Dear Shipley Families:

With the holidays over and 2006 upon us, we entered the New Year looking forward to the challenges that face the School. One of those challenges, the hiring of a new Upper School Head, has now been met and has brought a smile to the face of every member of our search committee. After interviewing many talented educators, we feel fortunate to welcome Mark Schoeffel as our new Upper School Head. We also welcome Mark’s wife, Laura, and their three children, Eleanor (7), Henry (4), and Lucy (1).

Incredibly bright, committed, and versatile, Mark brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and ability in many different areas. Born in Canada, Mark went to high school at Upper Canada College (UCC) before attending Harvard University, where he excelled as a student and athlete. Mark graduated in 1988 magna cum laude with a concentration in government and political philosophy and received the Thomas Temple Hoopes Prize for outstanding scholarship and the John Reardon Award for best Harvard male scholar/athlete.

A Rhodes Scholarship finalist, Mark spent three years teaching, coaching, and advising at his alma mater (UCC) before returning to Harvard to earn his Ed. M. in 1994. For the past eleven plus years Mark has worked at Lawrenceville School where, among other things, he has taught English, coached crew and squash, and served as a house master, Director of the Fifth Form, and English Department Chair.  

Mark’s credentials are strong, but he is even more impressive in person. During the interviewing process we found him to be thoughtful, committed, humble, and warm. We were awed by his understanding of Shipley, his thorough answers, and his insightful observations. One person said of Mark: “Get him, and get him now! His commitment to excellence, understanding of curriculum, and belief in the students is what we need.” This sentiment was echoed by many students, faculty, parents, trustees, and administrators.

Mark, who has been incredibly happy at Lawrenceville, chose Shipley in large part because of the sense of community, commitment, and dedication that he has seen in the students and adults here. To quote him: “I am coming not only because of the warmth and support that I felt from the community, but also because Laura and I sense that Shipley has a vibrant mind of its own and a beating, giving heart.” Mark will do a fabulous job!
 
Mark will officially begin his job July 1, 2006, and he, Laura, Ellie, Henry, and Lucy will move here later in the year. Mark will visit the campus a number of times this spring in order to get to know the community and to make the transition easier. He looks forward to spending time with parents, teachers, and students on those visits. Like so many of us, Mark is appreciative of the wonderful work done by Margaret van Steenwyk in this interim year. He looks forward to working with Margaret, other members of the administration, teachers, parents, and students to help us become even better. We will let you know when he plans to visit this spring.

As we welcome Mark, it is essential to acknowledge the hard and careful work of the Search Committee. Guided by our Lower School Head, Maggie Granados, Chair of the Committee, faculty members and administrators sacrificed a great deal of their time to oversee the search. We are grateful to them for the process they established, the people they interviewed, and the appointment of Mark Schoeffel.

Warmest regards,

Steven S. Piltch
Head of School