Carl Pelofsky Named Greenhills’ New Head of School

The Greenhills board of trustees is delighted to announce that Carl Pelofsky has been named head of Greenhills School, effective July 1.

“Carl connected with students immediately during the interview process, engaging them in both formal and informal settings,” said Greenhills board of trustees president Kevin Tremper in his official announcement letter.

“Students found him to be thoughtful, approachable, and interested in their well-being, while faculty and staff further praise Carl’s strong communication skills, his impressive administrative background, and his solid experience as a classroom teacher.”

Pelofsky, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, and both a master’s degree in English and an educational specialist degree from the University of Missouri, began his career as an upper school English and history teacher at The Barstow School in Kansas City, Missouri, where he further served as the head of upper school. After six years leading the upper school at Barstow, Carl crossed town to his alma mater Pembroke Hill to be the assistant head and academic dean for one of the Midwest’s finest and largest independent schools, responsible for oversight of curriculum development from early childhood through upper school. Deeply committed to Kansas City education, Carl left Pembroke Hill to lead Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, a 6-12 college prep magnet school with 1,000 students, where he has served as principal for the past two years.

“I am thrilled that Carl will be our new head of school,” says 6th grade English teacher Jonathan Schwartz. “I am deeply impressed by his leadership experience, in both independent and public schools, and by the artful articulation of his educational philosophy. Carl possesses that rare combination of skills–integrity, intelligence, compassion, and discernment. I am both comforted and excited that we have found the right person to usher Greenhills forward.”

Pelofsky and his wife, Kyla, a clinical social worker, say they were attracted by Greenhill’s mission and commitment to student-centered education, and they look forward to beginning their lives in Ann Arbor with their twin 12-year-old sons, Justin and Benjamin.

“From the moment I walked into Greenhills, I felt at home,” says Pelofsky. “Greenhills exudes a palpable confidence–a warm, unassuming tone that suggests that this school is comfortable with its identity. The more time I spent with members of the community, the more I realized that Greenhills clearly strives to establish a wonderful balance of high expectations and low anxiety for its students.  I believe in the school’s mission, and I am honored to be part of the team that will dedicate itself to carrying it on.”