Head of School Search

The Meadows School campus with green trees and paved sidewalks in Las Vegas, Nevada

The Meadows School announced in January 2022 that Head of School Jeremy Gregeresen would be moving on to pursue other opportunities and that the Board of Trustees was beginning a search for the next great Head of School. TMS partnered with an industry-leading search firm to fill this important position and has announced the new Head, Dr. Jay Berckley. The school’s new leader will be onboarded during the second half of the 2022-23 school year as a lead in to this exciting next phase of TMS.

Latest Communications

10/14: Announcing the Next Head of School at The Meadows

Dear Meadows Community,

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are excited to announce that Dr. Jay Berckley will be our next Head of School at The Meadows.

Jay has degrees in music and education, and holds an Ed.D. in Professional Leadership in K-12 Education with expertise in neuroeducation, cognition and brain activation, and insight—or "Aha! moments." Jay is a seasoned leader, and he brings to The Meadows an infectious zeal for helping students, faculty, and staff reach their fullest potential.

Jay was one of three candidates selected as a finalist for the Head of School position from a talented pool of candidates from across the country. We welcomed Jay and his wife to campus in September to speak with students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and Trustees during his three-day visit. Following these meetings, many of you took the time to provide detailed feedback via an anonymous survey. The data from these surveys was invaluable in helping the Search Committee make their recommendation to the Board of Trustees to select Jay for this critical role at TMS, and we cannot thank you enough for giving this process your time and attention.

During his visit, Jay’s enthusiasm for the school was palpable, and his excitement for joining us next school year has only intensified since accepting this role. Jay, along with his wife, Monica, and three daughters, Madeleine, Lydia, and Tallulah, will officially become a part of our community on July 1, 2023. Tallulah will be entering the Upper School as a sophomore, and she is looking forward to making many new friends and participating in all of our Mustang traditions. Jay and Monica have built their careers in independent schools, and their children have been actively involved as students in independent schools, too—participating in a wide range of academic, athletic, arts, and auxiliary programs. As Jay finishes this school year at Episcopal High School in Houston, Texas, we look forward to this exciting new chapter in The Meadows School’s history.

“This is a wonderful celebration for the school itself and a momentous occasion to affirm the greatness of The Meadows School, along with its decades of success, traditions, and ongoing initiatives. We are thrilled to join The Meadows family!” Jay shares.

With our Head of School search now complete, the Board of Trustees and the Board’s Transition Committee will work to ensure a smooth and successful transition, supported by our Interim Head of School, Claude Grubair, and the entire administrative team.

We are deeply grateful to the entire community for its engagement and help in carrying out this search! Please join us in welcoming Jay Berckley and his family to The Meadows, and thank you all for your ongoing support and enthusiasm for this process.

Sincerely,
Matthew Chilton ‘92
Board Chair

8/19: Upcoming Head of School Candidate Meetings

Dear Meadows Community,

We are excited to share that in the coming weeks we will be welcoming three Head of School (HOS) finalist candidates to our campus. Each candidate will visit campus for three days and meet with faculty and staff, select student groups, trustees, alumni, and our parent community. Below is a schedule of dates for these visits, and we very much encourage you to attend the open parent and alumni meetings to hear from these candidates directly.

HOS Candidate Visit Schedule & Open Meeting Dates

Candidate #1:
Visit: Monday, 9/5 - Wednesday, 9/7
Parent & Alumni Open Meeting: Wednesday, 9/7, 4-5 p.m., CFA Simon Ham-Peto Auditorium
Candidate #2:
Visit: Monday, 9/12 - Wednesday, 9/14
Parent & Alumni Open Meeting: Wednesday, 9/14, 4-5 p.m., CFA Simon Ham-Peto Auditorium
Candidate #3:
Visit: Wednesday, 9/14 - Friday, 9/16
Parent & Alumni Open Meeting: Friday, 9/16, 4-5 p.m., CFA Simon Ham-Peto Auditorium

Prior to each visit, we will share the candidate's name and resume with you. Per the recommendation of our consulting firm RG175, we wait to send this information to preserve the candidate's confidentiality for as long as possible. After the open meetings, we will ask you to complete a survey within one day to share your impression of the candidate. The feedback from this survey will be shared with the Search Committee to help with the final selection process.

More details on our process are available on the Head of School Search page of our website. We look forward to introducing you to these accomplished candidates!

