Head of School Announcement

Announcement from the Board of Trustees

November 1, 2023

Dear Members of the Baker Community:

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am delighted to announce that Kate Cicchelli has accepted our invitation to serve as the next Head of Baker Demonstration School, effective July 1, 2024. Ms. Cicchelli was previously the co-founder and Principal of Bennett Day School and is excited to bring her expertise and passion for progressive education to Baker. She will succeed Mason Rocca, our current Interim Head of School, at the conclusion of his tenure at the end of this school year.

Beginning in June 2022, the Search Committee, co-chaired by Hilde Kaiser and Ken Powers, worked with search consultants André Withers and Nat Conard of Educators Collaborative, and reviewed the credentials of candidates from throughout the U.S. and abroad. The Committee narrowed a strong pool of diverse candidates to eight individuals from across the country who were invited for a confidential round of virtual interviews. Subsequently, three finalists visited the campus for comprehensive two-day interviews. On October 14, the Search Committee selected Kate as its nominee to the Board of Trustees to serve as the next Head of School, and the Trustees unanimously ratified this recommendation at a Board meeting on October 22.

With progressive education roots that date back to her own education at Francis W. Parker School, Kate received her B.A. in English from Kenyon College and her M.Ed. in instructional leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Before beginning her career in education, Kate worked in communications, marketing, and fundraising for the City of Chicago and in the non-profit space. Once she heeded the call to teach, Kate began her education career as an early-childhood teacher at Park West Cooperative Nursery School before moving to North Shore Country Day School as a fifth-grade teacher. She then returned to her alma mater, Francis W. Parker, where she taught fourth grade and served as a faculty administrator. In 2011, Kate co-founded Bennett Day School, and over the next ten years she served as Principal and Chief Administrative Officer of the school. Kate is also trained and experienced in coaching and in Social Emotional Learning, and most recently founded a consulting firm focused on educational counseling and coaching for families and individuals.

Described by her references as a tireless advocate for students, families, and teachers, and a systems thinker and believer in best practice, Kate’s warmth and her passion for, and deep understanding of, progressive education came through clearly in her time with our community. Those who met with Kate when she was on campus remarked on her immediate ability to identify and communicate concrete ideas for how to continue to grow our school through enrollment and advancement, her inspirational and energetic communication style, and the clear alignment between her values and the values and mission of the school.

Kate brings a proven track record of growing Bennett from its infancy to over 300 students; equally important is her past experience supporting faculty, the all-star team of any school. Throughout the interview process, Kate asked deep, strategic questions, as well as demonstrated active listening without judgment and with compassion. She advanced her past school’s DEI efforts with sincerity and nuance; she is a fantastic fit for our school’s commitment to DEIJB work.

From the beginning, Kate’s candidacy stood out for its understanding and appreciation of our school. In her letter expressing her interest in Baker she wrote:

A community where the priority is placed on building authentic, supportive relationships as the foundation for all learning, is essential to their developing intellect and personal growth. In reading the Baker Demonstration Head of School position statement, I was reminded of a passage in Mary Oliver’s poem, Sometimes:

Instructions for living a life; Pay attention./ Be astonished./ Tell about it.

Baker is a school that is providing space and place for children to pay attention, be astonished, and tell about it.

The selection of the Head of School is one of the greatest responsibilities of trusteeship, and all of us in the Baker family can be proud not only that Kate has accepted the appointment, but also that the Baker community was so invested throughout an extensive national search process. We are delighted with the outcome and look forward to welcoming Kate to the school community. We are also confident that each of you will, in your own way, extend a warm welcome to our new Head of School. A transition plan will be created to include several opportunities for the community and Kate to become better acquainted during the 2023-2024 academic year.

On behalf of the Board, I want to express my deep appreciation to Search Co-Chairs Hilde Kaiser and Ken Powers for their tireless efforts on behalf of Baker, as well to their fellow members of the Search Committee: Denise Boswell, George Gaines, Charis Irving, Mark McLennan, Sarah Mohr, Kim Ptak, and Rhiannon Schmieg, who devoted countless hours and great care to the search process to ensure its successful outcome. I would also like to thank Mason Rocca and his leadership team for their flexibility and support of the committee throughout the search process. They, along with every stakeholder who took the time to participate in the process, deserve our heartfelt gratitude as well.

With the prospect of exciting new leadership, the Board of Trustees looks forward to a bright future for Baker Demonstration School!

Warm regards,

Stephanie Hentz
Chair, Board of Trustees