Dear USM Community,

Since the October announcement of our upcoming head of school transition, we—along with fellow trustees—have been preparing for a comprehensive search to identify University School of Milwaukee's next leader. The Board of Trustees anticipates announcing this hire around the end of the 2025–26 school year, with the plan for that individual to begin as USM’s head in July 2027.

Selecting a head of school is one of the Board’s most important responsibilities. We are committed to conducting an inclusive, community-engaged process, and we welcome your thoughts, ideas, and questions in the months ahead. USM is in a great position for this transition, and we expect the role to draw strong interest from around the country—an endorsement of the school’s excellent reputation.

Our Search Consultants

We have engaged Carney Sandoe & Associates (CS&A) to help guide our search. CS&A knows USM well and understands our culture, having helped with searches for several members of the school’s current leadership team. With more than 40 years of experience placing school leaders, CS&A brings expertise, a wide-ranging perspective, and a deep network of relationships with school leaders across the country and around the world. The search committee will work closely with consultants Mark Davis, Darryl Ford, and Burke Zalosh, each of whom brings extensive experience as educators, leaders, and search professionals.

The Search Committee

While the Board has the ultimate responsibility for hiring the next head of school, a search committee representing a cross-section of the USM community will lead the process. Members include trustees, alumni, faculty, current parents, and parents of alumni who offer diverse perspectives and a deep understanding of USM.

• Julie Gilpin (co-chair): trustee; parent of Jack ’25, Luke ’28, Kate ’35
• Jan Pirozzolo-Mellowes (co-chair): trustee; parent of Maddie ’27, Jo ’28, Jackie ’30, Emma ’34
• Lafayette Crump '91: trustee; parent of Kendra ’15
• Sri Lazzaro: trustee; parent of Nikhil ’26, Jayin ’28, Rayna ’31
• Mike Lindemann ’96: trustee; parent of Luke ’27, Mac ’29, Valley ’29, Bodhi ’32
• Gretchen (Krieg) Mathews ’06: 6th grade math teacher; parent of Millie ’35, Krieg ’37
• Patti Ptak: 2nd grade teacher; parent of Alex ’22, Makenna (attended PK-8th grade)
• Todd Schoon: trustee; parent of Elizabeth ’22, Michael ’24
• Leslie Tector ’87: Board of Trustees president; parent of Kelly Anne Schroeder ’19, Jack Schroeder ’21
• Susan (Bell) Zarwell ’87: assistant head of Upper School

The Search Process

Our CS&A consultants have already begun the candidate recruitment process. In January 2026, following USM’s winter break, they will distribute a community survey, which we encourage all of you to participate in to provide your candid feedback. During the week of Jan. 12, the CS&A consultants will also hold on-campus listening sessions and interviews with a broad range of community members. Please watch your email for further details about the visit.

We expect to attract a diverse and talented pool of candidates. Throughout the process, we will share updates while also protecting candidate confidentiality—a critical factor for many exceptional leaders considering new opportunities. Following CS&A’s January visit, the search committee will evaluate a wide range of candidates to discern fit with USM, incorporating insights from the survey, listening sessions, and interviews.

Finalists will visit USM in the spring for formal interviews and opportunities to meet as many USM community members as possible. Using feedback from those visits and reference checks, the search committee will recommend a candidate to the Board, which will make the final decision.

Staying in Touch

We will continue to provide updates via email and on the new head of school search page on the USM website. We also invite your input and questions at headsearch@usm.org.

The Board is committed to finding and selecting an exceptional leader who embraces USM's mission and can guide our school into an exciting future. Thank you for your participation and support.

Sincerely,

Julie Gilpin and Jan Pirozzolo-Mellowes
Co-Chairs, USM Head of School Search Committee 

Dear USM Community,

On behalf of the school’s Board of Trustees, I want to express my sincere gratitude to Steve Hancock for his steadfast leadership and commitment to University School of Milwaukee since he and Stephanie joined our community in 2020. Steve has been thoughtful and gracious in coordinating his departure plans with the board, ensuring ample time to find USM’s next great leader. I am confident that he will continue to guide the school with his characteristic resolve and help ensure a smooth transition when he departs at the end of the 2026-27 school year.

When Steve steps away in 2027, he will have served for seven years as USM’s head of school, leaving behind a community strengthened by his vision and dedication. Arriving in July 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Steve led the safe reopening of campus and helped guide USM to record enrollment. Under his leadership, USM launched a new strategic plan centered on three commitments: Learners, Leaders, and Citizens; Community, Culture, and the Common Trust; and Resources for the Future. He has also reinforced USM’s mission to cultivate excellence in learning, leadership, and citizenship; ensure every student is engaged, known, and valued; and uphold the values of our Common Trust.

Julie Gilpin and Jan Pirozzolo-Mellowes, who are both current trustees and USM parents, have been appointed by the board to serve as co-chairs of the search committee, responsible for leading the school in the process of identifying Steve’s successor. The board has retained Carney, Sandoe & Associates, a national educational recruitment, search, and strategic consulting firm, to support this important work. Together, we are committed to an inclusive search process that seeks input from the entire USM community. In the weeks ahead, Julie and Jan will share further details about the process, timeline, and opportunities for engagement.

USM is well-positioned to continue its impressive trajectory under Steve’s leadership over the next 18 months, as he remains focused on additional priorities of our strategic plan. In addition to the two new amazing dining spaces that opened in August, there are more important campus transformation projects ahead, with exciting updates to come in late November. We look forward to all Steve will continue to bring to USM, and to celebrating his many contributions. Our next head of school will build on Steve’s significant achievements, carrying forward USM’s enduring mission and the values of respect, trust, honesty, fairness, and kindness. Steve has my deepest appreciation, as do all of you who make USM such a special community.

Sincerely,

Leslie M. Tector '87
President, Board of Trustees

Dear USM Community,

With heartfelt gratitude for all we have accomplished together, I write to let you know that I will conclude my time as head of school in June 2027. By providing more than 18 months’ notice, I hope to support the Board of Trustees as they conduct a thoughtful and successful search for USM’s next leader.

Returning to my home state in July 2020 was a dream come true for me and my family. USM welcomed us during one of the most challenging moments in modern educational history. Together, with the support of an exceptional leadership team, faculty, and staff, we worked diligently to keep our doors open and our students learning. Many challenges would come in the years to follow, but my steadfast belief in USM’s mission and the guiding principles of our Common Trust helped me lead with conviction and clarity.

Since then, we’ve accomplished much together. We crafted and launched a forward-thinking strategic plan, navigated a successful reaccreditation process, opened new buildings and athletic fields, and implemented significant enhancements to campus security. But what I am most proud of is the exceptional team we have assembled—teachers, coaches, staff, and leaders who live out our mission every day. They show up with purpose and passion, and they inspire me constantly. I have never worked with a finer group of educators and professionals, and USM is truly fortunate to have them.

Stephanie and I will depart USM at the conclusion of the 2026–27 school year. While we are not yet certain what the next chapter will hold, we look forward to listening carefully for the right opportunity to lead and grow. Until then, I remain fully engaged, grateful for each day, and energized by the important, inspiring work still ahead. I also know that, when we leave, we will follow USM’s continued success with a strong sense of pride.

As I look ahead to the next year and a half, I am energized by the opportunities we have to strengthen our programs, deepen our community, and prepare for a smooth and successful transition to new leadership. USM celebrates 175 years of history this year, and it has been the privilege of my 37-year career to serve as the head of such an extraordinary school and community. Thank you for everything you have done, and will continue to do, in support of USM.

With sincere appreciation,

Steve Hancock
Head of School