September 14, 2023

Dear High Tech High Community,

We want to provide you with an update regarding the CEO Search. The final steps of the interview and vetting process included presentations with students, teachers, central staff, and parents and concluded with interviews with the Board of Trustees in closed session.

After thoroughly reviewing the feedback and conducting the final interviews, the Board has decided to re-open the CEO position with the intention of filling the role permanently for the Fall 2024 school year. These decisions are never made lightly, but done so with appreciation and understanding of the felt and expressed needs of the community and organization.

We are grateful to all who have been involved in the process: the Search Committee, those who participated in interviews and/or organized logistics, those who attended the public presentations, and those who provided kind, helpful, and specific feedback. Most of all, we are grateful for our two final candidates, James Mercer and Kelly Wilson. We know it took a significant amount of toil, time, and effort and we want to acknowledge and express our appreciation.

Hearing this sort of news is never easy, but the Board will continue to keep the best interest of the community at the forefront of its decision. In the meantime, we will reflect on the entirety of the search process, look for ways to improve, and re-open the process as soon as reasonably possible. During this transition, we will continue to operate with an interim CEO as a means of prioritizing continuity and stability. Rest assured that we will continue to provide regular updates.

Yours in service,

Maylynne Rayos
CEO Search Project Manager

Gary E. Jacobs
Chair, Board of Trustees