A message from the SMUS Board of Governors:
The St. Michaels University School Board of Governors are pleased to announce the appointment of Shelly Berlin as the new Board Chair. As the SMUS community takes this week to highlight our long-service and retiring staff and faculty, gather for Alumni Weekend and acknowledge the recently announced appointment of Dr. Jeff Aitken as our new Head of School, the Board has decided that this is the right time to make this transition.
In her eight years as a member of the Board, Shelly has given her time to sit on and chair several committees. Most recently, Shelly chaired the extensive international Head of School search. This uniquely positions her to build on this work to smoothly onboard our new Head of School, a process which is now starting. This is also a time to celebrate the school's second female Board Chair and the first since 1997, following Darlene McCue.
During the last three years as Chair, David Longridge led the Board through historic milestones including the Junior School Annex project, the kickoff for the Middle School project and the Head of School selection process. David will continue to serve as a valued member of the Board.
We look forward to entering this next chapter under Shelly’s leadership and guidance.
Editor's note: There was an error made in the initial announcement that listed Shelly Berlin as the first female Chair of the Board of Governors. Darlene McCue was, in fact, the first female Chair of the Board of Governors. Darlene was a Board member from 1991 to 1992 and 1996 to 1997. Darlene was interim Chair from 1993 to 1994 and then appointed Chair from 1994 to 1996. Darlene was Chair during a Head of School transition, when Mr. Snowden joined SMUS, and played a key role in implementing the restructuring recommendations of 1992 and the development of the school's first policy manual for Governors. SMUS annually recognizes a Grade 12 student with a major award named after Darlene. Darlene's daughter Dr. Amyrose McCue Gill graduated in 1996 and her granddaughter, Siena, is a member of the Class of 2027.
