Dear EAGLE School Community,
I am writing to let you know that after a long and distinguished career, Andy Wright has informed the Board of Directors that he intends to retire as School Director following the completion of the 2026-2027 school year. Upon retirement, Andy will have served as Director for nine years, and during that time he has demonstrated great passion and unwavering dedication to the school, to its mission and values, and, above all, to our students. We are very grateful for Andy’s leadership, and we wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.
In his time as Director, Andy has helped greatly strengthen EAGLE School and set it up for long-term stability and success. Andy has upgraded our physical building, has been a great steward of our financial resources, and led the process that developed the school’s long-term strategic plan. He has worked to expand the outreach of EAGLE School locally, raising awareness through many workshops, conferences, and meetings with local educators and non-school leaders, and through offerings such as our expanded summer school program. Andy has also helped to raise our profile nationally, through our accreditation by and membership in ISACS (the Independent Schools Association of the Central States) and through increased dialogue and sharing of best practices with other independent schools serving gifted students across the nation.
That said however, Andy’s most enduring legacies will be the relationships that he has built and the dedication to and affection he has had for EAGLE School families and students over his time as Director. Andy has always led with great character, showing compassion, kindness, and humility in all that he does. He has a true interest in the needs and positions of others. Andy has been a great example and role model for our students, both as a leader and as a human being, and he will be missed.
The selection of the next School Director is now the Board of Directors’ highest priority and most important responsibility. Our Search Committee, comprised of members of the Board and to-be-identified faculty and staff, will be led by Wendy Johnson, Ph.D., who is a long-time educator and private-practice School Psychologist in Madison. Wendy is a valued member of the EAGLE School Board of Directors and an expert in gifted children and education. We will also be working with Debbie Millon, who was formerly an educator in Madison and is very familiar with EAGLE School, and now is Director of Operations for Educators Collaborative, a premier, nationwide consulting firm specializing in leadership searches for independent schools. We will provide more detail on this search process as we move forward, including opportunities for parent involvement in the process.
Andy will continue to lead EAGLE School through June 30, 2027, and will assist the Search Committee as needed in our search for his successor. In addition, he will remain with the school in some capacity for the 2027-2028 school year, to help the Board and the Search Committee ensure a smooth and successful transition when our next School Director comes on board July 1, 2027.
There will be many opportunities in the coming year to reflect upon and celebrate Andy’s tenure and legacy. For now, though, on behalf of the EAGLE School Board of Directors, I would like to express our deep appreciation to Andy for his years of unwavering service and devotion to EAGLE School, its students, and extended community. Thank you, Andy!
Sincerely,
John Stoneman
President, EAGLE School Board of Directors