Head of School Search
We are committed to keeping our community informed and engaged throughout the process of confirming our next Head of School. This page serves as a central hub for updates, milestones, and opportunities for involvement as we undertake this important work.
Updates from the Board of Trustees
February 6, 2026
Hello Soundview community,
It has been a few months since our Head of School search plans were discussed during the State of the School. I thought this would be a good time to provide a brief update.
As a refresher, it is common to designate an Interim Head of School when a previous Head moves on. Typically, Interim contracts are 1-3 years in duration, and vary within that range based on the specific dynamics of the school. In our case, we were fortunate to have Chrissy already in place with the skills and experience necessary, and we were able to agree on a 2-year Interim Head of School contract starting in July of 2025.
During the State of the School address, I provided a high-level view of the process and timeline for confirming our next permanent Head of School. I’m pleased to share that we are right on track in that process. To date, we have established a Head Search Committee within the Board of Trustees, evaluated proposals from a number of search firms, and hired Joan Beauregard from Educators Collaborative to conduct the official search activities. We selected Educators Collaborative for their deep expertise in independent school leadership searches and their track record of successfully placing Heads of School and senior administrators at mission-aligned institutions nationwide.
Our next step will be what is known as an Internal Vetting Process. This happens when you have an internal candidate–Chrissy, in our case– whom you want to evaluate as the primary candidate for the permanent role. This process will follow much of the same rigor as an external search. This is an important process to use, and one that Chrissy (and Chris before her) requested we follow to affirm the support of the Board of Trustees and the entire Soundview community. Following this process is a sign of our confidence in Chrissy's candidacy for the permanent role.
What comes next? During February and March, the search firm will spend time engaging with the Board of Trustees, faculty, administration, Chrissy, and the greater school community to gather information about the school and Chrissy’s leadership. In-person (and virtual) conversations, listening sessions, and surveys will all be used during the Internal Vetting process. We will also define a structured job requirements document and have Chrissy go through a formal interview.
We expect to finish the Internal Vetting process in early April with a decision to either move forward with Chrissy as our permanent Head of School, or to extend the process to additional external candidates. You can expect an update from the Board around that time with our status in the process.
I hope this helps provide a clear picture of where we are. Thank you!
-Shawn Heidel, Soundview Board President
November 4, 2024
Since 2010, Chris Watson has served as the Head of School at Soundview School. We are thrilled to congratulate him on his new role as Executive Director of the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS). We are pleased to announce that Assistant Head of School, Chrissy Sinclair, will serve as Interim Head of School beginning July 1, 2025. Chrissy brings a wealth of experience, dedication, and 15 years of knowledge of our community.
Head Search Committee Members
Shawn Heidel - Board President
Nani Vishwanath - Board Vice President
Christine Stansfield - Board Secretary & Chair of Committee on Trustees
Todd Miller - Board Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair
Whitney Suttell - Board DEIB Committee Chair
Search Timeline
Interim Head named: November 2024
Head Search Committee established: December 2025
Search firm hired: January 2026
Internal vetting process: February and March, 2026
Results of internal vetting process announced: April 2026