Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Custom
Affiliations
Timeline
Generic

SAMANTHA SAWIN BRENNAN

Southborough,USA

Summary

Dynamic educational leader with a proven track record at St. Mark's School, excelling in strategic planning and crisis management. Spearheaded initiatives enhancing faculty recruitment and community engagement, while transforming school culture through innovative curriculum development. Passionate about fostering inclusive environments and advancing student well-being, driving impactful change in academic settings.

Overview

26
26
years of professional experience

Work History

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL/DEAN OF FACULTY

St. Mark's School
Southborough, MA
07.2016 - 06.2022
  • Delivered strategic guidance to Head of School while overseeing 83 teachers and 375 students.
  • Managed operations, crisis management, discipline, and directed Administrative Team meetings in Head's absence.
  • Supervised Department Heads and Sustainability Coordinator to enhance academic performance.
  • Represented senior leadership as liaison to Board of Trustee Committees: Risk & Audit and Academics.
  • Led initiatives to fulfill institution's DEI commitment through recruitment and faculty development.
  • Conceptualized and implemented institution-wide Educational Objectives to unify faculty philosophy.
  • Advanced School's Strategic Plan for curriculum delivery, focusing on STEM education and Global Citizenship.
  • Directed successful response to COVID-19 pandemic with faculty training in hybrid pedagogy.

FACULTY

Gardner Carney Leadership Institute
Colorado Springs, CO
01.2017 - 01.2018
  • Contributed as one of six faculty members at annual summer institute for independent school educators focused on researching, developing, and disseminating pedagogy of leadership

DEAN OF UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS

The Rivers School
Weston, Massachusetts
07.2010 - 06.2016
  • Directed Class Deans and Advisor Program to manage community expectations and discipline in Upper School.
  • Developed policies promoting positive decision-making and responsibility within the community.
  • Served as liaison among Assistant Head of School, Division Head, Deans, and Wellness Team.
  • Transformed school culture by introducing a holistic, student-centric approach through Wellness and Leadership Programs.
  • Promoted physical health and psychological well-being by directing crisis management protocols and medical leave policies.
  • Strengthened student mental health by leading discussions on emotional well-being while serving as sole School Counselor.
  • Collaborated with Head of Upper School to investigate and implement a new daily schedule for enhanced learning.
  • Engineered inclusive community by developing and overseeing Upper School orientation and social programs.

SCHOOL COUNSELOR AND DIRECTOR OF WELLNESS

The Rivers School
Weston, Massachusetts
07.2001 - 06.2011
  • Directed Class Deans and Advisor Program with full responsibility for managing community expectations and discipline throughout the Upper School.
  • Developed programs and policies that promoted positive decision-making and a sense of responsibility to oneself and the community.
  • Served as liaison between Assistant Head of School, Division Head, Deans, and Wellness Team.
  • Transformed culture, introducing a more holistic, student-centric approach that increased student voice, capabilities, and confidence, and boosted institutional presence in a highly competitive market by designing, implementing, and directing two groundbreaking new programs: Wellness and Leadership Program for all grades.
  • Promoted physical health and psychological well-being of entire student body by directing and implementing crisis management protocols, student medical leave policies, and short-term counseling.
  • Significantly strengthened student mental and physical health and success by leading administrative and faculty discussions exploring the climate and emotional well-being of both school and students and by ensuring the social, emotional, and psychological health of individual students, serving as the only School Counselor.
  • Integral to maximizing learning, co-curricular programs, and wellness among student body by collaborating with Head of Upper School to investigate and implement a new daily schedule.
  • Engineered inclusive, cohesive sense of community and leadership by developing and overseeing all Upper School orientation and social programs, including clubs and organizations.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL COMMITTEE CHAIR, ATHLETIC TRAINER, INSTRUCTOR

Delbarton School
Morristown, USA
01.1996 - 01.2000
  • Effectively handled diverse responsibilities for this private parochial, college-preparatory school for young men in Grades 7-12.
  • Improved effectiveness of drug and alcohol education curriculum as Committee Chair leading select members of faculty and administration.
  • Reduced injury risk and improved health care, as the Athletic Trainer, by establishing athlete injury prevention strategies and emergency protocols and by managing and caring for injured athletes.
  • Taught Advanced Placement Biology, Ninth Grade Biology, and Tenth Grade Chemistry.

Education

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION - Management & Strategy

Babson College
Wellesley, MA
05-2023

MASTER OF EDUCATION - Human Development And Psychology

Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
06-2001

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - BIOLOGY

Georgetown University
Washington, DC
05-1996

The Agnes Irwin School
Rosemont, PA
06-1992

Skills

  • Strategic planning
  • Curriculum development
  • Crisis management
  • Educational leadership
  • Faculty recruitment
  • Community engagement

Custom

  • PARTICIPANT, National Diversity Practitioners Institute, 06/16
  • PARTICIPANT, Accreditation Team Training, New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), 06/19
  • PRESENTER, "Supporting Faculty Growth," Folio Collaborative Annual Conference, 06/19
  • PARTICIPANT, Fierce Conversations Training (FolioCollaborative), 06/18
  • PRESENTER, "Developing Student Leaders," NAIS National Conference, 06/14
  • PRESENTER, "Mission-Driven Leadership Development," GCLI Symposium, 06/14
  • SCHOLAR, Gardner Carney Leadership Institute, 06/11
  • FELLOW, NAIS Aspiring Heads Fellowship, 06/10
  • PARTICIPANT, NAIS School Leadership Institute, 06/08
  • PARTICIPANT, Gardner Carney Leadership Institute, 06/06
  • MEMBER, ACCREDITATION TEAM, NEASC, 06/08

Affiliations

  • Southborough Youth Basketball, Registrar and Coach (5th - 7th grade girls)

Timeline

FACULTY

Gardner Carney Leadership Institute
01.2017 - 01.2018

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL/DEAN OF FACULTY

St. Mark's School
07.2016 - 06.2022

DEAN OF UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS

The Rivers School
07.2010 - 06.2016

SCHOOL COUNSELOR AND DIRECTOR OF WELLNESS

The Rivers School
07.2001 - 06.2011

DRUG AND ALCOHOL COMMITTEE CHAIR, ATHLETIC TRAINER, INSTRUCTOR

Delbarton School
01.1996 - 01.2000

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION - Management & Strategy

Babson College

MASTER OF EDUCATION - Human Development And Psychology

Harvard University

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - BIOLOGY

Georgetown University

The Agnes Irwin School