Leadership

Head of School Transition for 2023-2024

Board of Trustees announces the next head of San Francisco Schoolhouse

We are thrilled to share that after careful consideration of what is best for the future of the school, the Board of Trustees has unanimously and enthusiastically appointed Jina Kim as our next Head of School effective July 1, 2023. Jina has served as the Associate Head of School since August 2019, the Director of Operations and Outreach since August 2018, and a Board Trustee since August 2016. We have the utmost respect for Jina as both a dedicated Schoolhouse administrator and impassioned parent and look to her with confidence in leading our community in cultivating young people “empowered to transform their world.” As a founding member of Schoolhouse, she deeply believes in student-centered education and has demonstrated a commitment to upholding the potential and individuality of every child through her values-driven leadership. Please read the full announcement below:

Announcement from the Board of Trustees - 9/30/22

In August 2022, Head of School Carol A. Swainson announced she will be leaving San Francisco Schoolhouse at the end of the 2022-23 school year. Carol has led Schoolhouse through significant growth over the past 4 years and the Board of Trustees along with faculty and staff and the entire school community wish her well in her next endeavor as a Head of School in Bermuda. The board of trustees has selected the current Associate Head of School, Jina Kim, to take on the Head of School role as of the 2023-2024 school year.

Letter from Carol Swainson

Letter from the Board of Trustees

Head of School

Carol A. Swainson, Head of School, has been an administrator in independent schools for 18 years and has taught nearly every discipline from grades 3 through adult. Her various administrative roles have included Diversity Coordinator (Sidwell Friends School), Head of Middle School (Head-Royce School & University of Chicago Laboratory Schools), Associate Head of School (St. James’ Episcopal School) and Head of K-8 (Bentley School). Carol earned a B.A. in French and Spanish languages and an M.Ed. in social foundations from the University of Virginia. Throughout her career, Carol has been an advocate for experiential, international, and arts education; has overseen significant school growth and construction efforts; has championed sustainability, diversity, equity, and social justice; and has been a trailblazer in curriculum development, leading the way for the integration of technology and twenty-first century teaching and learning initiatives. A globalist at heart, Carol is fluent in French and Spanish and has also studied Italian and Arabic. She is also an amateur oboist and composer, having produced original works for theatrical and performance art shows and art installations.

Associate Head of School

Jina Kim, Associate Head of School & Director of Operations and Outreach Director, earned her B.A. in psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.A. at the University of Chicago in Social Service Administration. She went on to earn a J.D. at Northwestern University. Jina has worked with elementary-aged children in multiple capacities, including developing and teaching a Bridge Kindergarten, creating and leading an educational program for Vietnamese immigrant children, teaching science classes at the Lawrence of Hall of Science, supervising children in an after school program, and interning as a social worker at a children’s hospital. She also spent several years at Morrison Foerster LLP as an attorney, leading teams of 20 or more individuals on complex litigation cases. Jina has twin girls attending Schoolhouse this year, and a son who graduated from Schoolhouse. She has also been a Board member since 2016.

Board of Trustees

As an independent school, the San Francisco Schoolhouse is governed by a Board of Trustees. The Board’s primary responsibilities are to ensure the school’s financial health, to work with the Head of School in developing a long-term strategic plan for the school, and to support and evaluate the Head of School’s development and performance. The Board approves the annual operating budget, takes a leadership role in fundraising, and participates in planning and maintaining the school’s physical plant.

Erin Cooney, Board President, earned her B.S. at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and spent 19 years working in accounting, finance and sales operations for public accounting, start-ups and software companies in the Bay Area. With the birth of her third child she gave up the corporate world. At the same time her oldest child embarked on kindergarten. After looking at all the school options, she became passionate not only about a true progressive education but about a school where parents are an integral part of the journey along with their children. With that in mind, she teamed up with Rebecca Dake, another founding parent, to start the San Francisco Schoolhouse. Her youngest child attends the Schoolhouse.

