Putney School begins planning for leadership change in 2027

O’Brien said he is leaving to pursue other professional opportunities.

The Putney School will open a search for its next head of school after Danny O’Brien said he plans to resign in January 2027, ending a tenure that has lasted nearly five years.

Board Chair John MacIntosh notified the school community in a letter that the Board of Trustees learned of O’Brien’s decision earlier this month and has already approved it. O’Brien said he is leaving to pursue other professional opportunities.

The school’s leadership transition is expected to include both an interim appointment and a longer-term national search. The Board of Trustees intends to name an interim head before O’Brien departs. That person would start with the winter trimester and remain in the role through the 2027-28 school year while the board searches for a permanent replacement.

A search committee appointed by the board will oversee the hiring process, with help from an outside firm that specializes in independent and private schools. Community members will also be invited to offer input as the search moves forward, according to MacIntosh.

During his time at Putney, O’Brien pointed to a series of institutional changes, including the completion of the Sing It Forward capital campaign, which he described as the school’s largest fundraising effort. He also cited growth in the endowment, renovations to campus facilities, the creation of the Norwood Hinckle Chair in Music and the Justice in Action Fund for financial aid, and efforts to improve financial stability, faculty support and administrative procedures.

MacIntosh said the school gained strength under O’Brien’s leadership, noting campus upgrades and the addition of two new energy-efficient dormitories.

In looking back on his experience, O’Brien recalled an early morning after a winter storm that buried southern Vermont under more than 2 feet of snow. He said he went to the barn at 5:15 a.m. expecting students on barn duty might need assistance, but instead found that every assigned student had already made the trek from the dorms.

He said that moment reflected what he sees as the school’s enduring character and its emphasis on responsibility, service and personal growth alongside academics. Until he leaves in January 2027, O’Brien said he will continue working on current priorities and celebrating what the community has accomplished.