Montgomery School names new leader

CHESTER COUNTY

Montgomery School names new leader

CHESTER SPRINGS The Montgomery School announced recently that Sarah "Sally" B. Keidel will become head of school beginning July 1.

She will replace Kevin R. Conklin, who is leaving to become head of school at St. Mark's Episcopal Day School in Jacksonville, Fla.

Founded in 1915, the school, independent and coed from preschool through eighth grade, will celebrate its centennial in the 2015-16 school year. It lists 235 students this year.

Keidel has 22 years of experience with independent schools, including the last seven years at Agnes Irwin School, where she spent five years as director of admission and financial aid and then was assistant head of school.

She has also worked at the Hill School, Episcopal High School (Va.), and Chatham Hall (Va.). Keidel is a graduate of Dickinson College with a bachelor's of arts in French, and she earned her master's in educational leadership at the University of Pennsylvania.

She lives in Phoenixville with her husband and two children.

Board chair Tony DiFrancesco said Keidel will "bring a collaborative and thoughtful leadership style that instills confidence and respect in those around her."

Said Keidel, "Everyone affiliated with Montgomery sincerely cares about the school's exceptional execution of its mission. The educator in me identified with that feeling, and I naturally wanted to be part of it."

- Inquirer staff