The Board of Trustees is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Weyburn as Packer's 10th Head of School, effective on July 1, 2019. Dr. Weyburn will succeed Dr. Bruce L. Dennis, who will have led the school for 15 years when he retires next summer.

Dr. Weyburn was chosen as Packer's next head because of her experience, intelligence, education, and performance at every stage of the interview process. She has also demonstrated superb leadership qualities, excellent communication skills, and, perhaps most important, the accessibility and openness necessary in a demanding and high-profile position. As one member of the community who met Dr. Weyburn during her recent visit to Packer put it: "Jennifer is so impressive. I trust her as a leader. We would be lucky to call her ours." This enthusiasm was echoed across all constituencies. The Search Committee and the Board unanimously agreed that she is a perfect fit to guide Packer to even greater heights.

Dr. Weyburn shared this response with the Committee: "I am deeply honored to have been selected as the next Head of Packer. It has been a pleasure getting to know the community in the last few months. I have been inspired by the faculty and staff's commitment to providing Packer's students with an excellent education within a caring, diverse community. I cannot wait to join the team in 2019 to chart a course for Packer's future."

The appointment of Dr. Weyburn is the result of a year-long process during which the Search Committee evaluated and interviewed a large number of highly-qualified candidates. In an open search process, the Committee also engaged all of Packer's constituents — current and past parents; alumni; faculty, staff, and administrators; trustees; and students — using their input to inform this vital decision.

Dr. Weyburn is currently the Director (Head of School) of the Copenhagen International School, a 970-student, K-12 school in Copenhagen, Denmark. Under her leadership, the school completed the construction of, and move to, a new campus. She also expanded the advancement team and developed enhanced fundraising and alumni program goals; developed and implemented a faculty evaluation system; implemented regular data collection from stakeholders; and created an annual operating plan charting progress on the school's strategic framework. Prior to becoming head of her current school, Dr. Weyburn was the Deputy Head of School for Educational Programs and Student Learning at Shanghai American School, China's largest international school (a two-campus PK-12 school enrolling over 2,800 students, founded in 1912). Before that, Dr. Weyburn worked for 10 years at Atlanta International School in Atlanta, GA, in a variety of leadership roles, including Middle School Head. Dr. Weyburn's experience makes her uniquely poised to lead us as we strive to develop globally-minded citizens.

Dr. Weyburn's return to the United States, where she spent the first two decades of her 25-year career in education, allows her to come back to her New York-area roots. She grew up in Dobbs Ferry, NY, and had her first teaching role at St. Ann's School in Brooklyn Heights. She was also a teacher of English and Theater at New Rochelle High School in Westchester. Dr. Weyburn holds a B.A. in History from Yale University; an M.A. in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University; and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Weyburn will not only be our next Head of School: she will also be a Packer parent. She will be joined here in Brooklyn by her husband, Garrett Kyle, and their two children, Will, 12, and Louise, 10. When she is not busy in her roles as a school leader and as a parent, Dr. Weyburn is an avid reader and a lover of the theater.

Packer is extremely fortunate to have been led by Dr. Dennis for what will be a fifteen-year tenure. We will continue to benefit from his leadership through his retirement at the end of June. Throughout the year, we will have several opportunities to celebrate Dr. Dennis and express our gratitude for his many wonderful contributions to Packer.

Many thanks to the Search Committee, our search consultants, Carney Sandoe, and all the members of the Packer community who shared their insights and perspectives on the type of leader that Packer needs to thrive. We will now commence the important work to ensure a smooth transition for Dr. Weyburn.

We are very excited to have Dr. Weyburn and her family at Packer. This is an important and very happy moment for a great school. Please join us in extending to Jennifer, Garrett, Will, and Louise a warm and heartfelt welcome.

Deborah Juantorena, P '19
Chair, Board of Trustees

Ronan P. Harty, P '15, P '17, P '20
Chair, Head of School Search Committee