DSST: Cedar Middle School

DSST CEO search update

09/29/23, 8:48 AM

Dear members of the DSST Community,

Following the recent announcement that the 2023-2024 academic year will be Bill Kurtz’s last year at DSST, we would like to take the opportunity, again, to thank him for his unwavering dedication to DSST Public Schools over the past 20 years. We are grateful that he will lead DSST throughout this school year, ensuring we have a smooth transition for his successor. On behalf of the Board of Directors, and as Chair of the Search Committee, I would like to provide an update on the process of finding our next Chief Executive Officer.

Search Committee: We have assembled a Search Committee composed of dedicated board members, listed below. We are committed to a transparent and inclusive process to find the best next DSST CEO.

Search Committee Members:

  • Gloria Zamora, Chair
  • Peter Fritzinger
  • David Greenberg
  • Mary Haynes
  • Glenn Russo

Search Partner: The Search Committee engaged in a comprehensive process that led to the selection of Spencer Stuart, a global leadership advisory firm, to assist DSST in this search. Spencer Stuart’s team, led by David Wick and Aaron Mieszczanski from the firm’s Education and Social Impact Practice, has a stellar track record of identifying and placing new leadership at the nation’s strongest educational institutions. Working in partnership with Spencer Stuart, the Search Committee will evaluate candidates and ultimately make a recommendation to the Board of Directors. The Board will then make the final decision on the hiring of our next CEO.

Should you have thoughts, recommendations, or nominations throughout the process, we encourage you to share them directly with our partners at Spencer Stuart and the committee via email at DSSTCEO@spencerstuart.com.

DSST Community Engagement and Survey: We look forward to engaging the DSST community in opportunities to meaningfully share your input about the network and the leadership that is needed to achieve long-term success. An online survey will be shared with members of the DSST community in the coming days, and the Spencer Stuart team plans to be on-site in the next few weeks to meet virtually and on-site with students, families, alumni, staff, and administrators. Details on the survey and campus visit will be forthcoming.

We will provide important updates and share relevant information with the community throughout the search process.

Thank you for your trust, partnership, and support.

Sincerely,
Gloria Zamora
Chair, DSST CEO Search Committee