Sue Bosland, Kent Place Head Of School, Keynotes The School’s Leadership Council Donor Dinner

On Tuesday, November 15, the Board of Trustees of Kent Place School honored its Annual Fund Leadership Council with a dinner at Baltustrol Golf Club in Springfield, NJ. This year, the dinner also honored Susan C. Bosland, who will be leaving Kent Place at the end of the 2016-2017 school year after 18 years as Head of School.

Current Kent Place Board of Trustees president James H. McGraw IV welcomed the crowd of approximately 160 guests and Board of Trustees President-elect G. Alex Crispo delivered opening remarks.

“Introducing Sue Bosland is the easiest assignment I have ever had. Who does not know her and the amazing job she has done at Kent Place?” said Crispo. “Who does not know of the incredible job she has done building one of the top schools in the country; of the amazing team of faculty, staff and administration she has put together; of the major construction projects that could never have occurred without her? Who does not know of the quality of our students, the devotion of our parents and the strength of our community that she has built? Who does not know that we would not love KPS as much as we do without her?”

Crispo then introduced Sue Bosland, who served as the night’s keynote speaker.

“I come before you tonight as a representative of a school full of leaders,” stated Bosland. “A key component of leadership is the fact that we should never stop learning – and perhaps never truly reach a pinnacle of leadership. For me, the small leadership moments over time, which meaningfully affect someone’s life for the better, are just as important as putting a shovel in the ground for a building, which has been imagined for over a decade.”

Bosland also took time to thank, in person, all five Board of Trustees presidents who served during her tenure as Head of School: Lynn Magrane, Neale Trangucci, John Chrystal, Beverly Mills and Jay McGraw. Bosland dedicated her speech to them.

“An important component to successful leadership for Head of School is having a mission-focused, collaborative and supportive board chair which I am so lucky to have had five times in my tenure at KPS,” added Bosland.

Bosland then mentioned her vision for Kent Place. She discussed key goals she has had for Kent Place.

“Looking through my papers from the past, I found a document I had created on October 6, 2004, titled “My Vision,” continued Bosland. “I had listed key goals for Kent Place School which included: being the best school for educating girls in the state; preparing girls to be leaders and pioneers; helping students to each find a confident voice; preparing girls to lead with global understanding and integrity; encouraging students to strive for excellence, not perfection; and learning and practice resilience. Twelve years later, I can honestly say that these goals continue to be an integral part of my vision for KPS and am proud that we are making it happen!”

Bosland then introduced Kent Place senior Sima Parekh who delivered remarks about Kent Place’s new Center for Innovation, scheduled to be completed in August 2017: “I can truly say that Kent Place is a great school, but the Center for Innovation is a game changer. Now I can say Kent Place is, or will be, the best school. Now, the sky really is our limit. We can 3D print, we can conduct independent research, we can make robots, we can talk to other students around the world and so much more.“

The Leadership Council was founded in 1989 to acknowledge the positive difference made by Kent Place donors. Annual Fund Leadership Council members are donors of $1,000 or more. For more information, please visit Kent Place online at www.kentplace.org/giving.