Darlington School has appointed L. Brent Bell to be its next Head of School, effective July 1, 2014. Bell will replace current Headmaster Tom Whitworth, who is retiring at the end of the school year.
"On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Head of School Search Committee, we are delighted to announce the appointment of L. Brent Bell as Darlington School’s next Head of School," wrote Search Committee Chair Linda (Grizzard) Owens ('79) and Board of Trustees Chair Jere Drummond ('57) a letter to the Darlington Community today. "We are unreservedly convinced that Brent is the right choice for Darlington at this time in the school’s history, and that his inspirational leadership and strategic focus will ensure that Darlington continues to move forward in her second century."
Bell comes to Darlington from Randolph School in Huntsville, Ala., where he has served as Head of the Upper School since 2008. There, he played a critical role in the opening of a new and separate upper school campus. As the lead administrator on this new campus, he has focused on developing the school’s culture, faculty and staff, admissions, the teaching and learning environment, and – most importantly – the student experience. During his tenure, upper school enrollment increased 32%. In addition to his duties as Head of the Upper School, Bell was a member of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee, helping to direct the creation of the school’s current strategic plan.
"Brent is a strong, thoughtful and positive leader with outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, and we have no doubt that he will make it his mission to be involved not only within Darlington’s gates, but in the community at large," said Owens and Drummond. "He enthusiastically embraces our values and traditions while possessing the moral and educational vision necessary to further enhance the Darlington experience for our students."
Prior to his work at Randolph School, Bell served four years as Assistant Headmaster and Dean of Academic Affairs at Woodberry Forest School in Woodberry Forest, Va., where he held the E. Craig Wall Family Mastership. During this time, he helped develop and execute the agenda for the well-established boarding school for boys. In addition to these duties, he was the Varsity Men’s Head Basketball Coach, earning state coach of the year honors in 2001. Before his appointment to the Office of Academic Affairs, he served as Woodberry’s Assistant Director of Admissions for four years.
Bell has over 19 years of experience in education. He began his career in 1994, teaching history and coaching basketball at Monacan High School in Richmond, Va. He holds a B.A. in History from the University of Richmond, where he met his wife, Andrea. He also holds an M.S. in Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. While obtaining his graduate degree, he spent one year on Coach John Beilein’s basketball staff at the University of Richmond. Brent and Andrea have three sons, Charlie, 9; Jack, 7; and Brent, 6.
“I am both honored and humbled to become the next Head of School at Darlington," Bell said. "My wife and I instantly recognized that Darlington is a very special place – one that is committed to an authentic child-centered education. I was struck by the love and joy expressed by all for the Darlington experience, the spirit of innovation and creative thought evident in the school’s program, and most significantly the mission of the school in action. We are excited to immerse ourselves in the life of the school as well as the Rome community. With three young boys, we believe this will be quite easy to do! Most importantly, I look forward to working together to build upon the school’s proud history as we look toward an exceptional future.”
Keenly aware of their duty to find a new Head of School uniquely suited to Darlington’s aspirations, the Search Committee proactively recruited candidates from secondary and higher education both within the United States and internationally.
"We were thrilled by the strong degree of interest expressed by a wide array of accomplished school leaders," said Owens and Drummond. "Among the broad field of talented and experienced candidates, Brent emerged as the clear front-runner. The Search Committee’s decision to elect him to be our next Head of School was enthusiastic and unanimous, and the Board passed a resolution of unanimous support this morning. Please join us in welcoming Brent, Andrea and their children to the Darlington Community!"
Owens and Drummond added that they would like to thank the members of the Search Committee as well as to Tom Redmon and Marlene Shaw, the school's consultants at Carney, Sandoe & Associates, for their work in locating a candidate who is the right fit for Darlington.
"The Search Committee is also incredibly grateful to all of you who played a part in the search process," they said. "The involvement of our students, faculty and staff, administrators, parents, and alumni was absolutely critical in the selection process, and we thank you all for taking the time to meet and provide feedback on the two finalists."
