The Cambridge School of Weston Names Next Head of School
The board of trustees has announced that Lise Charlier will become The Cambridge School of Weston’s next head of school, effective July 1, 2019.
The board of trustees has announced that Lise Charlier will become The Cambridge School of Weston’s next head of school, effective July 1, 2019. Charlier will succeed Jane Moulding, who will have led CSW for 17 years when she retires from the school in June.
This appointment is the result of a thoughtful and inclusive search process, led by a dedicated committee with guidance from consultants School Strategies & Solutions. This nationwide search attracted a large number of impressive and highly qualified candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The search committee was especially mindful of the many qualities that the CSW community indicated were essential for an effective head of school, and is grateful for the heartfelt participation and deep engagement of a broad range of constituents, including administrators, faculty, staff, students, current families, alumni/ae, past families, friends, and trustees.
Sarita Gandhi Shah ‘86, chair of the board and co-chair of the search committee, stated that, “We are pleased to have an educator with Charlier’s talent, integrity, leadership, and commitment to progressive education join our community. She has a clear passion for learning and a lifelong dedication to young people. She will bring a wide range of qualities and credentials to the role of head, including an ability to translate vision to reality using a relationship-driven leadership style; extensive experience in daily school operations and strategic administrative function; and a strong ethos in progressive education and academic and student life programming.”
In her letter to the school community, Charlier expressed her excitement for the school and her passion for the work ahead: “When I visited CSW in September, I was blown away by the palpable love of school emanating from everyone in the community — students, faculty, trustees, parents, and alumni/ae — and the commitment to progressive education and social justice evident in every conversation. I look forward to working with all of you to build on CSW’s strong and beautiful foundation. Together we will guarantee that CSW remains an extraordinary school — a place where young people have the time and space to grow into the people that they want to be, in an environment that allows them to know and appreciate themselves and others, where they can ask questions freely and fully, engage in intellectual pursuit, and be kind and contributing members of society who seek social justice locally and globally.”
Charlier comes to CSW with over 25 years of administrative and teaching experience in the US and abroad. She currently serves as director of studies and strategic initiatives at Severn School in Severna Park, Maryland. Prior to her role at Severn, Charlier was upper school assistant principal at Friends School of Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland. She has served on the board of trustees for Green Street Academy, the Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools (AIMS), the Cowles Charitable Trust, and most recently the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education (CSEE). She holds an MS in education from Johns Hopkins University and a BS from Georgetown University. Born and raised in Haiti, Charlier was educated in the Haitian, French, and American educational systems. She currently lives with her husband in Baltimore, where they raised their two children.
Yesterday, the DEIB Office hosted our annual Heritage Fest with 25 heritages represented! The table displays truly transformed The Fit into a celebration of the rich cultures that make up our CSW community. From delicious food to beautiful artwork and meaningful traditions, each table showcased thoughtfulness, care, and pride. You helped create an atmosphere that was vibrant, welcoming, and inspiring—and the DEIB office couldn’t have done it without you.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Empty Bowls event a success! Over the past few months, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families came together at various events to paint more than 100 beautiful ceramic bowls.
The evening was filled with warmth and community spirit, featuring exciting raffles, delicious food, and performances by talented student musicians. The vibrant gathering not only brought people together but also raised funds for an important cause.
Thanks to the incredible generosity and participation of our community, the event raised over $2,500 in support of Rosies's Place, a multi-service community center that provides emergency shelter, nutritious meals, and a wide array of essential services for women in need. Together, we made a meaningful impact—and we’re already looking forward to next year!
Former CSW art teacher and accomplished artist Orlando Leyba returned to campus this week as a guest speaker at assembly, sharing stories from his personal and artistic journey as well as his process for creating.
Orlando, who is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, taught at CSW for ten years, spoke candidly about his childhood in New Mexico, where he spent summers working the fields with his grandfather. “When I would work these fields, I’d often get distracted because I would be finding pottery shards” he shared. “I would find treasures all the time when I would work the fields with my grandfather.”
This mod break, students embarked on the Spring Wilderness Trip — a sea kayaking and camping adventure in the New Meadow River region off the coast of Brunswick, Maine. The trip was split into two groups and began at Sawyer Park in West Bend, where students learned the basics of sea kayaking and camping before setting out in wetsuits through winds choppy waters. After a full day of paddling, the group reached their island campsites and enjoyed a cozy bonfire. The next day was filled with more exploration by kayak, as students navigated the scenic coastal waterways.
On the final morning, the group woke up at 4 a.m. to catch a breathtaking sunrise through thick coastal fog. After packing up camp, they paddled back to Brunswick, where a well-earned diner breakfast awaited. The trip was a great success — filled with adventure, teamwork, and unforgettable moments. We hope to see even more students join us for the next wilderness experience!
Dance Department Chair Nailah Randall Bellinger, who is wrapping up her Boston Dancemakers residency at the Boston Center for the Arts, will be leading a showcase examining the life of performing artist Donny Edward Hathaway. The multimodal dance narrative, (just) 33, “utilizes the body of Donny Hathaway’s work and archival documentation… to celebrate the breadth and genius of this inspiring intergenerational artist.”
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.