Meet Julianne Puente

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January 22-24, 2020

Incoming Head of School Julianne Puente spent three days on campus spending time with our Academy community. During her visit, she met with each individual division and answered questions from the students. Below is the recording of the 6-7 Division assembly with Julianne as well as a few photos from her visit.

September 13, 2019

Dear Albuquerque Academy Community,

I am incredibly honored and excited to announce that Julianne Puente, currently the Deputy Headmaster and Dean of Students of King’s Academy in Madaba-Manja, Jordan, has accepted the invitation of the Board of Trustees to be the next Head of Albuquerque Academy, effective July 1, 2020. Ms. Puente has spent more than a decade at King’s Academy essentially building that school from the ground up. She brings to Albuquerque Academy experience in nearly every facet of operating an independent school. In addition, her work at King’s Academy, which includes students from all over the world, has provided her with broad experience in developing a healthy, connected, kind, and inclusive school culture. During her recent visit to the Albuquerque Academy campus, Ms. Puente met with members of all parts of our community. The feedback provided to the committee expressed tremendous widespread support for Ms. Puente.

This appointment is the result of a long and thoughtful search that began last January when current Head of School Andrew Watson announced his retirement. The Board of Trustees appointed a search committee that immediately began a national and international effort to recruit the strongest and best-matched candidates to our school. More than 75 individuals expressed interest in the position. From an initial pool of 24 candidates who completed the full application, the search committee eventually selected nine candidates who were invited to confidential interviews the weekend of August 17-18, 2019. Following these interviews, three candidates were invited to visit the school where they each met with students, faculty, staff members, parents, administrators, and trustees over two days. The search committee unanimously selected Ms. Puente as its nominee to the Board of Trustees, and on September 9, the trustees unanimously accepted the committee’s recommendation.

Ms. Puente is a product of independent schools, having graduated from the Hackley School in Tarrytown, New York. She credits much of her success as an educator to her relationships with the faculty at Hackley and speaks with deep gratitude about the financial assistance that enabled her to attend. Ms. Puente attended Cornell University where she received her bachelor of science degree from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, before returning to Hackley, where her former teachers enthusiastically welcomed her. She remained at Hackley School for 14 years in a variety of roles: kindergarten intern, history teacher, Associate Director of Admissions, college counselor, dean, coach, and finally Director of Middle School Student Life. While working at Hackley, Ms. Puente earned her master’s degree in American Studies from Columbia University.

In 2009, Ms. Puente was recruited by a colleague to work at a new school in Madaba-Manja, Jordan, known as the King’s Academy. Unintimidated by a challenge and a dramatic change of culture and eager for a new opportunity, Ms. Puente took the position as Deputy Headmaster and Dean of Students at King’s Academy, a role she holds today. From writing handbooks and developing curriculum to establishing a shared culture among students from dramatically different backgrounds, Ms. Puente has helped create a world-class school in the desert, which serves children of royalty alongside those receiving financial assistance. She has found time to continue to teach and coach and serve as a resident advisor while developing all the other components of the school. The challenges have been many, but Ms. Puente has remained resolute in creating a school culture characterized by excellence, inclusivity, and engagement. She has developed an environment where students and faculty feel safe to express themselves and present their ideas. Ms. Puente is beloved by her students and faculty and will be sorely missed at King’s Academy.

Ms. Puente grew up in Yonkers, New York. She is the granddaughter of the great musician Tito Puente. She shares with him a love of music, playing both the drums and guitar. Ms. Puente is an athlete who has coached school teams throughout her career in education. She cherishes afternoons at a field, gym, pool, track, or court, watching her students compete and appreciates the power that team sports can have in shaping ethical and courageous young people as well as developing deep friendships.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I extend my deep gratitude to the Albuquerque Academy community for their commitment to this search process, the warmth exhibited in welcoming and getting to know each of the candidates the committee brought to the campus, and the invaluable and thoughtful feedback provided to the committee. I want to particularly thank my fellow members of the search committee for the hours of service they put into this process: Peter Glidden, Adam Honegger, Chris Jillson, Amy Keller, David Kim, Ron Moya, Chamiza Pacheco de Alas, Martha Palmer, Valerie Romero-Leggott, and Leah Sandman. The thoughtful work exhibited by this team was remarkable and made for a rewarding process. I am especially grateful to search committee chair Diane Ogawa. In addition to devoting countless hours, she adeptly guided the committee through this process, keeping us on track and on schedule. She even opened her home for dinners with each of the final candidates. The search committee is grateful for the guidance and support of Marcus Hurlbut and Evan Peterson of Educators’ Collaborative. Their hard work in identifying candidates and advising us on the process was crucial.

