting with the Search Committee to review the findings and develop a shared understanding of the current reality, the strategic and immediate challenges, the school’s aspirations, and a profile of the ideal candidate.

Interview Phase

The consultant actively recruits candidates, contacts appropriate sources in their networks, and interviews promising candidates. The consultant stays in regular communication with the Search Committee about the quality and quantity of the candidate pool with the goal of identifying a strong candidate pool.

Candidates who have been successfully vetted by RG175 will have their dossiers presented to the Search Committee for review. Candidates approved by the Search Committee will be invited to participate in interviews with the Search Committee. From these interviews, the Search Committee will narrow the candidates to select finalists to visit campus.

Finalist Selection

Each finalist will interact with a wide range of Regis stakeholders over a two-day period. Students, staff, and parents will have the opportunity to interview each finalist in large groups and provide feedback to the Search Committee. Finalists will also meet with the senior leadership and be interviewed by the Board of Trustees. Based on the interviews, feedback from the community, and the reference checks, the Search Committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Directors on the next Head of School. The Board of Directors will vote to accept the Search Committee’s nomination and formally appoint the next Head of School.

Transition

After the announcement of the head-elect, the board president will form a transition committee responsible for ensuring the successful on-boarding of the newly appointed Head of School. The consultant will provide on-going counsel to the transition committee and begin advising the head-elect. Throughout the transition and the first year of headship, the consultant will provide mentoring services to the new head.

RG175

Resource Group 175 has a proven track record of success, and 96% of their Head of School placements remain with the school for at least three years. Regis’ consultant at RG175 is Ms. Arlyce Seibert, the former Head of School of Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Ms. Seibert has established connections within the Sacred Heart community across the United States and has assisted several other Sacred Heart schools in their searches for Heads of School. The Board accepted the Committee’s recommendation and unanimously voted to engage RG175.

Arlyce Seibert

Arlyce Seibert began her teaching career at Cranbrook Schools (Bloomfield Hills, MI) in 1971. She has held many different roles in the school community, including Head of Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School for eight years, which was named an exemplary school by the United States Department of Education during her tenure. She served as the Director of Schools for 23 years. Cranbrook Schools continues to be recognized as a nationally ranked day and boarding school.

In July 2006, Arlyce was designated as an outstanding head of school by prominent educators and leaders in the independent school community through a program conducted by The Klingenstein Center for Independent School Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Most recently, Arlyce has received the Distinguished Alumni Award for 2019 by the University of Detroit Mercy for her professional work and efforts in the field of education.

Arlyce is presently a member of The Headmasters Association, the oldest heads of schools organization in the country. She is the former Chair of the ISACS Board of Directors, and is a founding member of the Global Online Academy Board of Directors. Mrs. Seibert served on the board of trustees of Eton Academy and the executive board of the Association of Independent Michigan Schools (AIMS), for which she previously served as President for four years. She currently serves as President-general of Cum Laude.

Arlyce holds a B.A. degree in History and Political Science from the University of Detroit (1971) and an M.A.T. degree in Teaching from Oakland University (1974).

Community correspondence

Message from Search Committee Chair April 7, 2021

April 7, 2021

Dear Regis Community,

I hope each of you had a wonderful Easter. On March 24, I wrote to you stressing the importance of completing a short survey to help both the Head of School Search Committee and our search consultant identify and respond to issues that are priorities for our community. Since meetings between the consultant and constituent groups will occur next week, I am hopeful that you could take 5-10 minutes out of your busy day to complete the survey, linked below, by Friday, April 9, 2021.

Please fill out this critical survey here.

Regis Head of School Search Survey

For those of you who are interested in learning more about the progress of the Head of School search, the school has added a page to its website. You can find it at the link below.

Head of School Search Webpage

Thank you for your input in this important part of the Head of School Search process.

