Barnhart School Announces Appointment of Educational Innovator as New Head of School

2007 – Barnhart School is proud to announce the appointment of Joanne Testa-Cross as the incoming Head of School for the 2007 – 2008 school year. The appointment was announced by Barnhart School’s Board of Trustees after a nationwide recruitment search by Morris & Berger, a Glendale-based firm specializing in nonprofit leadership and executive recruitment.

Ms. Testa-Cross is currently a principal on special assignment for the Chief Academic Officer of Seattle Public Schools heading up EXCEL (Extended Classes for Extended Learning), an extended day instruction program for K-8 schools. Previously Ms. Testa-Cross served as the principal of John Hay Elementary School in Seattle, Washington. Under her tenure, John Hay was voted ‘Best Elementary School’ by the Seattle Weekly due in large part to the increase of state test scores to an all-time high, and the incorporation of art, drama, Spanish, reading intervention and tutoring into the daily curriculum. In addition to contributing to articles on education for newspapers, books and education journals, Ms. Testa-Cross has been featured on many national media outlets including National Public Radio and CBS Morning News.

Ms. Testa-Cross made her first appearance at Barnhart School which shares their five acre campus with the Santa Anita Church, a non-denominational organization with which they are affiliated, on January 26, 2007 to meet students, parents and faculty. "I feel honored and fortunate to have been selected as the new Head of School for Barnhart. People in Seattle tell me that it will be wonderful to live in the warmth of the sun, and, while that may be true, I have already been exposed to the more significant warmth of the Barnhart family and its teachers, students and parents. It is the opportunity to live this warmth that has moved me to join this wonderful community.”

Barnhart School is a private K-8 school located in Arcadia, California that is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). Founded in 1958, Barnhart's mission is to provide an unparalleled educational experience in an atmosphere of caring and respect that fosters intellectual curiosity and a love for learning. Barnhart School’s unique Virtues curriculum embraces ethnic, religious and cultural diversity empowering students to become responsible, caring and committed citizens in their communities.

For more information on Barnhart School visit www.barnhartschool.org or call 626-446-5588.

For more information on this press release, please contact: Lisa Quiñonez at 626.358.8754