Jennifer Gaddini, a San Francisco native, grew up in the Richmond District. She believes that there is no one way to learn something new and everyone reaches the same goal in different ways. This belief was learned throughout her 20 years in Human Resources by helping people focus on the end goal, however they got there. Similarly and as a parent, her hope is that children learn to appreciate and value diversity in their relationships with others. Jennifer is a graduate from San Francisco State University and Golden Gate University. She and her husband have two children, one of whom attends the Schoolhouse.

Robert Innes is a long-time lawyer for San Francisco financial services firm Charles Schwab. The father of four children and husband of a former SFUSD teacher, he believes that innovation in education is the key to keeping San Francisco a strong, vibrant and energetic place. He is grateful for the difference that Schoolhouse has made for his family and a firm believer in the power of Schoolhouse to do the same thing for many other families. Robert is a graduate of Cornell University and the University of Chicago and has one child (so far) at the Schoolhouse.

Ryan Laponis, a California native, is the son of an elementary school teacher. He was raised in Santa Barbara and has lived in the Bay Area since 1998. SF Schoolhouse’s commitment to building agency in children through honoring their curiosity and cultivating community through celebrating difference resonates deeply with Ryan’s values. As a practicing primary care physician and an associate professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco who specializes in curriculum development and teaching communication skills, he is deeply committed to helping create spaces where all voices can be heard and understood. Ryan and his partner have two children and both are enrolled at the Schoolhouse.

Michelle Magat's entrepreneurial spirit has shaped a 25-year career as a curious learner. She co-founded Current, a now global communications firm; ran her own consulting business, co-founded a school communications software startup; and now supports other entrepreneurs at La Cocina, a nonprofit that cultivates low-income, BIPOC and immigrant women entrepreneurs in formalizing and creating sustainable food businesses. Community service with a focus on education has always been woven throughout her life. She has toured students around SFMOMA as a museum guide, taught kindergarteners how to code as a computer instructor at SFUSD, and advises A Balanced Glass in supporting professionals in navigating careers in the alcohol industry while maintaining their wellness. After years, Michelle and her husband found in San Francisco Schoolhouse a place that would honor her daughter as an individual learner while infusing fun and championing social justice. Her daughter attends the Schoolhouse.

Courtney Masterson, Secretary, is a faculty member at University of San Francisco's School of Management. Her research and teaching focus on improving employees' well-being. As a teacher, lifelong learner, and parent, she believes in the power of experiential learning for students of all ages. She is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, DePaul University, and University of Illinois at Chicago. Courtney, her partner, and son moved to San Francisco from Chicago, a city they hold close to their hearts. They enjoy exploring San Francisco, supporting local businesses, and watching or playing baseball. Her son attends the Schoolhouse.

Randy Preston, is the chief business officer of Centese, a medical device company building products for the recovery of patients undergoing open-heart surgery. He has worked in the healthcare industry for 15 years, across multiple sectors and roles, fostering organizational growth. Randy is a California native, having grown up in the East Bay and attending Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where he earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering. While at Cal Poly, he found the “Learn by Doing” approach to be a refreshing and inspiring change from his prior educational experiences. This led him to evaluate the type of educational approach he wanted for his children in order to instill a lifelong love of learning. He found the idea of progressive education inspiring and the Schoolhouses approach authentic. Randy and his wife have three children, all attending the Schoolhouse.

Larry Roadcap, Treasurer, is Chief Finance and Operations Officer at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School of Greater Washington, a pluralistic day school serving approximately 860 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 in Rockville, Maryland. Larry brings to his work more than 25 years of experience in finance and treasury, risk and technology management in roles that span banking, consulting and software industries in the US, Asia and Australia. Larry's whole family is actively involved in education with his partner teaching middle school Spanish and their twin daughters, Louise and Olivia, studying at a local independent K-8 school. He is an advocate of micro-schools as a way to make independent education more accessible while using local facilities and public assets for experiential and project based learning. Larry is a graduate of Georgetown University (1994) and earned dual masters degrees in Finance and Technology Management from the University of California, Berkeley (2003) and Columbia Business School (2004).

Beatriz De La Rosa, Faculty Trustee for 2022-2024