Head of School Announced!

Bridget Henderson has been appointed as the new Head of School starting in the 2020-2021 school year, effective July 1, 2020, according to St. James Episcopal Church and Day School leadership.

Henderson has over 30 years of experience in public, private, and parochial schools spanning from Kindergarten to 12th grade. Currently, she is in her ninth year as Lower School Division Head at The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge. Since assuming the Division Head role, the lower school has seen marked growth in their academics including the addition of a PreK-3 program. Major areas of emphasis for Henderson during her time as a Division Head include improvements to curriculum, social/emotional learning, student leadership development, spiritual growth, and creating safe learning environments. She also known for establishing and maintaining strong lines of communication between parents, teachers, and administrators.

“On behalf of St. James, I am excited to welcome Bridget Henderson as our next Head of School. The Search Committee and I believe her experience, commitment to Episcopal education, and positive energy will excite the entire community. I am grateful for each of the past Heads of School and the legacy they helped create. I also greatly appreciate the leadership Fr. Michael Kuhn continues to show in this season of transition as Interim Head of School. After a very extensive search process, I am confident that Bridget is the right person to lead our school into the future,” The Rev. Chris Duncan, St. James Rector, said.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be the next Head of School at St. James. Every person that I met on my visit—students, teachers, parents, and members of the community—expressed a sincere love of St. James, and I am delighted to be a part of that as the next Head of School. Together we will build on the wonderful traditions of the past and prioritize academics in a warm and loving Christian environment,” Bridget Henderson said.

“St. James Episcopal Day School is an energetic, loving, and learning community deserving of a leader with the same qualities. Bridget Henderson is unquestionably a highly respected and experienced educator with strong administrative and organizational gifts demonstrated over a rich and lengthy career working with faculty, students, and parents. She speaks with integrity from a base of educational knowledge and takes action from a place of care for the community, her priority being the best interest for the children entrusted to her. Bridget Henderson will be the best kind of leader for St. James, embodying the School's commitment to faith, community, and learning,” The Rev. Michael Kuhn, current Interim Head of School, said.
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The Board of Trustees appointed a Search Committee in June 2019 that conducted a national search with the assistance of The Education Group, a highly-regarded consulting firm with extensive experience with Episcopal Day Schools. An exceptional pool of candidates was evaluated, and semi-finalists were selected by the committee and interviewed. Out of those semi-finalists, three finalists were selected for an on-site visit to St. James in late October to meet students, parents, faculty, staff, and other key stakeholders. All three finalists possess incredible gifts and strengths, and the Search Committee had considerable variables to weigh. However, the Search Committee’s unanimous recommendation to the school’s Board of Trustees was Bridget Henderson.
St. James welcomes students of any race, color, nationality, ethnic origin, and religious background as we seek to have a diverse student body. Every accepted student will have all rights and privileges of the school, and have access to all programs and activities.
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Baton Rouge, LA 70802
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​info@stjameseds.org
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