Pinkerton Academy’s new Headmaster will be a man with New Hampshire roots and global influence.
The Board of Trustees announced Thursday. Jan. 23, that Griffin Morse will assume the role of Headmaster upon Mary Anderson’s retirement this June.
Derry, Hampstead, Chester and Auburn students are tuitoned to the semi-private Pinkerton Academy in Derry for high school.
Morse will assume the Headmaster position at Pinkerton after 12 years at the Boston-based School Year Abroad. He is currently the program’s Residential Director for its program of study in Spain.
Prior to School Year Abroad, he was Upper School Director of Abington Friends School in Pennsylvania, Dean and Instructor at Milton Academy in Massachusetts, and an instructor at St. George’s School in Rhode Island, in addition to founding and co-directing Phillips Exeter in Mexico.
He has a strong business background, having co-founded Global Market Insite of Seattle, Wash.; founded Gerald City Graphics of Seattle; and served as Editor/Reviewer of AMSCO Publishing in New York.
Harry Burnham, president of the Board of Trustees, said, “Pinkerton Academy is especially well-positioned with Griffin in the role of Headmaster. As we celebrate our 200th year and begin our next two centuries of excellence in education, Griffin’s experience in education, management, technology, communications, business and finance is a great fit to the future of our school.”
Morse holds a master’s degree in Spanish Literature and Language from the University of Virginia and a B.S.S. in Communication Studies in Speech from Northwestern University. Advanced studies include the Latin-Greek Institute of City University of New York; Graduate French Language, Université de Dijon, France via Georgetown University, and Senior Management and Scheduling conferences in Wilmington, Del.
He is a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter and has family in the Granite State.
Trustee Kimberly Smith headed a Search Committee that worked with Carney Sandoe and Associates, a Boston-based executive leadership search firm.
Morse will assume the Headmaster role held by Mary Anderson for 11 years. During her 39-year career at the school, Anderson led numerous “instructional, financial and facility initiatives,” according to a press release.
Burnham concluded, “Mary Anderson leaves a legacy at Pinkerton that made our school stronger. While our programming and facilities remain among the very best in New Hampshire, fiscal responsibility keeps Pinkerton tuition among the lowest cost-per-pupil for high schools in the state. As we profoundly thank Mary, we warmly welcome Griffin to Pinkerton.”
Morse met with students, staff, faculty and sending town personnel on Jan. 13 and 14.
The other finalist was Christine Heine, Assistant Head of School and Head of Upper School at Springside Chestnut Hill School in Philadelphia.