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Dear Sidwell Friends School Parents, Students, Faculty, and Staff:

After four years of exemplary service to Sidwell Friends School, Upper School Principal Lee Palmer has informed me that she will resign from her post prior to the start of the 2014-15 school year. She has shared with me how deeply fulfilling her time at SFS has been to her, both personally and professionally, but she plans to take time now to pursue new challenges and new opportunities for professional growth. Lee will serve as Consultant to the Head of School next year and will be available to offer support so that the transition to new leadership goes smoothly.

Her legacy at the Upper School includes leading the School's efforts to implement the Long Range Priorities-expanding global education, service learning, and student support programs--while attending to the daily needs of students, parents, faculty and staff. We extend our heartfelt thanks to her for having accomplished all this while maintaining the highest standards for integrity and service in her professional commitment to the School.

Effective July 1, Upper School Academic Dean Mamadou Guèye will assume new duties as Interim Principal for the 2014-15 school year. Mamadou has been a much-admired and skillful teacher of French since his arrival at Sidwell Friends in 1989. Prior to his appointment as Academic Dean in 2008, Mamadou served as Chair of the Modern and Classical Languages Department for eight years.

For the 2014-15 academic year, Assistant Academic Dean Min Kim will provide additional support to students, parents and teachers as Temporary Assistant Upper School Principal. She will also assume Mamadou's duties as Interim Academic Dean. Min has been an English teacher at Sidwell Friends since 2004; she served for four years as All-School Diversity Coordinator, until her appointment as Assistant Academic Dean in 2009. Min's current duties will be taken on for the coming year by math teacher Jon Mormino. Jon has been at Sidwell Friends since 2001 and is a well-respected and energetic instructor of mathematics.

This fall, Interim Head of School Ellis Turner will appoint a faculty committee to commence a thorough national search for a permanent Upper School Principal. Inspired teaching and academic challenge and growth will remain the hallmarks of the educational program at Sidwell Friends. I extend my own good wishes to you all for a summer of growth and renewal and for more of the same in the coming school year.

Sincerely,

Tom Farquhar
Head of Schoo