HEAD OF SCHOOL SEARCH

Dear Members of the Flint Hill Community,

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am delighted to announce that the Board of Trustees has appointed Patrick McHonett as the 13th Flint Hill Head of School, effective July 1, 2022.  

The entire Search Committee — chaired by Liza Wright Renner — enthusiastically and unanimously recommended Patrick to the Board following an extensive nationwide search. We were fortunate that our search process involved a strong partnership with a reputable and highly experienced search firm and participation from a wide variety of Flint Hill stakeholders.

Through conversations with many of you, members of our Flint Hill community, we were able to identify the qualities and characteristics we believe important in Flint Hill’s next leader: a strong, relational leader with a growth mindset, a passion for promoting a student-centered approach to education, and an unparalleled level of integrity, humility and authenticity. In Patrick, we are pleased to have found a unique blend of precisely these qualities.

Patrick shared, “I am honored to build on the rich history and strong foundation built by John Thomas’ leadership of the School. Flint Hill makes intentional decisions to live its mission with authenticity and support of its community, which appeals to me greatly both as an educator and as a father of two soon-to-be Huskies. I am so grateful for this opportunity and look forward to joining the Flint Hill family in the coming months!”

Patrick is currently the head of school at St. John’s Episcopal School in Orange County, California. He previously served as associate head of school at Phoenix Country Day School in Phoenix, Arizona. His background includes experience in admissions, marketing and communications, and college counseling. Patrick also taught coursework in the English and Interdisciplinary Studies Departments and coached multiple sports in the middle and upper school divisions.

Patrick’s academic background includes a master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from Arizona State University and a bachelor of arts in literature and legal studies from Claremont McKenna College, where he was a student-athlete.

Patrick and his wife Jessica have two children — Charlotte and Jack.

The Search Process

Since the December 2020 announcement of John Thomas’ retirement, the Board of Trustees moved with intentional focus to put in place a comprehensive process with community involvement as an essential ingredient. The Board named a Search Committee, comprised of Board members and key members of the Flint Hill leadership team, and engaged a consultant, RG-175, to guide us. Our search generated nationwide interest with more than 40 applicants, some of whom were international and many of whom were diverse.  

Our consultants interviewed more than 30 applicants and presented 17 fully vetted candidates for Search Committee consideration. The Search Committee narrowed the candidate pool to six candidates, who were interviewed in a full day of interviews in August. The Search Committee selected three final candidates who visited Flint Hill in late September and early October. The campus visits involved multiple days of meetings with community stakeholders.

Throughout the process, the Search Committee took steps to ensure a thoughtful, collaborative and open process, with communications designed to keep the Flint Hill community informed of its progress.

Leading Our Future and Blazing the Trail

Patrick’s appointment begins a new chapter in Flint Hill’s story. For the past 17 years, through John Thomas’ leadership, Flint Hill has garnered respect and unparalleled recognition in the pantheon of independent schools. John is leaving Flint Hill in a great position — and he continues to work hard every day to ensure that Flint Hill is ready for the future and new leadership. His efforts are the foundation of a seamless transition.

As we turn the page, we are encouraged that in Patrick McHonett, we see many of the qualities that we admire most in John Thomas and that have made Flint Hill so successful. We know that Patrick is committed to fostering a culture of innovation, setting the standard for teaching and learning, and making a difference while remaining true to the Flint Hill mission and values.

With Gratitude

Hallmarks of this search process are thorough deliberations by our Search Committee and input from many community members. We, therefore, want to recognize and extend a heartfelt thank you to all who participated in the process, particularly to the members of the Search Committee and Liza Wright Renner, our Search Committee Chair, who was the chief architect of the search process and who guided the process with grace, wisdom and abounding energy. We are grateful for their dedication to the process, commitment and enthusiasm. These community-wide efforts made it possible to engage in a comprehensive search; these efforts are the reason we have been able to identify the next great leader for Flint Hill.

Finally, Welcome...

The Board of Trustees and the Search Committee are confident that we have found a new Head of School who will serve Flint Hill for many years to come. There is no doubt that Flint Hill will thrive under Patrick’s leadership. Please join me in welcoming the McHonett family to our Husky community!

Lucia Anna (Pia) Trigiani
Chair, Board of Trustees