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Installation of Diane J. Hulse
Prominent Educator Begins Her Tenure

October 2, 2002 - Staten Island Academy installed Diane J. Hulse as Head of School during a ceremony at the school. Mrs. Hulse is only the 15th Head of School since the Academy's founding in 1884.

Several prominent independent school leaders spoke at the Installation including Frederick C. Calder, the Executive Director of the New York State Association of Independent Schools; Jacob A. Dresden, the Headmaster of the Concord Academy in Massachusetts and the former Head of Collegiate School; and Joyce G. McCray, the former Executive Director of the Council for American Private Education.

Joseph A. Dezio, President of the Staten Island Academy Board of Trustees, said, "I was absolutely delighted to officiate at Mrs. Hulse's installation. Mrs. Hulse is a dynamic leader whose energy, intelligence and experience will serve Staten Island Academy very well."

Mrs. Hulse gave an extraordinary acceptance speech during the ceremony. To read the speech in its entirety, please click here.

Prominent Educator
A long-time resident of Staten Island, the Academy's new head Diane J. Hulse is a noted educator and administrator. Hulse (B.A. Beloit College, M.A. New York University) has had a 25-year career in independent schools in the New York City area including 17 years as a school principal. For the 10 years prior to her appointment at Staten Island Academy, Hulse was the head of the middle school at Collegiate School. She was the director of the Woodward Park School (now the elementary division of Poly Prep Country Day School) in Brooklyn, New York, and the headmistress of the Bergen School in Jersey City. Hulse began her career as a teacher and curriculum innovator at Friends Seminary in Manhattan, where she held many positions including director of the Summer Institute and director of college counseling.

She is active in chairing New York State Association of Independent School (NYSAIS) accreditation teams and was a member of the Commission on Accreditation for NYSAIS from 1992-2000. A member of the board of trustees of Boys' Schools: An International Coalition, Hulse chaired the Coalition's long range planning process. She is a former member of the Committee on School and College Relations of the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges. Hulse has served on numerous professional panels throughout her career and participated in many leadership institutes, including Stanford University's "Leadership for Women," and the 1997 Harvard University Principals Center's, "Leadership, an Evolving Vision."
A noted writer and lecturer, Hulse the author of Brad and Cory: A Study of Middle School Boys (University School Press: 1997). She is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences. Highly regarded in education, mention of Hulse's work was included in The Christian Science Monitor, Education Week, and Dr. William Pollack's Real Boys among others.

Distinguished Guest Speakers
Guests at Hulse's Installation had the unique opportunity of hearing addresses by three of the nation's most prominent educators:

Frederick C. Calder (AB, Ed.M. Harvard) is the Executive Director of the New York State Association of Independent Schools. A noted educator, Mr. Calder served as headmaster of The Town School, Germantown Friends Schools, and interim head at Ethical Culture Fieldston School. The author of numerous articles for the National Association of Independent School's Bulletin, he is also the general editor of Case Studies in American History and author of Thoughts on Financing of Germantown Friends. He is a member of the Lake Placid Education Foundation (president), NYS Coalition for Nonpublic Education (chairman), Country Day School Headmasters Association of the United States, Head Mistresses Association of the East, Headmasters Association, and the Lake Placid Foundation (trustee).
Jacob A. Dresden (BA, MA University of Pennsylvania) is the Head of School of the Concord Academy in Massachusetts. Prior to his tenure at Concord Academy, Mr. Dresden was the headmaster of Collegiate School from 1991-2000. He was a teacher and administrator at the William Penn Charter School and Abington Friends School. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of The Trinity School and he has served as a trustee of the Spence School. In addition, Mr. Dresden is, or has been, a member on the boards of NYSAIS, Interschool-New York City (chair 1996-99), Country Day School Headmasters Association, Ivy League Heads (chair), Headmasters Association, and International Boys (treasurer 1995-2000) among others.
Joyce G. McCray (BA Wellesley College, MA Yale University), a former teacher and administrator, was principal of Friends Seminary from 1977 through 1989. She then became the Executive Director of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). In 1996 Mrs. McCray became the IES Vice-President for Search and Consulting Services where she continues to consult with schools on head searches, strategic planning and trustee issues. She has served on many Friends Council on Education and NAIS committees. She served as the Chair of the NYS Task Force on Women, was a member of the Commission for Accreditation and served as a NYSAIS trustee. She has served as a trustee of several schools and associations, and is currently a trustee of the William Penn Charter School, the Good Hope School, and the Family Support Center.

Beacon of Educational Excellence
Staten Island Academy has stood as a beacon of educational excellence on Todt Hill since 1884. It is Staten Island's oldest private school and it is the Island's only independent school.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation named three members of the Class of 2003--Suzanne Nizza, Dan Press, and David Low--Semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship. Another senior, David Green, was named a Commended Student for his academic excellence. The students earned semifinalist status based on their scholarship and scores on last October's PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test). This designation places the Academy student-scholars in the top one-percent of students in the country. The commended student placed in the top five-percent of more than one million students who took the PSAT. An impressive 8% of the Academy's class of 2003 garnered recognition by the NMSC. The Academy has the highest number of semifinalists of all private and public schools in Staten Island. Among Brooklyn independent schools, the Academy has the distinction of ranking alongside Packer Collegiate and St. Ann's School with the most designated semifinalists.