"My enthusiasm stems from the fact that I have found a School that shares my deepest values and passions, particularly for developing authentic academic excellence; fostering and supporting teaching that inspires curiosity and empowers students to make their place in the world; and preserving a school culture that respects childhood and adolescence, and that prioritizes character, kindness, and inclusion."
- Dr. Karen E. Eshoo
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@kingschoolctHOS |
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King students have many different opportunities to pursue their passions as they grow as learners and people. The Class of 2019 has achieved success in the classroom, on the athletic fields, on the stage, and now they are preparing to pursue lives of ongoing inquiry in college. Congratulations to the 39 seniors who have been accepted and have already committed to attend their first choice college or university.
How does King School define a kind and inclusive community? Every day our staffulty, students, and parents make a choice to intentionally show consideration and compassion for others. King is committed to our Virtues of integrity, kindness, perseverance, and respect. One important way we show our commitment to cultivating a kind, inclusive community is by supporting staffulty at the NAIS People of Color Conference (PoCC) and students at the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC).
Earlier this week, the PA King Inclusion and Diversity Committee (KInD) sponsored a breakfast meeting with Head of School Karen Eshoo, who offered insight about the definitions of diversity, inclusion, and equity.
Over 400 parents, alumni, and Staffulty gathered on Thursday, September 20 to ring in the new school year together. Our annual State of the School event highlighted the robust health and caring community of King School as we enter this exciting year under the new leadership of Head of School Dr. Karen Eshoo.
In addition to welcoming our new Head of School, Dr. Karen Eshoo, King is pleased to announce that we have 17 new Staffulty (Staff and Faculty) members for 2018-2019 school year. The expertise and interests of these deeply experienced professionals will greatly enrich our community.
On Wednesday, September 12, the Upper School Community gathered in the PAC for a King Talk with Dr. Karen Eshoo. King Talks were introduced in 2014 and are modeled after Ted Talks, a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas through short videos from some of the most engaging speakers in the world. During her Talk, Dr. Eshoo fielded questions from students and provided insight on her life, passion, and preferred pizza toppings.
Dr. Karen E. Eshoo was escorted into the US gymnasium by our PreK and Kindergarten students on Thursday, September 6, and officially kicked off the 218-2019 school year with the traditional Ringing of the Bells. In addition to Dr. Eshoo's first year at King, she was joined by 141 new students and 17 new Staffulty members this year.
Head of School Dr. Karen E. Eshoo may be new to King and just settled into her office but her years of experience and profound knowledge took her to Atlanta in July to serve for her third year as Faculty at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Institute for New Heads (INH). As a member of the esteemed faculty, Karen collaborated with other Heads to help prepare new heads of school for successful leadership transitions.
Karen E. Eshoo, Ed.D
Karen began her tenure as Head of School at King School in 2018. Prior to King School, Karen served as the second Head of School of Vistamar School in El Segundo, California from 2011-2018. Before joining Vistamar, she spent over 20 years in teaching and leadership in independent schools as a high school teacher, the Middle School Head and the Principal of Grades 1-8 at Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton, California – also her alma mater - and the Assistant Head of School at Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco, California. She holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of San Diego; Masters degrees in Education and History from Stanford University; and an EdD in Education from the University of California, Berkeley.
Karen is a member of the faculty of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Institute for New Heads. She also previously served on the Boards of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the California Teachers Development Collaborative (CATDC).
Outside of work, she loves to cook amazing dinners for friends and family. While Karen is not a great athlete, she is a consistent exerciser and an avid sports fan. She also enjoys traveling internationally, reading about current events around the world, and dabbling in stand-up comedy. Karen is especially excited to be in Connecticut, closer to her family near Old Saybrook, and her friends and family in Brooklyn and Manhattan.