“I’m graduating, so to speak,” Head of School Anne Stavney said. Stavney, currently in her 13th year at Blake, recently announced her departure after the 2025-26 school year. “I will have been here 14 years and the [mean] length of stay tenure for heads of schools of schools our size is seven years,” she said. The 14-year length is a familiar one to the school community, as Stavney’s predecessor, John Gulla, also departed after 14 years.
As the students who started the same year as her graduate next year, Stavney feels ready to move on. “My philosophy with schools is that you get the right leader for the right time, kind of like a relay race, they carry the baton down down the the track, and then there’s a point at which it’s really healthy…for the person to hand off the baton and someone will bring intheir energy, their vision, [and] their ideas. I feel ready for that, and I feel at peace with that,” she said.
Board of Trustees Chair Chris Smith, who has worked with Stavney for nine years, appreciated all of her work. “For 13 years, she’s treated every year like it was the first year she was here, and she’s been pedal down throughout her time,” he said. “Over the years, she’s tackled the tough things that it takes to keep the school in really great condition. And I admire that about her. Not every leader does that, and it’s not easy. [If you] think about 13 years, you can come in in the beginning and put a whole bunch of work in and then kind of coast, and she’s not done that.” Stavney’s vision for Blake has included the Lower School Project (LSP), leading to the construction of the ELC and the unification of the Lower Schools, renovating the Hopkins Campus, and managing the COVID-19 pandemic. “[She’s] really continued to push the school to always think about how we can improve and be a better institution. I’ve enjoyed watching that,” Smith continued.
Michelle Keeley, who was the chair of the search committee that hired Stavney, appreciated Stavney’s leadership and dedication to students. “I’m proud that I was part of the team that helped bring her to Blake. She’s the first female head of school, she has continued to evolve the school in a direction that keeps kids at the center, with an emphasis on innovation in learning. I’m proud of the work she has done there, and I know my fellow board members have felt the same,” she remarked.
Keeley recalled how Stavney stood out in the hiring process from the beginning. “She always stood apart in the interview process as someone who was a visionary leader, someone who was student-centered and an excellent communicator. We were struck by her integrity and the manner in which she presented herself and talked about learning being at the center. Not just for kids, but for teachers … her devotion to continuous curricular improvement set her apart from other candidates,” she added.
What’s next? Stavney doesn’t know for sure, but she’s excited for what lies ahead. “I’m not going to be in another headship, but I will stay in independent schools, and I have my eye on a couple of roles that are really interesting where I can continue to use what I’ve learned. One area I love is working with boards and what’s called governance and strategy, and I’ve done a few consulting gigs on the side with that, and that really interests me. So maybe that,” Stavney concluded.
