Linden Hall, the Lititz school that traces its roots to 1746 and is recognized as the oldest girls’ boarding and day school in the United States, announced in February 2015 that Michael E. Waylett would become its next head of school, effective July 1, 2015.
The choice capped a six-month national search led by the school’s Board of Trustees, according to a statement the school released at the time.
A wide search
Waylett was one of 85 applicants considered for the position. The search was managed by the executive search firm Carney Sandoe & Associates and included a survey of the entire school community, several rounds of meetings with the search committee and a two-day campus visit in January.
During that visit, Waylett and his wife, April, met with students, faculty, alumnae, parents, administrators and trustees. The search committee said it received enthusiastic feedback from across the community afterward.
Board co-chairs David Stoudt and Meg Mueller called choosing a head of school the board’s greatest responsibility, and described Waylett as a visionary, bright and strategic leader. They thanked the search committee for its thoroughness and the wider Linden Hall community for its role in the decision.
Carl McAloose, the board’s vice chair and chair of the search committee, said trustees were impressed by Waylett’s record of results and his understanding of independent schools, and were confident he would build on Linden Hall’s long tradition.
Experience in Virginia
Waylett came to Lititz from St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he had worked for more than three decades. Since 2006 he had served as associate head of school, overseeing areas including financial operations, admission and financial aid.
The school said that under his leadership, admission at St. Anne’s-Belfield rose by about 30 percent, student attrition fell, the student body became more diverse and most grades developed waiting lists. He played a key role in improving the school’s communications and marketing and led early planning for a $44 million capital campaign, the largest in that school’s history. The endowment grew from $3 million in 2008 to about $35 million during that period.
Despite his administrative duties, Waylett described himself as a teacher at heart and continued to teach a section of math each year, which he called one of the best parts of his job.
Education and service
Waylett earned a master’s degree in education in administration and supervision from the University of Virginia and a bachelor’s degree in physical and health education from the State University of New York College at Brockport. He also completed additional coursework in mathematics and business.
He was active in the Virginia Association of Independent Schools and served in leadership roles on school accreditation visits.
In his words
In the school’s announcement, Waylett said he looked forward to the role with great enthusiasm and believed Linden Hall was well positioned to become an even better school. He said he was impressed by students he found bright, articulate, self-confident and friendly, and by teachers and staff he described as wonderful role models committed to students’ success.
He called the appointment one of the most exciting moments of his career and said he took seriously the responsibility of keeping Linden Hall a special place where dreams can be realized and talents multiplied.
A family move
Waylett and his wife have five adult children. April Waylett was also a longtime faculty member at St. Anne’s-Belfield, serving as assistant head of the middle school for academics. The couple said they looked forward to moving from Virginia to Pennsylvania.
Before starting in July, Waylett planned to visit campus for a series of events to get to know the community and its culture, and to work closely with the administrative team on the transition.
About Linden Hall
Founded by Moravian settlers in the 18th century, Linden Hall sits in the heart of Lititz, next to the Moravian Church Square. The school enrolls girls in the middle and upper grades as boarding and day students, drawing families from Lancaster County and from around the world. Its long history is woven into the story of Lititz itself, and leadership changes at the school are closely watched across the community.