Head of School Search

October 4, 2022

Dear Episcopal Day Community:
 

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are pleased to announce Quincey Grieve as Episcopal Day’s next Head of School beginning July 1, 2023.  Following a search process that produced a highly qualified and diverse pool of candidates, the Board of Trustees, with the Vestry’s ratification, voted unanimously to appoint Quincey to the role.

As conversations ensued we were quickly drawn to Quincey’s warmth, unmatched pedagogical expertise, and her laser focus on maintaining a child centered culture. Our constituents learned that Quincey has an impressive ability to see a need, strategically set a north star, and then set the path to accomplish the goal, all while building consensus and supporting her team throughout the process. Those who have had the fortunate opportunity to work with Quincey exude appreciation for her partnership, connections, and values-driven leadership.  We strongly feel that Episcopal Day will be well positioned for continued success under Quincey’s leadership. 

During the course of her over twenty-five year career in education she has held various leadership roles and has also served in the classroom teaching subjects including, but not limited to, english, science, history, and journalism.  Quincey has fond memories of living in California.  She taught at the Buckley School and Marlborough School in Los Angeles and Sacramento Country Day School of which she is a graduate. Quincey holds a Master's in English from Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities with a focus on American Literature and History from the University of California Berkeley.  We look forward to welcoming her “home” sporting blue and gold!

We also look forward to welcoming Tim Grieve, Quincey’s husband of 30 years and their three children, now young adults, Pete, Jack, and Meg to the Episcopal Day Community.  

With Quincey’s appointment, we also wish to share our deep gratitude to Ralph Wales as he and his wife Martha prepare for their next chapter.  Ralph has provided steadiness and enriched our institution in so many ways.  He has profoundly touched many lives and we celebrate his last year.  Witness an interaction between him and a student and you will be moved. We also thank Ralph in advance for the partnership he will create with Quincey to ensure a smooth transition.
Lastly, I would like to thank Head of School Search Committee Co-Chair Steve LeSieur, Debbie Reed and Tom Hudnut of RG175, and the Search Committee members for their commitment, due diligence, and sense of humor throughout this work.  It was a true pleasure working closely with the team as well as with all of the constituents who took the time to meet Quincey and affirm the remarkable culture of Episcopal Day.  
Please see below for a letter that Quincey wanted to share with the Episcopal Day community. 

Sincerely,

Nicole Magaddino
Board Chair

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Dear Episcopal Day Community,

My first glimpse into life at Epsicopal Day School came from watching videos of eighth grade chapel talks. From 3,000 miles away, I was awed by the grace, confidence, wisdom, and hope voiced by the students. Their words said it all: Episcopal Day lives its mission to prepare students to be leaders of positive change in the world. I knew at that moment that I had found a special school – one profoundly committed to its Episcopal identity and one that treasures each child. Every minute on campus and every conversation since has deepened my sense of awe. I could not be more honored and excited to serve as Episcopal Day’s next Head of School.

“This is my day. What will I do?” What an inspiring question. The answers to that question are boundless. Under Ralph Wales’s extraordinary leadership, the school has done transformational work around mission and identity. It has come through the pandemic with strong enrollment, an excellent leadership team, a fabulous faculty, and a tremendous board. The Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion affirms the school’s deep commitment to belonging and justice. And guided by the partnerships between Ralph and Father Eric, the relationship between the Church and the school is beautifully supportive and empowering. This is a moment of such opportunity.

I said during the search process, and I will reiterate here, there are two words you will hear from me more than any others: joy and partnership. For me, that is what our work is all about. Joyful schools foster student-centered learning; they nurture curiosity and confidence; they build character and courage. And joyful schools come about when there’s genuine partnership between families and school. These words are the root of my educational philosophy, and I know they are core to Episcopal Day. 

For me personally, Episcopal Day feels like a homecoming. My husband, Tim, and I both attended Sacramento Country Day School, a small independent school which my parents, as the leaders of the school, built from the ground up over the course of my childhood. While we've been on the East Coast for the past fifteen years, Tim and I have strong ties to the Bay Area from our college days, although we have to sit on opposite sides of the field at Big Game! Our three children – Pete, Jack, and Meg – are launched in their young careers and college lives, but they spent all of their childhood summers in California and are already planning their visits. For us, school and home have always been intertwined, and we cannot wait for the Grieve family to become part of the extraordinary Episcopal Day family. 

I close with my gratitude to the Search Committee, Ralph, Father Eric, and the entire community for welcoming me so warmly during the search process. I am eager to work with all of you and, together, to carry Episcopal Day School into its very bright future.

Sincerely, 
Quincey Grieve