January 20, 2012

Dear Portsmouth Abbey School Community:

On behalf of the Portsmouth Abbey School Board of Regents, I accept, with profound gratitude, the decision of Jim DeVecchi to retire in June of 2013 as Head of School. For 12 years Jim has faithfully led Portsmouth, and for nearly four decades he and Deb have been emblematic of the partnership between our Benedictine monastic community and dedicated lay faculty families. In this transient age in which we live, Jim DeVecchi has been a beacon of stability for literally thousands of graduates and their families.

At the core of Jim's leadership is a humility that has regularly sought what was best for the School, its students, and its teachers. Forged as a young teacher and academic dean by the legacy of Dom Andrew Jenks, OSB, Jim's Portsmouth tenure has always been about service to the community. The desire to roll up his sleeves and get the job done is well known to many of us, especially those who have had the privilege of working closely with Jim over the years.

While Jim and Deb have been models of stability, their tenure has witnessed tremendous, on-going, positive change. Among the highlights are a new governance model led by the Board of Regents, re-articulation of Portsmouth's Mission Statement, creation of the 2003 Strategic Plan, significant enrollment growth, and sustained campus facilities enhancements through renovation and new construction. Within this list and beyond, there is much work that we will recognize and celebrate during the coming 18 months. Knowing Jim as I do, I would be remiss in not underscoring that we expect to accomplish much more before he and Deb head up Cory's Lane.

Because of Jim's faithful stewardship, we are poised for further achievements in the near-term and the years to come. Thanks to him, we will present an exciting and challenging opportunity to what we know will be a pool of exceptionally talented candidates as we begin our search for Jim's successor.  I am pleased to report that Abbot Caedmon and I will co-chair a Search Committee comprised of devoted Portsmouth Abbey stewards. As this search moves ahead, the Committee looks forward to active engagement with the School community and to keeping you informed of our progress, particularly via the use of a dedicated section of the School's website, www.portsmouthabbey.org/page/hss. Additionally, I want you to be assured of the highly professional manner in which Portsmouth Abbey will conduct this search. Serving as outside counsel to this process will be the firm of Carney, Sandoe & Associates.

On behalf of the Board of Regents, we look forward to the next 18 months of Jim's ongoing leadership, and the presence of his family on campus.  

Sincerely,

John M. Regan III '68, P '07
Chairman, Board of Regents