Dear Sparhawk Community:
We have much to be thankful for as we come to the end of our fifth year of offering families a complete educational experience for your sons. Certainly, what happens in the classroom, in the mentoring program, in sports and the arts, in the craftsmanship program and informally on the grounds and fields of the school all contribute to the development of well-rounded young men ready for their high school experience. Arguably, the capstone project of our first five years is the opening of the five-classroom schoolhouse and chapel to accommodate more than 100 students. Yes, much has been accomplished, and it is genuinely a pleasure to consider the opportunities that lie ahead.
We now enter what can be considered Phase Two of Sparhawk’s history. It is time for new leadership, new perspectives, and new ideas. To that end, the Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Michael Schell, a member of our own parent community, has accepted our offer of the Head of School position to lead Sparhawk for the next generation. Mike’s background in education is wide and deep. He currently serves as Associate Superintendent of Enrollment Management and Marketing for the Archdiocese of Boston’s Catholic Schools. Previously, Mike was Director of Admissions and Enrollment in addition to Director of College Counseling at Catholic Memorial School. Prior to CM, he taught AP History and Theology courses and held various advancement, admissions, college counseling, and coaching roles at St. Sebastian’s School and Groton School. Between 2010 – 2018, he directed The Cannonball Foundation, a nonprofit he founded that delivered programming to elevate the role of character in student-athlete development and the college athletic recruiting process to hundreds of student-athletes, youth coaches, and high school coaches across the country. His work on and off the field earned him a selection to the NCAA’s Buick Human Highlight Reel series, which showcased the stories of a group of former college student-athletes who have given their all to their sport and community.
Mike attended high school at The Lawrenceville School in Princeton, NJ, and completed his college studies at Holy Cross. He earned a master’s degree in organizational and education leadership from Columbia University. He is an active member of several school boards and leading educational organizations, and a frequent presenter on various topics related to the K-12 private school experience and college admissions process. Most importantly, he is thoroughly imbued with the Sparhawk spirit, that intangible “something” that makes the Sparhawk experience so unique. We welcome Mike and look forward to his leadership.
Of course, we all know that Sparhawk is where it is today thanks to the heroic work of Bob Sylvain. It is hard to imagine this project would ever have been launched without his prescient vision, clear insights, dogged determination and selfless dedication to the mission. We owe Bob a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. We are delighted to let you know that Bob will remain a member of the Board of Trustees as we continue to improve upon the Sparhawk experience for your families.
Please join me in welcoming Mike and thanking Bob. As I said at the beginning of this letter, we have much to be thankful for!
Sincerely,
Tim Casey
Chair, Board of Trustees