A Bittersweet Announcement

Dear parents,

 

Whether your family has been at Tower Hill for many years or just a year or two, you have undoubtedly seen Dr. Dan Hickey, our Head of Upper School/Assistant Head, around campus, from open houses and athletic events to lectures, plays, concerts and presentations — even incognito as our tiger mascot or in character as Lt. Schrank in West Side Story. His commitment and intellect have shaped the academic and community experience of our Upper School students in impactful ways; his good nature and clever wit have lightened many an assembly, class and meeting.

 

 

Dr. Hickey joined Tower Hill in 2006 as the Director of Admission and became Head of Upper School in 2008. In this position he oversaw the successful launch of our Beyond AP Program, our advisory program and an enhanced daily schedule that enables our faculty more time for professional meetings and planning. Dr. Hickey is currently chairing our Scheduling Think Tank committee as we continue to make schedule improvements. As a member of the English Department, he has taught Upper School electives and a speech course, and he has served as an assistant coach of the football team. In 2013 in his role as Assistant Head, Dr. Hickey spearheaded Tower Hill’s successful reaccreditation process with the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS). 

 

While we will surely be sad to see Dr. Hickey leave, we thank him for all he has accomplished during his years at Tower Hill. The silver lining is that he will not be very far away, he will remain a Tower Hill parent and he will be in great position to continue to support Tower Hill by encouraging the most talented Upland students (the school ends at 9th Grade) to come to Tower Hill! You can read his message to Upper School parents here. Until July 1, 2017, Dr. Hickey is committed to ensuring that all our Upper School initiatives meet with success, and that all of our Upper School students and teachers continue to be his priority. We will be posting the position of Upper School Head and will commence a search immediately.

 

The strength of the Upper School today is a credit to Dr. Hickey's leadership, and we are fortunate that he, along with all who comprise the Strategic Planning Committee, are making great strides in shaping the vision for Tower Hill's future. I wish I could capture for you the dedication, passion and creativity of this group as they spent last Saturday at a half-day Strategic Planning Retreat at Hayward House while the snow fell outside! The committee is focusing on a significant investment in our teachers, cultivating a strong and diverse community and preparing 21st century learners for a dynamic world.

 

At the February Board of Trustees meeting, the board as a whole will have the opportunity to review an official Strategic Plan progress update. Following this meeting, we will create an opportunity to provide you with the same. If you have any questions or ideas about Tower Hill’s future direction, please do not hesitate to reach out to me personally.

 

Again, our congratulations to Dr. Hickey on his appointment; we wish him the best.