The selection of the Head of School is one of the greatest responsibilities of the Board of Trustees, and all of us in the Albuquerque Academy family should be proud, not only that Ms. Puente has accepted the appointment, but also that the scope of the search was so extensive and the qualities of the interested candidates so outstanding. We are delighted with the outcome and look forward to welcoming Ms. Puente to our school community. In time, I know that each of you will have an opportunity to extend a warm welcome to Ms. Puente and express your support for her leadership.

Sincerely yours,
Thomas Smidt III
Chair, Albuquerque Academy Board of Trustees

A Message from Ms. Puente

Dear Albuquerque Academy Community,

I am deeply honored and humbled to serve as the next Head of School of Albuquerque Academy. The level of thought and care I experienced from the entire Albuquerque Academy community, and from the members of the search committee in particular, confirmed my belief that this is indeed a very special school. I am grateful for the warmth and generosity of spirit from both adults and students, and I am proud to consider myself now a Charger!

As I said several times while visiting campus last week, I have been a fan of the Academy for more than a decade. In the early days of creating and building King’s Academy, we developed a clear vision of who we wanted to be partly by reading about other schools whose approach to teaching and learning was in alignment with our own educational philosophy. Albuquerque Academy, from the beginning, was a school from which we learned. Although I have only recently spent time on campus, I feel as though I have been well acquainted with the school for years. Whether it is using student/teacher-written reflections instead of letter and effort grades to assess learning in our middle school, establishing a freight farm that provides most of our herbs and leafy vegetables, or including certain curricular elements in our advising programs, it is easy to see the alignment with Albuquerque Academy. In fact, I learned about the Academy’s search for a new Head of School because I was on the website looking at how Albuquerque Academy incorporates elements of experiential learning across grade levels! I have always been deeply impressed by the Academy’s approach to education, and I am privileged to now be part of such a special school community.

Being a New Yorker prepared me to live and work abroad, and my time abroad has prepared me to move to Albuquerque. I look forward to developing a mutual understanding, a common vocabulary, a shared vision, and a supportive ethos that values and cherishes the mosaic of human cultural experience that is Albuquerque Academy. I am deeply committed to Albuquerque Academy because of the students it serves and the caring adults who serve those students. I look forward to serving this community as well.

Go Chargers Go!

Sincerely,
Julianne Puente

August 20, 2019

Dear Albuquerque Academy Community,

On behalf of the Albuquerque Academy Head of School Search Committee, I’m delighted to tell you we have selected three finalists!

The incredible pool of candidates we drew to lead our school demonstrates the compelling national and international appeal of Albuquerque Academy’s mission, values, and reputation. Our three finalists exemplify a love of children and learning and a deep commitment to continuing to build a school grounded in excellence, inclusivity, and joy. They each bring with them a wealth of leadership experiences and lived values that align with continuing to grow Albuquerque Academy as a school that transforms children’s lives and serves as a dedicated community partner in Albuquerque. It’s been an honor to chair this search as we prepare for the next exciting chapter in the Academy’s history.

Over the course of the coming three weeks, these three talented educators each will visit our campus for two days of interviews. You’ll see below a schedule of the open forums that will provide an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni to meet the candidates. We also will tape introductory comments made during the first open forum of each candidate’s visit and will make those remarks available on this page.

On Friday, you’ll receive an email providing details about our first candidate, who is scheduled to visit campus August 26 and 27. In addition to the candidate’s name, you’ll receive the candidate’s resume, statement of educational philosophy, and a brief biography. The email will include a link which can be used to provide the Search Committee with your impressions of the candidate gained either from reading the materials, meeting the candidate on campus, or watching the video of the candidate’s presentation. You’ll receive information about the second candidate on August 28 prior to the candidate’s visit on August 29 and 30. The final candidate’s information will be sent on September 3 prior to the visit on September 5 and 6.

Finally, I want to thank the terrific members of our Search Committee, listed above. As a group, they invested more than 150 hours this past weekend alone! These respected members of our community have shown an unwavering commitment to the integrity of our process and an abiding passion for our school. It’s been an absolute honor to work with them. When you see them next, please join me in thanking them for their service to Albuquerque Academy.

We’re eager for you to meet our candidates. These are very special people. We want them to have a great experience on campus meeting many members of our community. All of us on the Search Committee thank you for warmly welcoming them to our campus and look forward to your feedback.