Sincerely,
Matthew Chilton '92
Board Chair

7/18: Important Head of School Updates

Dear Meadows Family,

I am writing to update you on the progress of our search for our next Head of School and to give you some important information regarding the school's leadership for the coming year.

First, our head search is going very much as planned. We had the opportunity to interview seven semifinalists during the last week of June, and the search committee was unanimous in selecting three excellent finalists to continue to the next round. We are excited to welcome these candidates to campus in the first few weeks of school and you will learn more about them and their backgrounds as their visits get closer.

Regarding the school's leadership for the 2022-23 school year, it's my responsibility to inform you of a change in our plans. While Mr. Gregersen planned to remain at The Meadows until the end of the school year, circumstances have changed for him and his family. His son Jack has the opportunity to start middle school at their new school in New Jersey in the fall and the Gregersens have decided that the family will move this summer to make the transition. Additionally, Mr. Gregersen was offered the opportunity to join his family and start as Head of School there early, beginning January 1, 2023.

As the Board of Trustees discussed these changes, a few things became clear. First, for the sake of continuity and stability, we felt it was important for the school to have one leader for the entire 2022-23 year to provide a bridge to the permanent head. Second, we felt it was vital that the interim leader of the school be someone with experience in this type of situation and who is known and respected by the school community. For these reasons, the Board of Trustees was unanimous in selecting current Interim Advancement Director and former Athletics Director, Claude Grubair, for the role of Interim Head of School. Over the course of Mr. Grubair's years at The Meadows School, he has shown that he has the temperament and skill set to lead the school for this year while we transition to our permanent Head of School beginning July of 2023.

Finally, please know that this change of plans was discussed with Mr. Gregersen at length and that he is committed to continuing to support the success and stability of the school during this transition. For this reason, the Board has secured his services as a consultant to the Board and to Mr. Grubair for the first semester of the year. Once again, we thank Mr. Gregersen for his 17 years of service to the school and wish him and his family all the best in their next chapter.

Sincerely,
Matthew Chilton '92
Board Chair

6/28: Head of School Search Update

Dear Meadows Community,

The Search Committee (SC) and I have been hard at work with our consultants from RG175 to find our next Head of School. After launching our search, RG175 screened all applications, and following the preliminary review of their qualifications, presented the SC with nineteen potential Head of School applicants. This is a solid number of candidates based on RG175's prior experience with similar searches.

Search Committee members took a week to individually (rather than collaboratively) review and score all nineteen applicant dossiers. These dossiers included opening remarks on the TMS Position Statement, a detailed resume, individual writing examples to give insights on their careers, and detailed interview notes from our consultants Tom and Debbie. These evaluations/scores were then sent back to RG175.

On May 27th, the entire SC and RG175 met at TMS to review all candidates and their aggregated rankings from each committee member. In addition to discussing these rankings, we also conducted deeper evaluations, asked for further details, and listened to all perspectives from Tom, Debbie, and each committee member. This was an excellent, collaborative session where we narrowed the field down from nineteen to eight semi-finalists. By consensus, we felt that the applicant talent pool was very impressive and provided us with a wide range of candidates from different career paths.

Seven of these semi-finalists have accepted their invitations to come to TMS for face-to-face interviews with SC members (one of the candidates had already accepted another position). These will be conducted in the coming week with each semi-finalist taking a campus tour and then having two 45 minute interview panels with two groups of SC members.

Following these meetings and subsequent discussions with the entire SC and RG175, we anticipate that we will narrow down the field to three or four finalists. These finalists will then be scheduled for a final round visit in the fall.

We remain excited about the process and look forward to these next steps!

Sincerely,
Matthew Chilton '92
Board Chair

3/17: Head of School Search Position Statement

Dear Meadows Community,

Thank you for participating in the discovery phase of our Head of School search. Your survey responses, in combination with the in-person meetings conducted by our search firm in February with the Board of Trustees, Mr. Gregersen, administrators, faculty, and the TMSPA, have helped RG175 and our Search Committee to craft the HOS Position Statement. This document serves as an important recruitment tool to help us attract the best candidates to TMS.

Our consultants have shared that the initial response to this Position Statement, published throughout their various networks, has been “very strong” and that it has been well received based on their prior experience helping place Heads at other leading institutions. This is very good news for us as we look to define the next era at TMS.

