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Head of School Search

St. Sebastian's has launched a national search to find its next Headmaster after Bill Burke announced he will be retiring in June 2024, at the end of the upcoming school year.

Our Board of Trustees has convened a Search Committee of current and past Trustees, co-chaired by Jim Elcock '77 P'08 and Barbara Connolly P’10 ’12 ’17, to identify Headmaster Burke's successor. The Search Committee will work with Carney, Sandoe & Associates to find and vet the most-qualified candidates.

Our mission-centered values and student-centered approach are the hallmarks of St. Sebastian’s. The order of the day has been, and always will be, to Love God, work hard, and take good care of one another. In leading the search for our next Head of School, the Search Committee and Board will select the best person to build on, and not pivot from, our wonderful past and solid foundations.

We are committed to conducting a transparent, inclusive search and to engaging the broader School community throughout the search process. Please visit this page periodically for updates as the Search Committee undertakes its work throughout the coming months.

Position Description

St. Sebastian’s has been transformed over the past three decades under Bill’s extraordinary leadership and is now stronger than ever across every area. Though this change is difficult to embrace, we know the School is in an enviable position for the future – guided by the principles of our mission and our rich traditions.

- Jim Elcock '77, P'08, President, Board of Trustees


Recent Communications


SEARCH COMMITTEE

  • James L. Elcock ’77, P’08 — Search Committee Co-Chair, Board President
  • Barbara E. Connolly P’10,’12,’17 — Search Committee Co-Chair, Board Secretary
  • Devin C. Condron ’92, P’29,’29 — Current Trustee
  • Kathleen F. Ix P’22 — Current Trustee
  • Michael J. Maguire ’91, P’22,’25 — Current Trustee
  • James F. Mooney, III P’18 — Board Vice President
  • John A. Piccione ’76 — Current Trustee
  • Troy L. Stanfield P’21 — Current Trustee
  • Stephen P. Ward ’96, P’24,’25,’27 — Current Trustee
  • Very Reverend Brian R. Kiely — Past Trustee
  • William A. O'Malley P’09,’10,’13 — Past Trustee

Honorary Members

  • David F. Gately ’73 — Trustee Emeritus
  • J. Brad Griffith ’58 GP’19 — Trustee Emeritus

Carney, Sandoe & Associates

Carney, Sandoe & Associates (CS&A), a nationally recognized educational search firm, has been retained to help identify the best candidates for our Search Committee to consider. CS&A brings a deep knowledge of independent schools from their nearly 40 years of experience placing school leaders, administrators, and educators across the country. They know Sebs very well, and have for over three decades, as they have managed multiple successful searches for us for over thirty years. Devereaux McClatchey, President of CS&A, will be leading the firm’s search team for St. Sebastian’s.

Questions or Suggestion for a Potential Candidate? 

Questions about the search process and suggestions about candidates can be directed to Search Committee Co-chairs Jim Elcock '77 P'08 and Barbara Connolly P’10 ’12 ’17 at searchcommittee@stsebs.org.