Whitby Names Bryan Nixon Next Head of School

GREENWICH, Conn., Nov. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Trustees of the Whitby School announces today the appointment of its next Head of School, Bryan Nixon, and the retirement of its current Head, Doug Fainelli.  Under Fainelli's experienced leadership, Whitby achieved International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP) and Middle Years Program (MYP) accreditation, becoming the first school in the United States to be accredited by both the American Montessori Association and the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), making it a global leader in the educational field at the forefront of child-centered learning.  Whitby's innovative curriculum is based on best practices drawing from state, national and international curriculum standards.

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"It is an exciting moment in Whitby's history, and we owe a deep debt of gratitude to Doug Fainelli for the strong foundation he has built for Whitby," states Patricia Franklin, Chair of the Board of Trustees.  Franklin continues, "The future for Whitby has never been brighter, and we are thrilled to have Bryan Nixon, an outstanding international educator and proven independent school leader for over 17 years, as our next Head of School.  In addition to having exceptional management and interpersonal skills, Bryan is an international leader in curriculum development having been formally recognized by the IBO as one of twelve international educators selected to write units of inquiry for IB's PYP.  We are excited for Bryan Nixon and his family to arrive, and the opportunity for Whitby to continue to thrive under his astute and passionate leadership."

In preparation for Fainelli's retirement, last year Whitby's Board formed a Head Search Committee and hired a search firm Carney, Sandoe & Associates to begin the search for Whitby's next Head of School.  Fainelli's decision to re-enter retirement at the end of December coincides with the completion of the Head selection process.  After narrowing an exceptional talent pool of international candidates, Whitby's Board found that one candidate, stood out above the others, Bryan Nixon, for his embodiment of the qualities that will ensure that Whitby remains a leader in 21st Century education.

"Four years ago, I seized the opportunity and the challenge to come out of retirement to help Whitby become the leading school it is today.  With that milestone achieved, it is time for new energy, vision and leadership, and Bryan Nixon is exactly the kind of inspired and experienced leader who will take Whitby to the next level," says Fainelli.  "I am proud to have shaped the school's history, and deeply honored to be a part of such an exceptional place."

Nixon joins Whitby at a time when Whitby is experiencing solid growth and success, as a result of heightened demand for Whitby's academically rigorous and innovative curriculum.

"I am excited to bring my passion, vision and experience to Whitby," states Bryan Nixon.  Nixon adds, "A Whitby education – with its low student to faculty ratio, a diverse student body with 40 countries represented, where every child is the central focus and engaged in their learning – is very special. I have spent my career working extensively with IB programs, delivering educational best practices within the classroom, successfully building schools to reach their fullest potential, and in particular, ensuring a school's curriculum is preparing students for the 21st century. I'm delighted to have this opportunity to lead such a remarkable school and ensure we continue to inspire, engage, and challenge our students."

Whitby, founded in 1958, is an independent co-educational private school with enrollment of approximately 392 students, aged 14 months through 8th grade.  Whitby's main goal is to provide a superior, well-rounded education while teaching the importance of community service, and guiding students in gaining academic, emotional and social skills required to succeed in a global community.  Whitby strives to provide the most effective teaching approaches, and its International Baccalaureate (IB) and Montessori curricular programs of structured inquiry are tailored to the maturity and intellect of each child.  Rooted in the child's innate inclination to learn, Montessori's activity-based methodologies are proven to develop independent learners from a very early age.  The IB is an internationally recognized, transdisciplinary curriculum that focuses on the development of the whole child, giving children the intellectual tools to understand and successfully navigate the complexities of today's world. For Whitby students, this blend means that a powerful transdisciplinary connection happens in the classroom, inspiring students to their highest levels of achievement.  Whitby students embody the IB learner profile by striving to be inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective.  Whitby's diverse student body speaks over 15 languages and represents approximately 40 different countries.  Whitby is proud that 65% of its students qualify for the prestigious Johns Hopkins Talent Search, and 90% of its graduates are accepted at their first choice of high school.

BIOS:

Doug Fainelli, before joining Whitby, worked in public school education, primarily in Greenwich, CT, for over 35 years. During that time he served as an English teacher, Department Chairperson, Curriculum Administrator, Assistant Superintendent, interim Superintendent and elementary school principal. In 2000, he opened Greenwich's first magnet school, The International School at Dundee. This school became the first accredited International Baccalaureate Primary Years School in New England. Doug went on to assist with the opening of the British International School in Manhattan (also an International Baccalaureate School). As Head of School at Whitby, Doug focused on the school's acquisition of IB Certification (achieved in 2010) and the continued development of Whitby's unique combination of the Montessori and International Baccalaureate programs.  

Bryan Nixon comes to Whitby from The Bavarian International School (BIS) in Germany, a PK-12 school offering all three IB curricular programs, where he has served in leadership roles for seven years, and the last four years as Director, Head of School.  As Head of School of BIS, Bryan was responsible for 920 students (from 45 nationalities and 32 spoken languages) and over 135 employees (leadership team, faculty and support staff). Previously, Bryan held other leadership positions at BIS, including Deputy Head and Curriculum Coordinator for Lower School, and Lower School Principal.  Prior to his tenure at BIS, he was the Curriculum Coordinator at the St. Andrew's School in the Bahamas where, under his leadership, the school successfully achieved authorized status from the IB PYP.  Bryan is an IB regional workshop leader and a team leader on school IB authorization and evaluation visits as well as one of twelve people selected worldwide to write sample units of inquiry for IB PYP.

Whitby Mission Statement:  Building upon the principles of the Montessori philosophy and the International Baccalaureate Programs, Whitby inspires academic excellence, independence and a passion for learning while motivating our students to confidently take action as contributing members of a diverse global community.

SOURCE Whitby School