RG175 and our Search Committee look forward to the next phase of the recruitment process that will take place in late May—right on schedule. This is when all of our potential candidates will complete their detailed, multi-part applications, which RG175 refers to as the applicant dossiers, for our Search Committee's review.

Thank You,
Matthew Chilton '92
Board Chair

2/15: HOS Search Survey

Dear Meadows Community,

As you know, we have begun our search for the next outstanding Head of School for our institution. We are currently in the discovery phase of this process and need community members like you to provide valuable feedback that will help to shape what we are looking for in an ideal candidate.

Our consulting firm, RG175, has put together a comprehensive survey to gather this information, and we are asking you to please complete this short form by 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 20. All responses will be sent directly to RG 175 and kept anonymous.

Thank you for your help and participation!

The Meadows Board of Trustees

2/4: Search Firm Selection Announcement

Dear Meadows Community,

Early in January, we shared the news of Mr. Gregersen’s decision to look for new opportunities outside of The Meadows School at the end of the 2022-23 school year. Since that announcement, the Board of Trustees and I have been busy setting our plan into motion to find the next outstanding Head of School to take us into a new era here at TMS, and we are excited to provide you with an update on our latest milestone.

Recently, the Board of Trustees held their annual retreat where we welcomed three industry-leading search firms to pitch us on being our partner in our Head of School search. By unanimous decision, we have selected Resource Group 175 (RG175).

RG175 consists of 18 highly successful, long-serving former heads of school and senior administrators. Our search will specifically be led by Debbie Reed and Tom Hudnut, both of whom have extensive experience, reach, and expertise in placing best-fit candidates in long-standing headships. RG175 will be visiting campus later this month to begin the discovery phase where they will begin to engage with various Meadows stakeholders for insights into our school and its culture. After this meeting, we will announce to you the members of the Board of Trustees Search Committee that will continue to spearhead this search into the next phase, as well as welcome volunteers from our faculty, staff, and parent constituencies to join our other related committees.

Rest assured, the Board and I are taking this search very seriously and are pleased with where we are in the hiring process thus far. We are also grateful for the generous lead time Mr. Gregersen has given us to complete this search as it provides us with a great deal of flexibility. Not only will we be able to dedicate the time we need to clearly define the needs of our community for this important position upfront, but we will also have the added benefit of incorporating time for a smooth leadership transition once the ideal candidate has been selected. This long-tailed timeline has proven effective for other schools in their Head of School search and will provide us with the stability we need to truly be successful.

Thank you for your support!
Matthew Chilton '92
Board Chair

1/11: Departure Announcement from Mr. Gregersen

Dear Meadows Family,

When Liz and I arrived in Las Vegas in the summer of 2005, we assumed we would only be spending a couple of years here. I was excited to start teaching at The Meadows, and my biggest worry was about taking on my first middle school teaching role. At that moment, we had no idea what the future held, or the hold The Meadows School would have on our lives for the 15 years and more to come.

Now, after having had the opportunity to teach grades 6-12, to serve as Department Chair, Academic Dean, Division Director, Assistant Head, and finally as Head of School for the past 8 years, I am writing this letter to inform you that next year, the 2022-23 school year, will be our last at The Meadows School. Like so many people worldwide during the pandemic, I have spent a good deal of time rethinking my position, goals, and my future both personally and professionally. Liz and I have discussed where we are as a family, as well, and we feel that it is the right time for new challenges and new opportunities. It was important to me to provide the school with 18 months’ notice to ensure as smooth a transition as possible, and I will support the process in whatever way I can. While we are not certain where we will land in the fall of 2023, we are confident and excited about the many opportunities opening up before us.

Even as I contemplate departing, I am incredibly proud of everything we have accomplished together in the last 8 years. In addition to being national leaders in reopening our school in the midst of a pandemic whose long-term effects we still cannot fully know, we have made real progress in developing programs and building infrastructure that will make a lasting difference in the educational experiences of the students in our care. Indeed, the next decade will be a pivotal time for independent schools. As we look at what students will need to be successful, both in college and beyond, it is clear that schools like TMS will continue to play a central role in shaping future leaders who can respond to crises like global pandemics, climate change, and other seemingly intractable problems. I am confident in The Meadows School’s ability to continue to shape the lives of young people, and the school’s future is as bright as the future that will undoubtedly be built by its graduates.

