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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