A Message From Kelly Sortino: Middle School Leadership Updates

Dear Crystal Community,

Happy New Year!  I hope you are enjoying the first few days of 2020. As we start the new year, I’d like to share a few Middle School transition updates and announcements:

First, over the holiday break, Lizzie Rogal informed me of her decision not to return as Middle School Dean of Students next year. She is very much enjoying her new role as mom to baby Violet and has determined this decision is the best one for her family. Lizzie has agreed to return to Crystal in a part-time consultancy capacity for the 2020-21 school year to help onboard a new MS Dean of Students and new Head of Middle School, and I am thrilled Lizzie will stay connected to Crystal in this way. We have launched a search for a new Middle School Dean of Students (to begin July 1, 2020) and expect to complete the hiring process by early March. As planned, Amy Geriak, who has been capably serving as Acting Middle School Dean of Students, will continue in this role for the remainder of this school year.  

Next, I’d like to announce that I have appointed Chris Schoberl to be our Interim Associate Director of Admission next school year (2021-22), filling Reese Willis’s sabbatical/leave of absence position. While continuing to pursue Head of School positions for school year 2021-22, Chris Schoberl is seeking to gain experience in other areas of school administration. We are happy for Chris to be back at Crystal next year and know he will bring a wealth of expertise and knowledge to our Middle School Admission Office.

Finally, our Head of Middle School search continues to go well. Our Search Committee has completed second-round semi-finalist interviews and is in the process of determining finalist candidates. At the end of this month, we will invite 2-3 finalists to campus for day-and-a-half interviews with a broad range of constituents. We intend to complete the search and name our next Head of Middle School by mid-February. This person will begin as Head of Middle School on July 1, 2020.

Again, I hope you and your family are enjoying a happy 2020.

All the best,
Kelly Sortino
Head of School