Steven L. Hahn, Head of School, announces two key administrative appointments for the coming Portledge School academic year
 
(Long Island, N.Y.) Harry Grzelewski has accepted the position of Upper School Division Head, and Dr. Johan Johnson has accepted the position of Director of Admissions, effective July 1, 2010. Mr. Grzelewski takes the reins from David W. Hoyler, who has retired after thirty years of extraordinary service to Portledge School. Dr. Johnson succeeds Susan Simon, who will become Registrar and serve as administrative assistant to Mr. Grzelewski. 
 
ABOUT HARRY GRZELEWSKI
Prior to his Portledge appointment, Harry Grzelewski served for four years as deputy director and principal of the Upper School at Country Day School, a U.S. accredited college preparatory day and boarding school, outside of San Jose, Costa Rica. There he was in charge of a 200 student high school and part of a 900 student pre K-12 school in a small community in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. His duties also included assisting the general director in professional development, recruitment and other aspects of overall school management.
 
Grzelewski brings over 25 years of independent school teaching, administrative and coaching experience to Portledge. A graduate of the University of Michigan, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Grzelewski earned a Master of Arts degree in English from the University of Rochester. He worked for 18 years at Punahou School in Hawaii, where he was an outstanding English teacher, department chair, and director of summer programs. He then took school leadership positions in Guatemala, Colombia, and Costa Rica before he and his wife, Dr. Tibbie Lynch, also an English teacher, decided to move back to the States. They have one married son who lives in Chicago.
 
ABOUT DR. JOHAN JOHNSON
Dr. Johan Johnson has dedicated his career to serving young people at the primary, secondary and college levels. He grew up in Sea Cliff and has been a strong proponent of independent schools since his days as a student at George School in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Johnson earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from Clark University, a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Education from Fordham University. He began his work on the secondary school level as a basketball coach at the Collegiate School in New York City, as well as the executive director of The Oliver Scholars Program, a multi-service non-profit that recruits, places, and supports black and Latino students for independent schools. 
 
Dr. Johnson also worked with Columbia Teachers College Klingenstein graduates to co-found a primary day school, Harlem Academy, which was established in 2004. In 2006, he left the familiarity of New York to serve as the head of the upper division and academic dean of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Jackson, Mississippi.  He returned to New York in 2008 and for the last two years has been the associate director of admissions at New Canaan Country School while also serving as Rector of St. Martin’s & St. Luke’s Episcopal parish in New York City. He his wife Gabriela, and their 6 month-old daughter Madeline, are excited to be coming home to Long Island.
 
ABOUT PORTLEDGE SCHOOL
Since 1965, Portledge School, situated on a beautiful Locust Valley campus, has provided an inclusive, dynamic, and collaborative education from pre-nursery through high school graduation. From its championship athletic teams to its professionally staffed music, theater and visual arts programs to challenging academics, Portledge offers a welcoming and stimulating environment that fosters a lifelong love of learning, critical thinking skills, and the development of intellectual confidence. The entire Portledge community – faculty, administrators, alumni, parents and trustees – shares its commitment to ensure that every child participates, belongs, and succeeds. Portledge School inspires students to realize their potential, learn vital academic skills, develop moral courage, and prepare for further learning and global citizenship.