Friends School names new head

Friends School of Minnesota (FSM) has announced that Dr. Latrisha Chattin will become the school’s fourth Head of School, effective July 1, 2015. Her appointment results from an intensive process to identify a successor to Lili Herbert, who announced in December 2013 that she would be retiring at the end of the 2014-15 school year.

Latrisha Chattin resonates strongly with the school’s mission—her philosophy of education and commitment to Quaker values are a great fit with FSM’s academic program and culture. With advanced graduate work in special education and extensive classroom experience, Chattin brings considerable expertise in working with students with diverse learning needs. She is enthused about working with the school on FSM’s diversity goals and leading in deepening FSM’s community relationships.

“Friends School of Minnesota’s commitment to educate the whole child and instill Quaker values reflects my personal upbringing and professional priorities,” she said. “As a product of a Quaker school education, I am honored by this opportunity to carry on this legacy and lead a community of nurturing, forward-thinking peacekeepers who believe education is intellectual, emotional and spiritual.”

Chattin is currently teaching and providing administrative coverage at Wyncote Elementary School in Pennsylvania. Previously, she was the Site Director for two nonprofits. Chattin has an Ed.D. from Arcadia University and an M.S. from St. Joseph’s University. She is a graduate of Grinnell College and William Penn Charter School in Pennsylvania, the oldest Quaker high school in the country. Chattin is an attender at Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting in Philadelphia.

The School Committee’s decision to appoint Chattin was based upon the unanimous recommendation of the Head of School Search Committee, which carried out an eleven-month, nation-wide search. The Head Search Committee’s final discernment process was evidence-driven, spiritually led, and informed by feedback from FSM students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and Quakers in the community.

Latrisha will lead the school in its 27th year, taking over from Lili Herbert, whose leadership guided and improved FSM during her nine years as Head of School. Herbert increased the school’s enrollment and doubled its endowment. She oversaw and raised funds for two major building and grounds projects that strengthened FSM’s academic program by beautifying and improving the functionality of its space. She collaborated with faculty to further develop FSM’s strong academic program, deepening FSM’s commitment to Quaker values and progressive education. Through her service on the Friends Council on Education’s Board of Directors, Herbert connected Friends School of Minnesota to the nationwide network of Friends schools. Herbert moves on to pursue a research and writing project and earn a Masters of Divinity at Earlham School of Religion.

FSM is an independent K-8 Quaker school in the heart of St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood. In the tradition of more than 80 Friends Schools across the United States, FSM meets children’s intellectual, emotional and spiritual needs in an environment that nurtures social consciousness. FSM is committed to the Quaker values of peace, justice, simplicity and integrity.