After a national search and reviewing numerous qualified applicants, Bolles leadership announced Andrew Forrester as its new associate head of school on May 5. Forrester has had more than 24 years of experience in education, working in various positions in schools in France and throughout the U.K., as well as in St. Petersburg and Bradenton, Florida.
He comes to Bolles from the St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton, where he has held the position of associate head of school since 2019. Forrester began there in 2014 as the school’s director of upper and middle school before being selected as its associate head. Forrester will replace outgoing Bolles Associate Head Mike Drew, who served the Bolles community for the last seven years.
“I'm looking forward to working with the excellent leaders at The Bolles School to continue to provide innovative educational experiences for the students across all four campuses,” Forrester said.
Forrester is currently completing a Doctor of Education in program, development and innovation from USF Tampa and holds a Master of Education in educational leadership from USF St. Petersburg and a Bachelor of Arts with honors in literature and French from Liverpool John Moores University in the U.K. He has taught English, drama, TV production and ESL, and has been the director of college placement and art and technology departments. He also has experience running boarding programs and assisting with fundraising and donor cultivation.
Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges said Forrester’s breadth of expertise, along with his sense of humor, was one of the many reasons he was a stand-out candidate among a competitive applicant pool.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andrew to Bolles. He is a caring and compassionate leader who approaches education from a holistic perspective,” Hodges said. “I look forward to collaborating with him as we continue to move Bolles toward an exciting future while upholding our long-standing commitment to fostering an environment where students thrive.”
Forrester and his family will move to Jacksonville this summer, and he will take on his new role in July.
