By Jennifer Mrozowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Theunick

Devlin

Summit Country Day School and Seven Hills School, two of Cincinnati's most prestigious private schools, have new leadership.

Summit's board of trustees announced Wednesday it has appointed a Philadelphia school president to the position of Head of School. Joseph T. Devlin, 58, will lead 112-year-old Hyde Park school effective July 1, 2003.

The Summit Country Day School, which serves 1,180 students from across the Tristate, is Cincinnati's only Catholic, independent, co-educational, college-preparatory school serving students in Montessori preschool through 12th grade.

Mr. Devlin is in his 11th year as president of Girard College, a 150-year-old boarding school in Philadelphia where about 75 percent of the students are African-American. He has 32 years of experience as a teacher and administrator.

Summit's headmaster, Edward C. Tyrrell of Eastgate, announced his retirement in February, effective June 30. Mr. Tyrrell has served as headmaster since 1971.Mark Bodnar, chair of the school's board of trustees, said he was impressed with Mr. Devlin's school governance experience and his experience in school development, including working with alumni, parents and others.

Seven Hills' Board of Trustees last month announced the appointment of Sandra J. Theunick, who heads an all-girls school in New York City, to lead their school, effective July 1.

Ms. Theunick has served as the head of three independent schools, including the Chapin School, where she is in her 10th year.

Seven Hills is an independent, non-sectarian, nonprofit, college-preparatory school. The school serves boys and girls in pre-kindergarten through grade 12.

The school is located on two campuses-the Hillsdale Campus in Madisonville and the Doherty Campus in East Walnut Hills.

Seven Hills has an enrollment of 1,055.

The school was established in 1974 by the merger of the College Preparatory School (founded 1906) and the Hillsdale-Lotspeich Schools (1927, 1916). Since 1974, Seven Hills has had five Heads of School, including the current interim leader.

Mrs. Theunick will succeed Victoria W. Parlin, who is serving as Interim Head of School. Mrs. Parlin, who had been the chair and president of the Board of Trustees, assumed her position after former Head of School Deborah E. Reed left to become head of Polytechnic School in Pasadena, Calif.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com