Dear Havern & HAP Community,

In December, the Board of Trustees partnered with Cara Gallagher, an educational consultant, to collect candid community feedback and help inform us in establishing current priorities as we plan for our future. By meeting with faculty, administration, and parents, we hoped to develop a greater understanding of what is working well and where growth is needed collectively. 

Over the past month, Ms. Gallagher met with various stakeholders in a series of listening sessions. We received her report late last week, and we are writing to share her feedback with each of you as a part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and growth.

Across all of the groups interviewed, we saw consistent themes:

● A deep commitment to the students and mission of the school

● Dedicated, passionate faculty and proven resilience

● Staff retention and morale are improving over previous years

● A strong, shared desire to work together and improve

There was also clear agreement across all groups that:

● Our students deserve both compassion and consistency

● Communication should be clearer and more proactive

● Maintaining steady, proactive, and reliable leadership is essential

● Our school’s mission is worth protecting

Based on all of feedback collected, we have developed these priority action points:

Point #1: Close communication gaps.

Havern will prioritize greater transparency and provide clear, consistent data-informed updates on student progress. Expanding parent education regarding the current curriculum, classroom access, boundaries, and pathways for raising and resolving concerns will support this goal and build trust.

To ease communication gaps, we have rolled out ClassDojo to help families feel connected to staff, including small group teachers, and updated Friday Folders to provide more information about school events. We have also opened up the option for families to book time with small group teachers during conferences, ensuring more personalized support and connection. Our Progress Monitoring Reports have been enhanced to offer a detailed view of each student’s learning, and we are preparing to launch Acadience during the February conferences to visually chart student growth for parents. Additionally, we have introduced student portfolios that directly link student work to their PMR comments, helping families see concrete examples of learning and progress.

Moving forward, we will continue expanding parent education around curriculum, instructional approaches, and assessment practices, offer administrative office hours for families, and create additional opportunities for two-way communication that foster collaboration and partnership.

Point #2: Establish shared behavioral and instructional expectations.

We need a clearly defined, shared framework that balances accountability and

compassion for our diverse student population. A common approach should be created for each grade-level with clear guidance on expectations and when/how administrative support will be provided.

As part of our ongoing efforts to support behavioral needs across the school, Brian Cohn, a Behavior Analyst, joined Havern to collaborate with both students and staff. He works closely with teachers and students to develop practical tools for self-advocacy, de-escalation, and proactive behavior support. Through this partnership, we’ll define clear, achievable expectations and create equitable systems of guidance and support that staff and students can reference. We have contracted with Brian through the end of the school year. He is a highly valued resource who knows our program and students well, and we are excited to work alongside him.

Point #3: Rebalance leadership capacity.

Leadership roles and expectations should be realistic, explicit, and sustainable. The responsibilities and decision-making authority of each member of the administrative team should be clearly defined, documented, and accessible to parents and faculty.

In response to this feedback, we have restructured our leadership team to strengthen operational effectiveness. Beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, Jessica Ross will step into the role of Head of School, and Molly Buttitta will transition to Head of Havern Center to focus on overarching business operations & tenant management

We are also updating and will be sharing a detailed administrative organizational chart, refining roles and responsibilities to define specific areas of decision-making for each position, and establishing consistent communication protocols so faculty and parents know who to contact and when. These materials are being documented and will be made accessible to support clarity, accountability, transparency, and equity—ensuring that all members of our community have clear pathways to information and support.


For all of these initiatives, this work is ongoing, and we see it as a continuous process of learning and improvement. We are committed to keeping our families informed as we implement these efforts and continue responding thoughtfully to feedback, ensuring that our school community remains connected, supported, and engaged.

We want to take this opportunity to thank those who worked with Ms. Gallagher to share their experiences, as well as everyone who has shared feedback through other avenues throughout the school year — your voices matter, and they help guide the decisions we make as a community.

This process has reinforced our shared commitment to Havern’s mission and demonstrated that families, faculty, and administration are united in supporting that mission and serving our students. As we move forward, the Board remains dedicated to open communication and collaboration with our community. We look forward to partnering with you all as we address these action points, strengthen our school community, and build a sustainable future for the school we care so deeply about.