Appointment of New Head of School for July 2024
Board President's Message
December 14, 2023
Dear Members of our TASIS Dorado Community,
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Sylvia Rodríguez Vargas as the next Head of The TASIS School in Dorado, effective July 1, 2024. After a thorough search process that yielded over 58 applicants and included visits by three final candidates to our School and meetings with various constituencies, Sylvia shined through with her accomplished trajectory, gravitas, strong leadership record, fluent Spanish, Puerto Rican heritage, and global mindset. Surveys of a select group of faculty, staff, parents, students, and others who met her confirmed the Board's sentiment that Sylvia is uniquely positioned to take our School to the next level of excellence.
Dr. Sylvia Rodríguez Vargas has served independent day and boarding schools for over 25 years. She began her career as a Spanish teacher and World Language Department Chair and has since held roles as a division director, communications and marketing chair, academic dean, associate head, and head of school. Sylvia is currently the Associate Head of School at The Hill School, a highly regarded 9-12th coed boarding school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. She also served as Interim Head of School at The Hill from December 2022 to June 2023. In her role as Associate Head, Dr. Rodríguez Vargas has provided oversight of academic programs and curriculum development; student support services, wellness, and community life; college counseling; athletics and co-curriculars; and the development of distinctive STEM and interdisciplinary learning programs. During her time as Interim Head, she worked closely with the CFO, Admissions, Advancement, and Strategic Communications Offices to advance the mission and strategic initiatives of the School. Dr. Rodríguez Vargas has also served as an instructor of Spanish, administrator on duty, student adviser, and chair of The Hill's reaccreditation with the Middle States Association.
Before The Hill School, Sylvia served as Associate Head of School and Director of Strategic Initiatives at Atlanta Girls' School in Georgia, where she spearheaded academic programs, including STEAM, and was the Advancement Team Leader in admissions, marketing, fund development, and constituent relations. Before she joined Atlanta Girls' School, she was Head of School at Brownell-Talbot School in Omaha, Nebraska.
In addition to her work in independent schools, Sylvia has served as an instructor and adjunct professor at The Ohio State University and the City University of New York, completed a seminar on school leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and was an NAIS E.E. Ford Fellow for Aspiring Heads. She was invited to serve on the National Assessment of EducationProgress Principals' Panel Standing Committee with the U.S. Department of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics. She has also served on advisory boards, was a mentor with the Hispanic Chamber of Columbus, Ohio, and has published numerous articles on School leadership.
Sylvia earned a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature, and Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies from Binghamton University, an M.Ed. in Educational Administration, Private School Leadership from Columbia University, and an M.A. in Latin American Literature and Literary Analysis and Ph.D. in Educational Administration from The Ohio State University.
On a personal note, Sylvia is moving to Dorado with her husband Brian Vargas, with whom they share an adult daughter, Kayla.
We will be working on scheduling a variety of events that will introduce Sylvia to the community. Additionally, as Deborah Monroe concludes a successful tenure at TASIS Dorado, we will be celebrating the outstanding work achieved under her leadership.
I want to take this opportunity to thank our Search Committee members and all parents, administrators, faculty, and students who participated in the various meet-and-greet events. Their time and hard work are invaluable contributions to the future of our School. The renowned firm of DRG, who acquired the former Wickenden Associates, was also instrumental in their support and guidance throughout the process.
In closing, we feel fortunate to have found Sylvia after such an extensive search. We believe her many achievements, leadership abilities, and commitment to leading our School according to the Board's and our community's cherished values make her the perfect match for TASIS Dorado at this moment in its history. It is with great enthusiasm that we look forward to working with her and welcoming her and her family into our community.
Warmly,
Federico Stubbe, Jr.
Board President
View Message from Sylvia Rodríguez Vargas, Ph.D.
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