Head of School John Finch Announces Retirement

A new strategic plan will be completed by the end of the school year. With the center for innovation project completed, the goals of the fifteen-year masterplan formulated in 2008 have been met. The endowment is strong and as the second quarter of the twenty-first century beckons, Chandler’s best days lie ahead.

I am grateful to the extraordinary administrators, faculty and staff members with whom I have worked over the years. These good people have been committed to Chandler’s mission of providing the most academically challenging education in a nurturing, balanced and diverse environment. As difficult as the past twenty months have been with the demands of distance learning, the uncertainties of the pandemic, the evolving health protocols, and the emotional return to in-person learning, no one in Chandler’s professional community has been found wanting. Together with our families, we took good care of the kids. 

My wife, Aileen, and our sons, Noah '12 and Graham '15, have accompanied me on this journey. We have loved being part of the Chandler community. We cherish the friendships we have made here, and the memories we will take with us.

Chandler is not a personality-driven school. The mission guides the work. Thanks to our co-founders, Tom and Katie Chandler, we remain mission-focused on academic achievement and character development for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. I look forward to working with the board and with the community over the next eighteen months continuing to fulfill Chandler’s mission and planning for a change in leadership.