Sincerely,
Diane Harrison Ogawa
Search Committee Chair

Head of School Finalists Open Forum Schedule

CANDIDATE #1
Monday, August 26, 2019
2:15 – 3:15 p.m. Open forum with parents in the Albin Family Room, Simms Library
3:45 – 4:45 p.m. Open forum with faculty and staff in Simms Little Theater

Tuesday, August 27, 2019
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Open forum with faculty and staff in Simms Little Theater
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Open forum with parents in Simms Little Theater
1:10 – 2:10 p.m. Open forum with alumni in the Albin Family Room, Simms Library
2:15 – 3:00 p.m. Open forum with students in the Albin Family Room, Simms Library

CANDIDATE #2
Thursday, August 29, 2019
2:15 – 3:15 p.m. Open forum with parents in the Albin Family Room, Simms Library
3:45 – 4:45 p.m. Open forum with faculty and staff in Simms Little Theater

Friday, August 30, 2019
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Open forum with faculty and staff in Simms Little Theater
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Open forum with parents in Simms Little Theater
1:10 – 2:10 p.m. Open forum with alumni in the Albin Family Room, Simms Library
2:15 – 3:00 p.m. Open forum with students in the Albin Family Room, Simms Library

CANDIDATE #3
Thursday, September 5, 2019
2:15 – 3:15 p.m. Open forum with parents in the Albin Family Room, Simms Library
3:45 – 4:45 p.m. Open forum with faculty and staff in Simms Little Theater

Friday, September 6, 2019
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Open forum with faculty and staff in Simms Little Theater
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Open forum with parents in Simms Little Theater
1:10 – 2:10 p.m. Open forum with alumni in the Albin Family Room, Simms Library
2:15 – 3:00 p.m. Open forum with students in the Albin Family Room, Simms Library

In January 2019, Head of School Andrew T. Watson announced his intention to step down following the 2019-20 school year. The Search Committee engaged a consulting team from Educators’ Collaborative to spearhead the search for a new Head. On September 13, 2019, Julianne Puente was named the new Head of School, effective July 1, 2020.

TIMELINE

• January 30, 2019: Andy Watson and Board Chair Tom Smidt announce news of Andy’s retirement
• February 15, 2019: Head of School search committee named
• February 15-March 5, 2019: Academy community invited to provide feedback through an online survey [survey now closed]
• February 25-26, 2019: Educators’ Collaborative consultants visit the Academy to meet with constituencies
• Consultants develop a profile for candidates and post the job; read our Head of School Opportunity Statement.
• Confidential, preliminary interviews conducted
• August/September 2019: Final candidates visit campus
• September 13, 2019: New Head of School Julianne Puente announced

July 9, 2019

Dear Albuquerque Academy Community,

Our search for the next Head of School continues and is about to enter a very active phase. The consultants running our search, Educators’ Collaborative, are pleased with the depth of our candidate pool. In their words, ”the Head of School position at Albuquerque Academy is clearly seen as an exceptional opportunity.” To date, nearly 70 candidates have expressed interest in the position. Of those, 43 remain in the pool. The 43 consist of 32 men and 11 women. Three of the candidates identify as candidates of color. Sixteen of the applicants are current or former school heads, nine are assistant or associate heads of independent schools, and three are from higher education. The remaining applicants are division heads or senior administrators.

The application period ends on July 15. Soon after, the search committee will review resumes and select approximately eight candidates to interview. Those interviews will be held in the middle of August. From the pool of eight, up to three finalists will be invited to campus during the last week of August and the beginning of September. During two-day interviews, candidates will have opportunities to meet members of our community and learn more about who we are while at the same time we learn more about them. We hope to announce the selection of our new Head of School later in September.

To prepare for this stage in the process, we’ve been meeting as a team to discuss how we want to engage with candidates and how we can most successfully introduce prospective candidates to the Academy and Albuquerque. I welcome any ideas that you have on how we go about that. We’ve also spent time as a committee engaging in implicit bias training. Led by UNM Professor Dr. Jessica Goodkind, we’ve worked to understand some of the lenses through which we look and how our personal experiences and views can affect the hiring process.

Finally, we’re beginning to plan for the transition that will both recognize Andy Watson’s service to the school and pave the way for a successful introduction of our new Head of School. If you would like to be involved in that work, please let me know. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or ideas to share.

Sincerely,
Diane Harrison Ogawa
Search Committee Chair

May 7, 2019

Dear Albuquerque Academy Community,

While we are in a relatively silent phase of the search for our new head of school, I want to provide a brief update of the work that is taking place.

