The Altamont School welcomes new leader July 1

The Altamont School recently announced it will have new leadership beginning this summer.

Cecil F. Stodghill Jr. — currently head of school at The Doane Stuart School in Rensselaer, New York — will become head of school at Altamont on July 1.

He will become the sixth head of school at Altamont since it was formed in 1975 in the merger of Birmingham University School and Brooke Hill School.

“I am absolutely thrilled by the opportunity to lead the Altamont community,” Stodghill said in a Nov. 19 Altamont news release. “Through collaborative leadership, I will prioritize upholding the school’s mission, preserving its legacy and guiding its continued evolution.”

A native of Chattanooga, Stodghill said he’s excited to be “coming home” to the South to lead Altamont.

Stodghill was selected from a large pool of applicants after a national search that lasted seven months. The process was headed by John Farber of RG175, a national firm specializing in head of school searches for independent schools.

Board of Trustees President Chris Nicholson said in the news release that Stodghill is “the right leader at the right time in our school’s journey” and “will add significant value in our efforts to build a bright future on our strong foundation.”

Stodghill “has participated in all facets of independent school life in his career, making positive impacts at every stage of his journey,” Nicholson said,

A graduate of the University of Miami, Stodghill earned a master’s degree in education with a concentration in school leadership from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

He has 23 years of experience in independent schools as a teacher, coach and administrator.

He began his education at the McCallie School in Chattanooga, where he later returned to serve as director of multicultural affairs and assistant director of admission.

He also served as director of admissions and enrollment management at Providence Day School, director of graduate support at Academy Prep Foundation and associate director of admission at Berkeley Preparatory School.

At The Doane Stuart School, he has led the school through a successful accreditation process, increased enrollment by seven percent, constructed and implemented an academic continuity plan during the COVID-19 pandemic and created a culture of philanthropy and engagement by increasing annual giving by 10%.

He has also served as a trustee and board member for numerous civic organizations.