The Island School is proud to announce a new head of school starting in the 2012-13 school year! After an extensive 18-month search, John Schatz has been hired to be the next Head of School. John has a long history with The Island School semester program. He joined a pioneer teaching team back in the fall of 2001 as a mathematics teacher. Outside the classroom John was head of the boys’ dormitory, sea kayaking guide, research advisor for a number of different projects and in his final year he ran the daily program as Dean of the School. John is remembered well as the teacher/mentor who was always there to challenge and at the same time support the community.

After four years of committed service to The Island School, John went on to receive his Masters in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College and taught at several private schools. This past summer John returned to help run the new Island School summer term; he realized that there was an opportunity to come back and help raise the bar for the semester journey.

John brings a wealth of experience with Eleuthera and The Island School journey; he shares the schoolʼs vision to inspire the next generation of leaders to know they have the ability to effect positive change in the world. John is not being hired to maintain our successful status quo. John is committed to enhance opportunities for faculty and students across all our programs. The Island School journey will experience significant growth under Johnʼs leadership. John’s new leadership role will give Chris Maxey the chance to help support the larger mission of the organization that includes sharing solutions through the Deep Creek Middle School and Cape Eleuthera Institute. Chris is also looking forward to doing more teaching and spending more time out on expedition with future Island School classes. Please join us in welcoming John.