Sincerely,

Ed Sullivan
Chair, Head of School Search Committee
Vice Chair, Regis Board

Message from Search Committee Chair - March 24, 2021

March 25, 2021

Dear Regis Community,

In January, Mr. Dennis Phillips, Head of School, announced that the 2021-2022 school year would be his last at Regis. I am writing to you today to introduce myself and to discuss Regis’ search for a new Head of School. My name is Ed Sullivan, and I currently serve as Vice Chair for the Regis Board of Directors. I am a parent of a former Regis student, Class of 2020, who attended the school for nine years, and the Board has appointed me to serve as Chair of the Search Committee for the next Head of School.

The purpose of this e-mail is to keep you informed on the progress of the search to date, outline for you how we will conduct the search and seek your assistance as we move towards our shared goal of finding a top-tier successor to Mr. Phillips.

What Has Happened So Far?

The Search Committee has five members. In addition to myself, the other committee members are: Lauren Summerville, current Board Chair; Alton McDowell, current parent and Board member; Melissa Moore, current parent and Board member; and Sister Suzanne Cooke, RSCJ, Head of the Conference of Sacred Heart Education. While each committee member has a different background and skill set, we all share a proven commitment to Sacred Heart education and Regis’ mission.

The Committee solicited search proposals from several nationally known firms that specialize in finding top talent in the educational field. We reviewed each submission carefully and ultimately decided to interview the two firms we thought provided us with the best proposals. After the interviews, the Committee unanimously recommended to the Board that Regis engage Resource Group 175 (“RG 175”), a consultancy firm specializing in Head of School placements for independent schools.

RG 175 has a proven track record of success, and 96% of their Head of School placements remain with the school for at least three years. Regis’ consultant at RG 175 is Ms. Arlyce Seibert, the former Head of School of Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Ms. Seibert has established connections within the Sacred Heart community across the United States and has assisted several other Sacred Heart schools in their searches for Heads of School. The Board accepted the Committee’s recommendation and unanimously voted to engage RG 175.

What Are The Next Steps?

Ms. Seibert will spend the next 4-6 weeks learning more about Regis—its strengths, challenges and needs. She will meet with the faculty, a focus group of parents (none of whom will be current Board members) and the Board on April 13-14. A key component in the discovery phase of the process is a community-wide survey that will allow each of us to provide Ms. Seibert with our input and priorities. Following this discovery process, she and RG 175 will develop a candidate pool. With Ms. Seibert’s assistance, the Committee will then narrow the pool over the coming months.

Regis will then invite finalists to visit the school to meet with parents, faculty and other community stakeholders. The Committee will solicit feedback about the finalists from these constituent groups and make a recommendation to the Board. Our goal is to have a named successor in place by the end of 2021, and Mr. Phillips is committed to working with the Head-elect to ensure a smooth transition for the 2022-2023 school year. After the Head of School is in place, Regis’ Board and Ms. Seibert will develop a transition team to assist the newly appointed Head of School.

How Can You Help?

To find the best candidate suited to the unique needs of Regis, RG175 and the Committee understand it is essential to gather your thoughts about Regis. What do we do well? Where do we need improvement? What skills do you wish to see in a new Head of School? RG 175 and the Committee have prepared a survey—linked below—to assist us in aggregating those responses in order to have a clear understanding of what our community thinks about Regis’ present and future and what types of skills would be beneficial for the next Head of School in the coming years.

Please fill out this critical survey here.

You are free to choose whether or not to fill out the survey anonymously. Responses will go directly to RG175.

In conclusion, the Committee understands the importance of its task, and each of us promises to give our best efforts in finding a new Head of School that will make Regis proud. Should you ever wish to reach out to me, my e-mail is edwinsullivan@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Ed Sullivan

Message from Board Chair - January 20, 2021

January 20, 2021

Dear Regis Community,

I hope this note finds each of you in good health and enjoying the start of the New Year. I am writing today to provide you an update regarding the future leadership of Regis. Mr. Phillips has notified me, together with the Board of Directors, that the 2021-2022 academic year will be his last year at Regis. This same message was shared just a few hours earlier with the Regis faculty and administration. The 18-month lead time provided to the Board of Directors by Mr. Phillips is an incredible gift and serves as a testament to his character and his willingness to leave The Regis School of the Sacred Heart in a state better than when he arrived.

