Dr. Khalek Kirkland selected as Head of School at Quest Academy

PALATINE, Illinois. 6th March, 2015 -- Dr. Khalek Kirkland Ed.D, current head of school at the SEED School in Baltimore, Maryland has been named the fifth Head of School at Quest Academy. He will succeed Benjamin Hebebrand, who last fall announced his plans to move to Wisconsin with his wife, and assume leadership of the Madison Country Day School.

The announcement was made today by Chris Dickerson, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The board voted unanimously in favor of Kirkland’s appointment based on the recommendation, also unanimous, of the board’s Search Committee.

“Our nationwide search process sought the best leadership in education today, and we got him”, said Dickerson. “Khalek inspired the trustees from our first meeting, with his intelligence, by his passion for teaching and learning, and deep commitment to nurturing the whole child. His many accomplishments including curricular design, administrative leadership, community outreach, and successful fundraising are the attributes required for leading Quest’s next stage of growth”.

“While Ben Hebebrand’s departure is bittersweet”, Dickerson observed, “his legacy is profound. Quest is the premier platform for intellectual development and personal success for gifted students in the Chicago area”.

Dr. Kirkland has served as the Head of School for the past five years at the SEED School in Baltimore, Maryland, where he oversaw school operations, improved the curriculum, introduced new athletic programs, raised over $5M in capital and $2.5M in grants, and established academic and community ties with local institutions, including the Johns Hopkins University.

Previously he was Senior Director of Leadership for the NYC Board of Education, and principal of the Ronald Edmonds Learning Center in Brooklyn. Here he led programming for gifted and talented students, was chair of the mathematics department, and named Principal of the Year.

Dr. Kirkland received his Doctorate in Education in Administration and Supervision, and Master of Science in School Administration, from Fordham University, a Master of Arts in Mathematics Education from New York University, and his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Morehouse College.

“I am deeply honored to be joining Quest as its new Head of School, and extend my humble gratitude to the Search Committee and Board of Trustees for trusting me with the responsibility to lead”, shared Dr. Kirkland. “During the search process, everyone I met shared a genuine passion and infectious enthusiasm for the school, in large part thanks to Ben Hebebrand. My goal is to build on that, as we chart the school’s dynamic future together as a community”.

Kirkland will inherit a thriving school, including a campus that has doubled in size and includes athletic fields and outdoor educational resources. Quest attracts gifted and talented students from over 25 communities across Chicagoland suburbs, as well as teachers and administrators who are specialized in the field.

“The appointment of Dr. Kirkland as Quest Academy’s next Head of School is testament to our school’s unstoppable energy that is rooted in such a compelling mission – to offer gifted students an education that they need so that may serve our nation thoughtfully and productively,” said Ben Hebebrand. “Dr. Kirkland’s educational vision is a perfect fit for Quest Academy and its students.”

“Quest Academy is a great community asset, from valued educational options for young families, to the recent development of the West Campus playing fields,” said Jim Schwantz, the Mayor of Palatine. “Ben offered so much, including his Rotary Club leadership and master of ceremony at Oktoberfest. We wish him well, and look forward to welcoming Dr. Kirkland and continuing the strong relationship between the Village of Palatine and Quest”.

Dr. Kirkland will be joined in moving to the area by his wife, a consultant to the pharmaceutical industry, and his son and daughter in middle and elementary school respectively.