A Message from the Head of School

Dear Members of the Packer Community,

In September, 1969, I began my career as a very young English teacher at a Brooklyn public high school, and for almost five decades I have been especially fortunate to engage every single day in work that I love. Several years ago, while contemplating my own future, I realized that the 2018-19 school year would represent an especially synchronous moment: I would be experiencing a milestone birthday, completing my 50th year in education in New York State public and independent schools, and concluding my 15th year at Packer. So I write now to share with you my decision to retire on June 30, 2019.

As the Head of School at Packer, perhaps my two greatest responsibilities are to contribute to a legacy of excellence upon which others may build and to ensure that my tenure concludes at a moment when the School is poised to attract the best possible person to shape its next chapter. We have done some exceptionally good work together to bring us to this moment. We have redefined our mission and core values and made significant progress in becoming a more diverse and inclusive community. We have substantially increased the quality of our academic and extracurricular programs across all three divisions. And we have ambitiously restored our campus and expanded it to include the Packer Early Learning Center, opening this September. Most important, Packer's faculty, staff, and leadership team, over 80% of whom I hired, are the finest professionals with whom I have ever worked, and it is through their efforts that we have made this one of the preeminent schools in the nation.

It is virtually impossible to express the admiration, regard, and fondness I have for the entire Packer community. The friendships I have made with families, the relationships forged with outstanding colleagues, and the chance to work with our amazing students have been the professional highlights of my career. Over the past decade and a half, I have also been deeply fortunate to partner with 67 amazing trustees who have supported our school, and me, in every conceivable way. I offer special thanks to the five outstanding Board Chairs with whom I have served—Sam Seymour, Tony Bowe, Buzz Doherty, Ronan Harty, and Debbie Juantorena—for their steadfast partnership and friendship.

I cannot even begin to comprehend how much I will miss the students: the passion and strong voices of our Upper School students, always on abundant display in Chapel and in classrooms; the enthusiasm and unbridled energy of our Middle Schoolers, so eager to learn and yet still unjaded; and the sheer joy of our Lower School children, who reach up to offer me high fives and hugs as I walk through the halls. I will also miss the fast pace and daily challenges of school life, as well as the athletic contests, concerts, Winter Sings, and theater productions that have filled me with such pride over the years. Most of all, I will miss the incredible warmth of this community and our shared commitment to our children.

I confess I will not miss rising at 4 a.m. to make snow day decisions or working 70-hour weeks. I look forward to spending more time with my wife, Barbara, and our family, to doing more reading and traveling and, perhaps, even some writing. I expect to remain professionally active, albeit at a somewhat stepped-back pace, likely consulting with independent schools and their boards and teaching graduate leadership courses.

Rest assured that I will continue to lead actively for the next 18 months. There is still much work to accomplish before I turn Packer over to that extraordinarily lucky person who will become its tenth Head. For now, though, I thank you for the privilege of leading this remarkable school. It has been the greatest honor of my life.

Sincerely, 

Bruce L. Dennis

Head of School

A Message from the Chair of the Board of Trustees

Dear Members of the Packer Community,

I am writing on behalf of the Board of Trustees to let you know that Dr. Bruce Dennis, our Head of School since 2004, has announced his decision to retire at the end of the 2018-19 school year. For the last 14 years, Bruce has led Packer to new heights, overseeing the School's rise in stature and recognition. He has had many significant accomplishments in his time at Packer, and he will be deeply missed.

Bruce's tenure has been marked by a thoughtfulness and vision that have strengthened our School across many fronts. Under his leadership, we completed two strategic plans that expanded our academic programs, ushering in Advanced Topics, Independent Science Research, Symposium, and our 10th grade International Travel Program, and expanding interdisciplinary, inquiry-based, and project-based learning throughout the School. Bruce has guided the renovation of our historic campus, inside and out, including classrooms in every division and our state-of-the-art Science Building. He has overseen the School's first physical expansion in nearly fifty years, with the opening of the Packer Early Learning Center in fall 2018, as well as the exciting plans being developed for the future of the Garden House. Over the past decade, he has prioritized student support as well as professional development, making Packer a place where both our young people and our educators can grow continuously and holistically. Most importantly, Bruce's deep commitment to competitive recruitment and compensation has allowed us to attract and retain the best faculty, staff, and administrators.

Bruce will also leave his mark on Packer through the force of his personality and character. He has been unwavering in his dedication to preserving the traditions and values that have defined Packer throughout its 173-year history. He has exhibited warmth, kindness, and accessibility to our students and to the entire Packer community. His ability to address complex issues with wisdom and clarity has been a constant strength of his leadership. We are grateful to Bruce for sharing these unique attributes and his wonderful sense of humor with us.

The Board of Trustees has established a search committee, led by current Trustee and former Board Chair, Ronan Harty. The committee will identify candidates and make their recommendation to the Board of Trustees, which will make the final decision on our next head of school. To assist in the search, the committee has hired Carney, Sandoe & Associates, a leading educational search firm with an international reputation for placing heads of K-12 schools. The extraordinary success of Bruce's tenure and the outstanding foundation that he has built position the School to attract an exceptional new leader who will ensure Packer's continued excellence and its mission to raise global citizens who "think deeply, speak confidently, and act with purpose and heart."

A transition like this one presents an important inflection point for institutions such as Packer and can give rise to many questions and thoughts. The Trustees are committed to an open, transparent, and inclusive process, and to that end more information regarding the search will follow in the weeks ahead.

On behalf of everyone in the Packer community, I want to express our sincere gratitude for all of Bruce's achievements. We have much still to accomplish over the next 18 months and we look forward to his continued leadership as well as the opportunity to celebrate his years of wonderful service.

Kind regards,