A New Path Forward: Interview With Vangeria Harvey

With a newly appointed Head of School, Vangeria Harvey, Vice-President of the School’s Board of Trustees, shed insight on the newly paved path for the School in the coming years. Recent changes, including the new field, new Heads of Divisions, and an entirely new campus have created a transformed environment at the School.

Harvey, who led the search for a new Head of School along with Chairman Peter Smith, started the search with specific criteria in mind. The Board searched for “ambitious, forward-thinking, [and] innovative candidates to advance our strategic initiatives,” Harvey said.

Years ago, the Heads of each division gathered to form several plans to make the School the best environment for growth. These plans included the Master Plan (the purchase of eight acres of land directly across the street from our current campus), the Bridge to 2022: Strategic Plan (strategies to move the School forward as a leader in 21st century education), and the D.E.I Action Plan (aiming for the School to be a national leader in diversity, equity, & inclusion). 

Moreover, the Board searched for “a [new] Head of School that is mission-aligned,” holding the School’s values of scholarship, citizenship, and diversity. As the School navigates some of the most difficult challenges in its history, Harvey notes the importance of the School’s core values, and more importantly, not straying away from them during these turbulent times. 

As the School faces problems, such as proper financing, selecting the new Head of School, and a time constraint on the South Campus and other major projects, it must also juggle the main objective – creating a robust environment for learning and community. Among these challenges includes bouncing back from the pandemic and its impact on teachers and students. “We are learning from the pandemic,” noted Harvery, “[and we’re thinking]: How could we do this better?”

From Harvey’s perspective, maximizing learning for young people is key for the future, and the pandemic revealed holes in the School’s infrastructure. The School has chosen to embrace these challenges, acknowledging that “this is a pivotal moment,” in Harvey’s words.

Going forward, the School’s Board will attempt to answer the question, “How do we grow, how do we come together and build allyship?” Actions like a newly turfed field or allocating more resources to the South Campus are both areas which support community building. Though, Harvey notes, the School will continue to face hurdles along the way.

In the School’s vision, the prospect of a new Head of School and other initiatives will shape the School’s culture. The Board hopes that through all challenges, the School will persist nationally as a top institution and continue to pursue forward-moving initiatives. As Harvey states, “The future is really, really bright.”A New Path Forward