On a personal note, I would like to thank The Board of Trustees and the entire Meadows faculty, staff, alumni, and parent community for the experience my family and I have had. The Meadows has truly been a home for us. My older son has thrived in every classroom he’s been fortunate to attend. The school has provided us with friends and colleagues, a social center, and a community that has made our time in Las Vegas a true pleasure. And while our eventual departure will be bittersweet, we are certainly better for our time here and will make good use of all the support and experiences we have gained as we look forward to the next chapter in our journey as a family.

I look forward to serving the school in the final 18 months of my tenure and doing everything in my power to aid in a smooth transition of leadership.

In gratitude,
Jeremy Gregersen
Head of School

1/11: HOS Search Announcement from the Board Chair

Dear Meadows Community,

I wanted to extend my warmest new year’s wishes and hope that 2022 is treating you and your family well. I am pleased that in the face of an ever-changing environment, our campus has been vibrant with student activity and that we have been able to remain open to in-person learning full time. As we move toward the second half of the school year, we will continue to adapt to changes and new situations.

As a part of these changes, the Board of Trustees has received Jeremy Gregersen's resignation, effective at the end of the next school year in June of 2023, as Head of The Meadows School. Please join me in congratulating him on what will be his successful 17 years of service and 9 years of headship, and in wishing him and his family all the best as we move forward, preparing for the next chapter for The Meadows School.

As we prepare to say goodbye to Mr. Gregersen, we also have a responsibility and an exciting opportunity to find the next strong leader of TMS. Since we have roughly 18 months remaining, the board looks forward to using that time wisely to seek out our new Head of School. I have already contacted three industry-leading search firms and the board will choose the best firm for our school’s unique leadership needs following our board of trustees retreat on January 28th. Once the appropriate search firm is identified and retained, a specific timeline for our search is decided, and a search committee is established, we will communicate more of this information to our community.

As I have been reflecting on Mr. Gregersen’s time at The Meadows School, I have thought a lot about the growth the school has seen over the last 8 years. Jeremy was named Head of School as an internal candidate, taking on his first headship, and he had the opportunity to grow alongside our relatively young school. In his time at TMS, Jeremy has done just that, working closely with the board to accomplish some remarkable achievements. We adopted unique, forward-thinking health and safety protocols, which allowed us to keep our campus largely open during the pandemic. We established a strategic planning process, adopting two strategic plans, and we navigated and launched a full rebranding of the school. We have renovated the Lower School playground, expanded the Beginning School, and in the fall of 2022 will open the first expansion to Lower, Middle, and Upper School academic learning spaces in over 16 years. We have expanded our enrollment quickly, from 829 students in 2018 to over 930 projected in 2022. This includes adding a full-day option in Beginning School and succeeding in filling our Upper School. We’ve expanded elective offerings and developed new traditions while adhering to the old. Finally, we have attracted an extraordinary leadership team, recruiting the best-in-class athletics, arts, Lower School, finance, innovation, and advancement professionals available. All this leaves the board at large confident that The Meadows School’s future is exceptionally bright.

Please join me and the Board of Trustees in thanking Jeremy, Liz, and their children Jack and Billy, for their countless contributions to our community.

We look forward to the next steps for The Meadows School.

Sincerely,
Matthew Chilton '92
Board Chair

Search Timeline

DATE	MILESTONE
	January 2022	BOT Select search firm
February-March 2022	Discovery phase Position statement
March-May 2022	Recruitment
June 2022	Dossier reviews Semi-finalist interviews
August-September 2022	Finalist visits Head selection
October 2022-June 2023	Transition period
July 2023-June 2024	Mentoring period

The Search Team

About RG175

The Meadows Board of Trustees has partnered with Resource Group 175 (RG175), a global educational leadership firm, to guide our search for our next Head of School. RG175 consultants are experienced in identifying candidates whose skills and educational vision align with a school’s unique strengths and goals. The firm consists of eighteen highly successful, long-serving former heads of school and senior administrators, who continue to be leaders in the independent school world. RG175 consultants Debbie Reed and Tom Hudnut will work directly with our TMS Search Committee.

HOS Position Statement

BOT Search Committee

Harmony Letizia '00
Joanna Falb
Joshua Ford
Matthew Becker
Matthew Chilton '92
Sharlin Ahmed-Khan
Stacie Michaels '98

School Mission

In its pursuit of excellence, The Meadows School inspires ambitious students to love and respect higher learning, to passionately serve their communities, and to lead meaningful lives as citizens of a global society.