December 8, 2023
Dear Shore Country Day School Community,
I am delighted to share the exciting news that after an extensive search process, Amber Bock has been unanimously appointed as the ninth Head of School at Shore Country Day School, succeeding our current Interim Head of School, Amy Vorenberg. Amber will officially assume her role on July 1, 2024.
Amber brings a wealth of experience and a dynamic vision to Shore. Currently serving as the Superintendent of Schools in Westborough, MA, for the past nine years she has overseen the education of over 4,000 students and managed a diverse team of 23 administrators. Her journey in education includes six years as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in the Weston Public Schools, and eleven years as the principal of Bates Elementary School in Wellesley, MA.
In her application, Amber expressed a genuine love for her work, a strong affinity for Shore’s history and core values, and an understanding of our current challenges. She had envisioned the next phase of her professional journey in a smaller, more relational, independent school setting, and sees this role as the perfect opportunity to blend her passion for, and experience in, leading a 400-student elementary school with the organizational skills she has developed over the past 15 years leading high-performing K-12 school districts.
Amber is not just a seasoned administrator, she is an inspirational leader known for her community-building skills. Her ability to collaborate, build consensus, and make connections within diverse communities is exceptional. Colleagues describe her as the most influential, motivating, and inspirational leader they have known over more than 40 years in education.
“Amber was the overwhelming choice because of her unique blend of talents in relationship building and strategic thinking, as well as her commitment to growth,” shared Rayna Lesser Hannaway and Alexa Squitieri, co-chairs of the Search Committee. “Not only was Amber the front-runner based on feedback data from all constituent groups, the inspirational feeling throughout her visit to Shore’s campus in November was palpable. Amber genuinely connected with the community at every turn and articulated an incredibly insightful understanding of Shore and its potential.”
Amber holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Wittenberg University and a M.Ed. in School Administration from Boston College. Her professional journey began as a seventh and eighth grade English teacher, followed by six years teaching Grades 4, 5, and 6 in the Newton Public Schools. This deep experience in the classroom, coupled with her administrative roles, uniquely positions Amber to understand the intricacies of education at its core.
Amber's fresh perspective and hands-on, transparent leadership style align seamlessly with the values that define Shore Country Day School. Her expertise in instructional leadership, passion for talent development and retention, financial acumen, and capacity for innovation and community building will be instrumental in shaping the future of Shore now and for generations to come.
See below for a letter from Amber to the Shore community. |
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I extend my sincere gratitude to all members of the Shore community for their commitment to the search process. I am particularly grateful to the Search Committee for their dedicated service.
Please join me in welcoming Amber Bock, her husband Neil, and children Kevin and Sarah, to the Shore community. We look forward to the positive impact she will undoubtedly make on our school as we embark on a new chapter under her visionary leadership.
Best regards,
Amanda Jackson P’24, ’29
President, Board of Trustees
Dear Shore Country Day School Families and Colleagues,
Shore Country Day School is a special place, and it is an honor to have been selected as your next Head of School. Over these past several weeks, each interaction with students, faculty and staff, families, and board members has shown me without a doubt that this is a community where I will feel at home and make a meaningful difference.
It is a pleasure to share with you my commitment to the essential work of educating children. Being immersed with students, faculty, and families is continually motivating and inspiring, and these connections are a guiding hallmark of my work. It is my core mission that in school, every child feels seen, known, loved, and inspired.
I have been exceptionally fortunate to lead schools where academic excellence and high achievement ground the expectations and commitment of the work. I was drawn to Shore for its same commitment to excellence and its focus on innovative instruction. One of the amazing qualities of Shore is in its caring and authentic relationships, grounded by the Community Code. I have been invited to join your community as Head of School because I can sustain Shore’s many strengths while also providing leadership and collaboration to lift performance, innovate programming, and further the strategic priorities developed by the Board and the Shore community.
With the start of the new year I look forward to working with the Interim Head of School, Amy Vorenberg, and the Board of Trustees to develop opportunities for me to connect with families, students, and colleagues. I can’t wait to see all of you when I return to campus.
We have exciting things in our future and I’ll see you soon!
Take care,
Amber Bock
Head Elect