On Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, Superintendent Bill Lupini notified parents and staff that Deborah Holman, the assistant principal of Newton North High School, has been selected as the single finalist in the search for the new headmaster.

While Holman has not yet been offered the position, the elimination of the other finalist, Interim Principal of Wellesley Middle School Jamie Chisum, moves Holman one step closer to assuming the role of headmaster.

Lupini wrote that he selected Holman as the single finalist due, in part, to feedback he received following the candidates’ visits to Brookline High School.

“Specifically, the overwhelmingly positive feedback that I received from you (as well as parents and students) regarding Deb’s candidacy made this decision more obvious than I had originally anticipated,” Lupini wrote in his email to the staff.

Lupini said in his email messages that a team of community members will go on a site visit to Newton North on Tuesday, Feb. 7. In addition to Lupini, the team includes English teacher Jenee Ramos, Dean Anthony Meyer, World Languages Curriculum Coordinator Agnes Alberola, School Within a School Curriculum Coordinator Dan Bresman, parents Sue Sturman and Jenifer Foley, senior Sandra Richardson and Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Fischer-Mueller.

Lupini said he will announce the next steps in the process on or before Friday, Feb. 10.

Samantha Libraty, a student at Newton North High School, said in an email on Thursday, Feb. 2 that Holman is a wonderful assistant principal who holds a lot of responsibility.

“She is organized and willing to listen to new ideas. She is very dedicated to her work and is always helpful to teachers and students,” said Libraty. “Brookline High is a great school and will benefit greatly from having her as its headmaster, despite our rivalry.”

Holman has taught social studies at Newton North High School.  She has also worked at The International Schools of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and the International School Bangkok, Thailand.

According to Lupini’s initial announcement of the candidates, Holman has worked with the Legacy Scholars Program for African American students, addressing the achievement gap.

At the parent forum on Wednesday, Feb. 1, Holman addressed the importance of academic excellence, equity of access for all students to school opportunities, and proactive faculty learning communities to ultimately help improve student performance as the key educational values she would bring to her job as headmaster.

Holman also conveyed her excitement towards revitalizing her connection with students if hired as headmaster.

“A couple of years ago they took two vice principal jobs, they combined them into one and they took away my teaching, which was like a sword to the heart,” Holman said at the parent forum. “I push out and I have to make a special effort to really connect with students. In many ways the headmaster position blows that scheme up. I would have a lot of fun and have a lot more connection with students. I’m dying for that at this point.”

Social studies teacher Daniel Green praised Holman’s passionate vision for working with students and for supporting teachers. He said he thought she seemed tremendously reliable and that her experience working as an administrator at a similar school would be an asset.

Assistant Headmaster Hal Mason also recognized the importance of the new headmaster’s ability to understand the school.

“I’m looking for someone that understands Brookline High School and understands the history of the school and the really excellent and unique high school that this is,” Mason said.

According to Mason, this does not mean that there is only one leadership style, though.

“I’ve worked with a lot of different principals over the years, and I don’t believe that there’s only one style. Dr. Bob was a great headmaster, no question. That doesn’t mean that the only model for a great headmaster is in the Dr. Bob mold,” Mason said. “There are many different types of people and many different personalities and visions that people can have and still be wildly successful, which is what we all hope the new person will be. Obviously, the person has to be committed to the school, willing to put huge amounts of time in, and understand teenagers. That’s the key.”

Holman said that although she saw many similarities between Brookline High School and Newton North High School, she appreciates Brookline’s unique community.

“Within an hour and a half, I started seeing different things, and it was fascinating,” Holman said during the parent forum. “I saw wonderful things yesterday and experienced wonderful people, so I would look forward to being the headmaster of Brookline High School.”

For more on the headmaster search, see this article.