Announcing Our Next Head of School

The Cornerstone Board of Directors is thrilled to announce the hiring of Pete Zetlan as our next Head of School, beginning on July 1, 2024.

Pete was selected from a pool of more than eighty candidates, following a national search led by Carney, Sandoe & Associates and Cornerstone’s Search Committee. During Pete’s visit to Cornerstone last month, he met with faculty, staff, students, our parents/caregivers, Board members, and the Search Committee. From the feedback we received from all of these constituents, it was very clear that Pete is the best fit to lead our school forward.

Among Pete’s many stellar qualities are his strong commitment to Montessori principles; his ability to be present in his interactions with parents, faculty, and students; and his deep experience working with Montessori faculty. These attributes were corroborated by members of his current school community, where he has worked for the last 21 years. They also praised Pete for his empathetic leadership-style, stellar communication skills, and ability to relate to students and parents alike. 

The Board of Directors would like to thank the entire Cornerstone community for their involvement in the head of school hiring process. We would like to give a special thanks to the Search Committee, who worked tirelessly over the last several months to ensure a thorough and inclusive process. We would also like to thank Leela Pahl for her excellent leadership throughout this process. The Board, Leela, and Pete will work together over the next few months to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Please join us in welcoming Pete Zetlan to the Cornerstone community. We can’t wait for him to get started!

Sincerely,

Aaron Peters

Chair, Cornerstone Board of Directors

On behalf of the Cornerstone Search Committee:

Dr. Julie Kukenberger (Chair) – Board Member and parent

Rob Keys – Junior Class Guide, Director of Admissions, and alumni parent 

Kevin Cowieson – Cornerstone teacher, former Board Member, and alumni parent

Joanna Jaskolka – Board Member and parent

Dr. Burcu Eke Rubini – parent

Shanika Amarakoon – parent

Dr. Selvi Lampman – former Board Member and alumni parent

On behalf of the Cornerstone Board of Directors:

Aaron Peters – Chair and parent

Dr. Julie Kukenberger – Vice-Chair and parent

Joanna Jaskolka – Secretary and parent

Corey Ostman – Treasurer and former parent

Erin Garnett – parent 

Mike Rainboth – parent

Josh Henly – parent

Rob Pruyne – parent