Our consultants are actively recruiting a great pool of candidates. They have been in direct contact with nearly 60 prospective candidates and have reached out to more than 2,000 potential applicants through a series of emails targeting individuals in education. Of the 60 with whom they have had direct contact, 37 have expressed interest in the position. That number will absolutely grow as school winds down and the July 15 deadline approaches.

Of the 37 who have expressed an interest, there are 10 women and 27 men. Five of those 37 identify as people of color. They come from 18 states and the countries of Bolivia and Jordan. Fourteen are current or prior school heads, three are currently working in higher education, and the remainder are assistant heads, division heads, or other senior administrative team members.

Our Search Committee will meet to review applicants at the end of July and will conduct in-person interviews for semifinalists in mid-August. We’ll invite the finalists to campus later in August and early September. There will be a variety of opportunities for members of our community to meet the candidates during their visits. We aim to complete the search by mid- to late-September.

Finally, I want to thank those of you who responded to the survey. We received more than 1,400 comments from 340 respondents. Those responding identified as follows:

Respondents were allowed to choose as many categories of identification that they deemed appropriate. Together, these comments formed the basis for the Opportunity Statement that identifies in broad terms what we as a school community are looking for in our next head. I’m grateful for the deep commitment to our school and the thoughtfulness that the comments reflect.

Please don’t hesitate to be in touch if you have questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
Diane Harrison Ogawa
Search Committee Chair

February 27, 2019

Dear Albuquerque Academy Community,

The consultants from Educators’ Collaborative have completed a productive two-day visit to the Academy, collecting feedback from students, faculty and staff, parents, alumni, and trustees. I’m extremely grateful to all of you who participated in those meetings.

It is not too late to share your thoughts. We are still seeking input from the community through this survey [survey now closed]. Please complete the survey by March 5. 

On behalf of the Search Committee and Board of Trustees, thank you for your support and involvement.

Sincerely,
Diane Harrison Ogawa
Search Committee Chair

February 15, 2019

Dear Members of the Albuquerque Academy Community,

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am writing to follow up on the recent announcement of Andy Watson’s decision to retire at the end of the 2019-20 school year. As part of the Board’s commitment to keep you informed about events impacting the Academy, I wanted to update you on the search for the next Head of School.

The Board has appointed a Search Committee to conduct a comprehensive, national search for a new Head of School to assume responsibility on or about July 1, 2020. Diane Harrison Ogawa has graciously agreed to chair the Committee, which is made up of these faculty, staff, and trustees, representing parents, past parents, and alumni:

• Peter Glidden
• Adam Honegger
• Chris Jillson
• Amy Keller
• David Kim
• Ron Moya
• Chamiza Pacheco De Alas
• Martha Palmer
• Valerie Romero-Leggott
• Leah Blaugrund Sandman
• Tom Smidt

We are also pleased to announce that Marcus Hurlbut, Jo Butler, and Evan Peterson of Educators’ Collaborative, a national consulting firm specializing in working with independent schools, have been engaged to help us with the search. Marc and Evan have themselves headed independent schools similar in size to the Academy, and Jo has conducted school searches for more than a dozen years. As a team, they have more than 100 years of experience working in independent education. All three have been and remain active in regional and national independent school boards and organizations.

As an initial step, our consultants would like to gain greater knowledge of the Academy through an anonymous survey. We hope that you will take the time to complete this survey [survey now closed] by March 1. Your feedback is very important.

Next, our consultants will visit the Academy February 25-26. They will meet with members of the various constituencies of the school community (faculty and staff, parents, alumni) in order to develop a profile of the Academy for candidates and to gain a sense of the opportunities and challenges facing the Academy and our next Head. We are seeking all input. If you would like to share your thoughts about the Academy with the consultants, please watch your email for the meeting schedule.

After the profile has been completed, our consultants will list the position with the appropriate agencies and contact approximately 2,000 selected educational leaders to solicit recommendations for the position.

Following initial preliminary and confidential candidate interviews, members of the Search Committee will identify finalists and invite them to visit the campus. Our goal is to complete the search process and announce the appointment of a new Head of School by the end of September.

The Search Committee and Board of Trustees are grateful for your support. We will continue to keep you informed of our progress.

Sincerely,

Tom Smidt
President, Board of Trustees

January 30, 2019

Head of School Andrew T. Watson announced his intention to step down following 18 years of service at the end of the 2019-20 school year. Read the messages from Andy Watson and Board Chair Tom Smidt.