After eight extraordinary years leading The Harbor School, Leah Musico will be leaving at the end of the 2025-2026 school year to become the next Head of School at the National Child Research Center (NCRC) in Washington, DC. The Board of Trustees is profoundly grateful for Leah’s dedication and the enduring impact she has had on Harbor and our community. While we are saddened to see her leave, we fully support her decision and wish her continued success in her exciting next chapter at NCRC.
As our community begins our own exciting next chapter of searching for our new Head of School, we are reminded that leadership transitions are a natural and healthy part of any strong organization – in fact, the average tenure of an independent school head is five years. They often bring fresh perspectives and renewed energy that benefit a school and its broader community. As you heard in our “State of the School” address at Back to School night, Harbor begins this transition from a position of strength and great expectation for our collective future.
The Board of Trustees has engaged André Withers of Educators Collaborative to partner with us through this transition. André brings extensive experience in independent school leadership searches and executive coaching, having worked with institutions of varied size, mission, and community culture – three of which have been local Maryland schools. Notably, he also served two Associate Head of School roles locally, one at The Madeira School and the other at The Lowell School. He will lead community listening sessions, advise the Search Committee, recruit and vet candidates, and help ensure a transparent and inclusive process.
The Head of School Search Committee has been formed, with membership taking into account the core principles of ensuring inclusivity, a diversity of perspectives, and a strong range of skill sets. The nine-member Search Committee includes faculty, trustees, and current parents. The Committee, working closely with our search consultant, André Withers, has the important role of reviewing the candidate pool once complete, identifying and interviewing prospective qualified candidates, and recommending a new Head of School for Board of Trustees approval.
We extend our gratitude to the nine-member Harbor School Search Committee, all of whom have agreed to volunteer their time and skills. The Committee will be co-chaired by Naomi Senkeeto, Andy Salembier, and Jamie Danielson.
Committee members are:
Naomi Senkeeto, Search Committee Co-Chair, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Current Parent
Andy Salembier, Search Committee Co-Chair, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Current Parent
Jamie Danielson, Search Committee Co-Chair, Board Member, and Former Harbor Teacher
Vik Uberoi, Board Member and Current Parent
Keely Boomhower, Board Member and Independent School Head of School
Nicole Moore, HSFA President, Board Member, and Current Parent
Allison Peppelman, Junior Kindergarten Teacher
Jasveen Kaur, Grade One Teacher
Carolyn LeNard, Grade Three Teacher
The Search Committee is committed to conducting a thoughtful, inclusive, and well-communicated process. We will provide periodic updates as major milestones are reached, including the publication of the leadership profile, key stages of candidate review, and the timeline for finalist visits. This webpage will serve as a hub for communications and updates.
Contact: awithers@educatorscollaborative.comWe encourage you to reach out to André directly with any thoughts or perspectives as the search progresses.
PRELIMINARY POSITION STATEMENT