Welcome from Head of School

Eugene Gardner, president of the Board of Trustees at Lancaster Country Day School, is pleased to announce that Steven D. Lisk, Upper School Director at the Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton, Florida, has accepted the invitation of the LCDS Board of Trustees to succeed Michael J. Mersky as the Head of School. Lisk will assume the position as Head of School effective July 1, 2008.

In addition to his recent position as Upper School Director at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School (a coed day school comprised of 800 students, preschool through 12th grade), Steven has served as chair of the history department and taught at the Kent School in Kent, Connecticut, and taught at the Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. He holds a Master’s degree in U.S. history from North Carolina State University and a Bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Beginning in June 2007, the LCDS Search Committee worked with search consultants Deirdre Ling and Ned Becker of Educators’ Collaborative, and reviewed the credentials of more than 40 candidates from all parts of the country and abroad. Three of these applicants were invited to visit the school and met with the full Search Committee.

Steven was then invited to return, with his spouse and family, for a multi-day visit during which they experienced Lancaster Country Day School more fully, and had meetings or enjoyed receptions with the Advisory Committee, Trustees, students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and students.

Following this second visit to campus, the LCDS Search Committee, with the endorsement of the Advisory Committee, voted unanimously to recommend the appointment of Lisk to the Board of Trustees, all of whom had had the opportunity to meet him during the search process. At a special meeting on December 7, 2007, the LCDS Trustees unanimously accepted the recommendation of the Search Committee.

The selection of the Head of School is one of the greatest responsibilities of trusteeship, and all of us in the LCDS school family are proud not only that Steven and his family have accepted the appointment, but also that the scope of the search was so extensive and the qualities of the interested candidates so outstanding. We are delighted with the outcome and look forward to welcoming the Lisk family to the school and community.


Steven D. Lisk
Head of School
headofschool@e-lcds.org