On Sabbatical
Back in May, I shared with our campus community that I would be taking a bit of a pause this fall. As I approach my tenth year as head of school, I have been granted a sabbatical by the Board of Trustees for the months of August through December 2024, and Sarah and I are deeply grateful.
My plan for the early fall months is to spend as much time fishing, reading, and gardening as I can at our home in Rhode Island, and for the first time in several decades, maybe even harvest my tomatoes as they turn red toward the end of summer. Over the years, I’ve left a vast quantity of green tomatoes on the vine as I turn my full attention to the start of a new school year in early August. Later in the fall, we will do some traveling, and we are looking into an opportunity to do some exploring along the western coast of Turkey.
During my short absence, the School will be in excellent hands. Emilie Kosoff H’88 ’94 ’96 ’00 ’18 ’20 P’19, assistant head of school and dean of faculty, and Marquis Scott, assistant head of school for strategic initiatives, will lead Lawrenceville during this time, with the full support of my senior leadership team, faculty, and staff. Emilie and Marquis will work in a shared leadership mode to oversee key areas such as school finance with the support of Ben Hammond P’23 ’25, chief financial and administrative officer; human resources, with director Kristen Oberlin; and risk management with general counsel Marcia Isaacson, but I have also designated areas of primary oversight for each to ensure clarity and decision-making efficiency.
With this in mind, Emilie will be responsible for all elements of faculty life, including hiring, professional development, retention, and performance evaluation. She will also oversee, in partnership with Bernadette Teeley P’24, dean of academics, and Tripp Welborne H’58 P’21 ’24, dean of athletics and co-curricular education, all academic, curricular, and co-curricular elements of our program. Finally, in close collaboration with Blake Eldridge ’96 H’78 ’12 P’25, assistant head of school for school life, Emilie will be responsible for all aspects of student wellbeing.
Marquis will continue to manage the implementation of our current strategic plan, “House, Harkness, Heart,” along with related community wellbeing initiatives, including our ongoing study of student housing on campus, expanding the Big Red Farm, and repurposing elements of the Bunn Library to enhance community support and wellness. He will also oversee both Admission and Alumni & Development, setting Dana Brown, interim dean of enrollment management, and Greta Morgan, our new chief advancement officer, up for success. And finally, in partnership with Jessica Welsh, director of communications and external relations, and Cameron Brickhouse, dean of diversity, inclusion, and community engagement, Marquis will be responsible for the ongoing success of those areas.
The 2023-24 school year ended on a series of high notes, with the celebratory dedications of Tsai Field House and the Battle-Fitzgerald Atrium, our annual Pinning Ceremony, and a particularly upbeat graduation weekend. High community morale remained palpable during final faculty meetings and our June staff picnic, and this all adds positive momentum for the kickoff of a new year. With such a capable team in place, I have absolute confidence that Lawrenceville will continue to thrive while I take a pause to rest, reflect, and recharge!
Sincerely,
Stephen S. Murray H’54 ’55 ’63 ’65 ’16 P’16 ’21
The Shelby Cullom Davis ’26 Head of School