The Elementary School Heads Association (ESHA) provides a colleague network, professional development opportunities, and relevant resources to 100 current heads of independent elementary and middle schools throughout the U.S.
ESHA is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. Our active members:
100 current heads and numerous associate members
Many former heads
In 100 independent schools
In 26 states
Serving approximately 40,000 students, preschool through grade nine
Our Mission
The Elementary School Heads Association (ESHA) was established to promote a sense of identity among heads of independent elementary schools, to encourage and support newly-appointed heads of such schools, and to provide opportunities for exchange of experiences, problems, and successes.
Grammy Award Nominee Jamie Floyd performs the song she helped write for ESHA at the 2019 Annual Retreat in Nashville.
Beginnings
The Elementary School Heads Association (ESHA) was founded in March of 1973 by ten heads who met in Washington, D.C. during the annual conference of the National Association of Independent Schools. These founders agreed that there was a need for an association of school heads whose professional concerns were devoted to the education of younger students. The first annual meeting of ESHA was convened at the Henry Chauncey Conference Center in Princeton in October of 1973, where bylaws were formally adopted.
Leadership
The Elementary School Heads Association's Executive Director oversees the daily operations of the association and works with ESHA's governing board, the Executive Committee, in charting future direction.
Members of the Executive Committee are nominated by committee and voted into office at the business meeting at the annual retreat. The Executive Committee is led by the ESHA President, who serves for a one-year term that can be renewed once. Many of our past presidents remain active or honorary members of ESHA today.
ESHA Presidents 1973 Peter Clifton 1973-74 Lewis Kimball, Jr. 1974-75 Russell Anderson 1975-76 David L. Pratt 1976-77 Samuel Parkman 1977-78 Thomas Shaw 1978-79 David D. Hume 1979-80 Ronald L. Fay 1980-81 John F. Marder, Jr. 1981-82 Norman C. Wakely 1982-83 Walter W. Birge III 1983-84 A. Brooks Harlow 1984-85 James F. Adams 1985-86 G. David Hardman 1986-87 Kingsley Ervin 1987-88 Douglas R. Lewis 1988-89 M. Joanne Moore 1989-90 Nicholas Thacher 1990-91 Brian R. Walsh 1991-92 David Frothingham 1992-93 Betty J. Brown 1993-94 James L. Marks III 1994-95 James K. Bonney 1995-96 Randy Plummer 1996-97 Sidney I. DuPont 1997-98 E. John White III 1998-99 Sandra P. Adams 1999-00 Robin Douglass 2000-01 Jane Shipp 2001-02 Merrill Hall 2002-03 Steve Hinds 2003-04 Betty Legenhausen 2004-05 David Trower 2005-06 Joan Lutton 2006-07 Raymond Nance 2007-08 Murray Lopdell- Lawrence 2008-09 Lenesa Leana 2009-11 Greg O'Melia 2011-13 Lee Burns 2013-15 Chuck Baldecchi 2015-17 Muddy Waters 2017-19 Elinor Scully 2019-20 Veronica Codrington-Cazeau 2020- 22 Joseph Powers