None of the current juniors at Parker has ever experienced an Upper School Head for more than one year. With interim Ruth Jurgensen this year, Peter Neissa last year, and Joe Ruggiero two years ago, the lack of continuity and leadership have been ever present throughout the junior class’s high school education so far.

With the search for a new Upper School Head under way, “The Weekly” wants to express its views on how to choose the right candidate to prevent further administrative inconsistency.  This one has to last.

First, “The Weekly” believes the school should strongly consider an outside hire for the job. While we do recognize the value of choosing a pre-established member of the school’s community–who would already understand Parker’s tradition and philosophy–having an Upper School Head with outside experience could be beneficial.

Parker needs fresh voices and fresh perspectives — after the whiteness MX last year, the current administration is too scared to try anything risky or important, like discussions about race or gender — and choosing someone within the community would only serve to perpetuate the current state of the school. That’s not to say that we think an outside hire should break from Parker’s mission, but rather, and secondly, it’s important to find a candidate who can identify with Parker’s progressive philosophy while at the same time bringing something new to the table.

We have all seen what happens when an Upper School head doesn’t fit–closed doors, an offensive Morning Ex with an inability to deal with the after-effects, a lack of communication with and appeal to teachers, and a resignation too late in the spring to find a new head for the following year. The Upper School head has to embody the Parker spirit in order to succeed at the job.

Third, the new Upper School head should be approachable to students and make an attempt to interact with them. While the Upper School head’s job in part may be focused behind the scenes, he or she should still before too long know every student’s name and create a welcoming environment that makes students feel comfortable.

A good example of this is former Upper School head Joe Ruggiero. Friendly, welcoming, and (most of the time) available to talk to students, Ruggiero clearly had as a top priority creating the best Parker high school environment possible. And Ruggiero was knowledgeable about the school, which is a vital quality for Upper School heads.

“The Weekly” understands that in any job, there will always be an adjustment period. Regardless, this shouldn’t stop an Upper School head from making an effort to familiarize herself or himself–right away and regularly–with the Parker community and its students.

The new Dean of Student life, Christian Bielizna, exemplifies the benefits of an administrator who immediately begins doing his job. Bielizna has gotten to know students, organized the first ever Club Fair, and started “Candy Through the Decades,” offering new candy each week from a specific era in history. This initiative reflects well on his ability to adapt to the Parker environment and connect with students.

Fourth, an Upper School head needs to be a good communicator and leader. In addition to connecting with students, connecting with faculty is key to a consistent and effective Upper School. Past Upper School heads, specifically last year, managed somehow not to positively engage with teachers.

In the end, the goal is to prevent choosing an Upper School head who leaves after one year and fails to embrace the Parker community. “The Weekly” hopes that the new Upper School Head will be a good fit here–someone who can truly enhance Parker’s high school experience.