Montessori Center School Announces Interim Head of School
Two-Year Term Begins July 1
The Montessori Center School’s (MCS) Board of Trustees has named Eric M. Swain interim head of school for the next two years beginning July 1, 2010. This decision is the result of an intensive search conducted by the Transition Committee of MCS Trustees, the Montessori Foundation consultancy, and an Advisory Committee composed of faculty, administration, parents, and alumni.
The entire Montessori Center School community is pleased Swain has accepted this appointment. Eric Swain has 17 years of teaching experience and 22 years administrative experience in independent schools serving prekindergarten through 12th grades in the Santa Ynez Valley, Lake Tahoe, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. Swain recently completed four years of service at Cate School in Carpinteria where, where in addition to writing the 100-year history of the school, he taught high school English.
His prior experiences also includes being headmaster at Lake Tahoe School (grades pre-K through 8) in Incline Village, NV; headmaster at Thayer Academy (grades 6-12) in Braintree, MA; middle school teacher, coach and director at Durham Academy, Durham, NC; teacher, coach and headmaster at Midland School (grades 9-12), Los Olivos, CA; dean of students, teacher, coach at Dunn School (grades 7-12), Los Olivos, CA.
Swain was educated at Pomona College in Claremont, CA, earning a BS in government, with additional studies at UC Santa Barbara and North Carolina Central University. Looking ahead to his new position, Swain said “MCS already has the people who make a great school — extraordinary teachers who love what they do; bright, kind, wonderfully engaged children; collaborative and supportive families, trustees, and staff — and they all share an uncommon unity of purpose inspired by Montessori principles and practices. All my work at MCS will be in service to that unity of purpose. It’s good work, and I’m very much looking forward to it.”
“The MCS community is thrilled to have Eric Swain accept the position of head of school for the coming year. Eric is a skilled leader whose breadth of experience with many different schools will be a strong force motivating MCS’s community and future,” affirmed Celeste Andersen, president of the Board of Trustees, when announcing his acceptance.
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About Montessori Center School: For 45 years, MCS has consistently implemented the internationally renowned Montessori Method of teaching providing students aged 18 months through 12 years with creative and compelling education in a supportive, nurturing environment. MCS is a dynamic community of approximately 300 children and 50 faculty and staff. As a nonprofit educational organization, independently operated but affiliated with the American Montessori Society and licensed by the Department of Social Services, MCS’s mission is to offer a Montessori education that encourages intellectual, social, physical, creative and moral development, while preparing students for academic excellence, confident lifelong learning and responsible, caring lives.
Please contact Jenelle Osborne, director of development & public relations, (805) 683-9383 x105.