Vermont Academy Names New Head of School

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Dr. Jennifer L. Zaccara as Vermont Academy’s eighteenth head of school, effective July 1, 2017. I can only imagine how pleased esteemed alumna Dr. Florence R. Sabin, Class of 1889, would be to welcome Jennifer as Vermont Academy’s first woman head of school. It marks such an exciting and rewarding time in our 141-year history.

Jennifer joins Vermont Academy from The Nightingale-Bamford School in New York City where she has served as Associate Head of School since 2013. Prior to that, she was Associate Dean of Faculty at The Taft School in Watertown, CT where she spent twelve years.

An educator her entire career, Jennifer was delighted to learn of her appointment, stating:

“Vermont Academy’s mission and core values provide the foundation for a quality of relationship and community that is not easy to find. I am truly ambitious for the school, and I look forward to shaping and sharing a clear vision for our future.”

During her tenure at Nightingale—an all-girls K-12 day school with 592 students—Jennifer has made many notable contributions, leading new initiatives with vision, innovation, and results, including the development of the Nightingale Summer Academy opening this summer; ongoing work on an eight-day rotational schedule; strategically utilizing new spaces to meld programming with design; and a campaign for global education. To drive innovation throughout the school, she created cohorts focused on technology, faculty workload and experience, and diversity, culture, and inclusivity. Jennifer oversees the new faculty immersion program, which focuses on pedagogical techniques, growth mindsets, collaboration, interdisciplinary work, and using NYC as a classroom. She manages strategic internal change, including STEM/STEAM curriculum, design thinking and coding initiatives, and innovative uses of spaces.

While at Taft—a coed boarding and day school with 594 students in Watertown, CT—Jennifer taught English for many years, winning several teaching honors, as well as advising and coaching. Expanding her career, she was appointed Mid Class Dean, leading 65-75 students each year, followed by being named English Department Head and then Associate Dean of Faculty.

A native of Connecticut, Jennifer graduated from Trinity College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Arts degree in English with distinction. She received her doctorate in English from the University of Connecticut, where she graduated with honors.

The naming of Dr. Zaccara marks the culmination of a six-month search that began in July 2016. A search committee comprised of board members, alumni, former parents, and faculty was appointed. The committee included Carrie Dunn ’91, Amanda Hodgson, faculty, Michael Horowitz P '98, Steve Karol ’72, Lee Ryder ’90, and was chaired by me. Wickenden Associates, a highly respected national educational search firm, assisted Vermont Academy throughout the search. I would like to thank our search committee for their dedication and commitment in helping us identify Vermont Academy’s next head of school. Each of them has an enduring love for Vermont Academy and took their responsibility as a member of the committee very seriously.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to all of you—faculty, students, alumni, and parents—for your interest, support, and enthusiasm as we journeyed through this search together. Your willingness to share feedback was critically important as we sought a strong, visionary leader to embrace our mission, core values, and community.

Last, but certainly not least, Stan Colla has done a truly wonderful job leading Vermont Academy as interim head of school for this 2016-17 school year. We extend our deep gratitude for his service and thoughtful counsel.

Our efforts have begun immediately to ensure a smooth transition for Jennifer by answering her questions, orienting her to our community, and identifying major and immediate challenges for Vermont Academy.

Please join me in welcoming Jennifer as we take this important step forward in Vermont Academy’s history.

Michael Choukas ’73

Chairman of the Board and Search Committee Chair