Mr. Dennis Phillips has served as the Head of School since 2014. Under his leadership and direction, The Regis School has continued to be a nurturing, yet academically challenging school rooted in the Five Goals of the Sacred Heart. Mr. Phillips is credited with significant accomplishments during his time at Regis which include the retirement of over $2.5 million in debt, implementation of the Math Lab Initiative, the crafting and implementation of the first and current Strategic Plan, rebranding of Regis’ digital and print assets and countless facility improvements which include the construction of the new parking lot. In addition, Mr. Phillips wisely and empathically led our community through the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, and his leadership has helped to maintain in-classroom education for all Regis students during the current, unprecedented pandemic. Mr. Phillips has built a top-notch faculty and administration who are committed to Sacred Heart education, empowering lifelong scholars and authentic, compassionate leaders.

The search for a Head of School is the single, largest duty that the Board of Directors will undertake, and we do not take this responsibility lightly. A Search Committee has been formed and will be chaired by Mr. Ed Sullivan, Vice Chair of the Board. It is the intention of the Board and the Search Committee to conduct a national search for Regis’ next Head of School and to utilize a search firm to assist in that process. An Advisory Committee will work alongside the Search Committee and will be comprised of various constituent groups (faculty, donors, parents, alumni, etc.). While it is still early in the process, the Search Committee intends to identify and select a search firm by mid-February to leverage the gracious, ample notice provided by Mr. Phillips.

As a volunteer who has worked closely with Mr. Phillips for the last six years, I am impressed by his professionalism, deep commitment to Regis and its students and his ability to ensure that the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria are alive in the Regis community. I have found Mr. Phillips to be a person of the utmost integrity, and I know that he will finish strong for Regis, his faculty and staff and, most importantly, the boys. The early notice provided by Mr. Phillips will ensure a smooth transition and the successful on-boarding of his successor.

Mr. Sullivan and I look forward to providing another update to the community later in the Spring as the search process unfolds. I have attached Mr. Phillips’ note to the Board to this email and invite you to read his communication below.

With regards,

Lauren Summerville
Board Chair

Message from Head of School - January 20, 2021

Dear Mrs. Lauren Summerville and the Regis Board of Trustees,

I want to inform you that I have decided to make the 2021-22 school year my final year of service as Regis’ Head of School.

Back in 2014 when I arrived at Regis after being named the third headmaster in the school’s blossoming history, I understood the responsibilities of the position called for resilience and a determined spirit. During those early days, and still today, I draw strength from an often-utilized quote from St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, when she said, “Your example, even more than your words, will be an eloquent lesson to the world.” My admiration for all the mentors in my life has led me to this simple conclusion about character. Serving as headmaster at Regis over these last seven years has hopefully confirmed that what I have done and not necessarily what I have said has advanced the mission of Sacred Heart education.

Over the years it has been a privilege and an honor to serve with so many dedicated faculty, staff, administrators, board members and parents. Those who have committed to the mission of Regis have inspired me to lead with courage and confidence. As a life-long Sacred Heart educator, it is an awesome responsibility to guide a community through the immense challenges of faith, loss, boys’ development, hurricanes, exhilarating successes and yes, even pandemic.

As a faith-filled student of the Sacred Heart charism, I’ve learned from many Religious of the Sacred Heart that St. Madeleine Sophie Barat was often noted as one to be too reflective in her decision-making skills. As headmaster I have discovered there is genuine value in this reflective quality of decision-making. Today, standing in this moment, I realize this reflective habit has served me well, especially in my work with the boys and the entire Regis community.

In expressing my intent to finish my service here at Regis, I understand the final chapter is just as critical as the first. The importance of transitioning leadership from one to another is bigger than the personalities involved. Transferring the caretaking of the mission from one to the next will be done with the grace and dignity entrusted to me as current Head of School.

In my remaining eighteen months, I pledge to continue to lead Regis until the day I depart. I will whole-heartedly support our board’s national search for our next headmaster and ensure once a new leader is selected to guide and support them into the role they will play as Regis’ next Head of School.

With much appreciation,

Mr. Dennis P. Phillips
Head of School

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