Friday, December 01, 2006

Kupersmith named to new position


Former Thomas Jefferson headmaster Dr. Leonard Kupersmith has been named Associate Head of School at Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville, S.C. The announcement was made today by school officials.

The following announcement was made on the school's website:

Christ Church Episcopal School Headmaster Dr. Leland H. Cox, Jr. has announced that Dr. Leonard Kupersmith has been appointed Associate Head of School. Kupersmith joined CCES in August as Interim Associate Head of School and was named to the permanent position following a national search.

"Dr. Kupersmith brings a wealth of talent and experience to Christ Church Episcopal School," noted Cox. "He is a proven leader of independent schools, faculties, and students, and is the ideal person to oversee our academic programs, international initiatives, service learning, and instructional technology programs at CCES. Leonard had other offers on his plate regarding future career choices, and he made a carefully considered decision that Christ Church Episcopal School is where he wants to be. We are most fortunate to have such a deeply experienced and wise educator at our school."

Kupersmith comes to CCES from Joplin, Missouri, where he served for 13 years as Founding Head of School for the Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School. Previously he had also served as Headmaster of the Pathfinder School in Traverse City, Michigan, and Headmaster of the Wichita Collegiate School in Wichita, Kansas. He holds a Ph.D. in English from Kansas State University and an A.B. in English from Brooklyn College (CUNY) in New York.

"CCES is so complex, energetic, and ambitious," said Kupersmith, referring to the recent growth and transformation of the school into a nationally recognized International Baccalaureate World School serving more than 1,000 students on a 72-acre campus. "I trust that I can contribute my best efforts to the growth of educational vitality at CCES."

Kupersmith hopes to enhance that vitality through a deliberate focus on three goals: coordination, coherence, and accountability. "All operations should work together, resonate the core values of the school, and deliver on all of its promises," he explained. He has identified opportunities in several areas, such as aligning the school's highly regarded curriculum more closely with the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile and the CCES mission. "We also see opportunities to invest more strategically in math and science programs and to continue to upgrade the school's excellent external communication and instructional technology. In addition, strengthening our ties within the Greenville community, enhancing the viability of our increasingly popular summer programs, and fortifying our commitment to international school communities abroad will continue to be areas of high priority."

Kupersmith has served as a consultant to the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board since 1984 and as past president of educational organizations in Kansas and Missouri. Active in civic organizations in his former cities, he has served as chair of the Ethics and Education Committees of the Joplin Daybreak Rotary Club, and as a member of the board of directors of the Traverse City Symphony, the Sedgwick County Cancer Association, and the Wichita Eye Foundation. He has written book reviews for the Wichita Eagle and was a monthly op-ed columnist for the Joplin Globe.

A dedicated marathoner (he will run his 140th marathon in Kiawah on December 9), Kupersmith lives with his wife, Nancy, in Greenville.

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