Bolles’ incoming President and Head of School Tyler Hodges recently named Mike Drew to the position of associate head of school. Drew, who has been the Bolles middle school head for the past year, will assume Hodges’ former role this summer.
Drew’s selection follows an international search that yielded applications from more than 130 professionals representing 35 states and three countries—all with varied academic backgrounds and from schools all over the world.
“Our search ultimately led us home, and I am happy to announce we completed our search and selected Mike Drew for this position,” Hodges said, adding the applicant pool included candidates with experience at local schools, Florida schools outside of Jacksonville, schools outside of Florida, international schools and several university-level schools including Loyola University Maryland, the University of Maine, the University of Alaska Fairbanks and many more. “Mike understands implicitly the unique facets of a quality college preparatory education and is forward-thinking in his approach to academics.”
Drew said he is eager to work with Hodges, school leadership and faculty to continue shaping Bolles’ vision of academic distinction and program excellence. In his new role, Drew will be the school’s academic leader and will be responsible for the administration of faculty, curriculum, student academic affairs and programs, arts, athletics, college counseling, learning specialists and registrar functions for all grade levels, from pre-K through grade 12. Drew also will remain a presence on the Bolles Middle School Bartram Campus through the fall.
“It is an honor to serve the Bolles community in this way and I look forward to continue working with Bolles leaders, faculty and staff to build upon what already is a premiere academic experience,” Drew said. “Bolles is an exceptional place and I am pleased to contribute my strengths through this position.”
Drew came to Bolles from Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he was the middle school head since 2007 and served as the school’s dean of sixth grade for four years prior to that. Drew worked for eight years at Friends Academy in Locust Valley, New York, as a science teacher, advisor and coach, and was ultimately named middle school assistant principal. Drew attended Cornell University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in natural resources, and he received his Master of Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Bolles leaders already have begun a national search for a middle school head and have begun reviewing top candidates.