Churchill Center & School Announces New Head of School
MEDIA RELEASE – Dated 7/15/2019:
ANNE EVERS APPOINTED HEAD OF SCHOOL OF CHURCHILL CENTER & SCHOOL FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES, ONLY 2ND IN SCHOOL’S HISTORY
Anne Evers, Director of Admissions at Churchill Center & School, has been appointed Churchill’s Head of School, effective May 31, 2020, according to Asim Raza, president of the school’s Board of Trustees.
Evers was elected at a special meeting of the Board on July 8, 2019 at Churchill, after a nationwide, six-month search process. She will succeed Head of School Sandra Gilligan, who has served as director for 41 years since the school’s founding in 1978.
“The Search Committee conducted an exhaustive and thorough national search, and I am confident we presented the best-qualified candidate for recommendation to the Board,” said Raza, who also served on the Search Committee. “Anne’s extensive experience in the field of learning disabilities, her commitment to academic excellence and Churchill’s vision, along with her extraordinary interpersonal skills and compassion make her an exceptional educator and administrator to lead Churchill into the future.”
Evers has spent 35 years in the field of education, all of which have been at Churchill. Since 2005, she has served as the Director of Admissions and is also a member of the school’s Administrative Leadership Team. In addition, Evers has served as supervisor of the Auditory/Visual department, a classroom teacher and a Wilson Reading System® tutor.
“I am grateful and honored for this opportunity to lead our school, deeply rooted in the core values of child-centered education, genuine care and empowerment of our students, and advanced through the unwavering leadership of Sandi Gilligan over the past 41 years,” Evers said. “I have seen first-hand how Churchill truly changes lives inside and beyond the walls of our school building, and I am strongly committed to continuing our mission of helping as many children with learning disabilities as possible.
As Director, one of my goals is to expand our reach across the St. Louis region through our transformational Community Outreach Program so that we can impact more students with teacher training, workshops and school partnerships.”
Evers is a St. Louis native and a proud alumna of St. Louis University and Visitation Academy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education as well as a Master of Arts in Special Education from St. Louis University. In addition, Evers has an Educational Specialist degree in Administrative Leadership from Webster University and recently earned her Executive Scholar Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University in Chicago.
“As difficult as it is to think about leaving Churchill this May, I couldn’t have picked a more perfect candidate to be the next Head of School,” Gilligan said. “Anne has been part of the heart and soul of Churchill for 35 years, and I know she will continue to fulfill our important mission of providing our students the individualized education they need to achieve success.”
Evers is active in the community and loves to travel. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and is very involved with her nieces and nephews and their many activities.
Churchill’s current Head of School Sandra Gilligan announced in January 2018 that she would retire at the end of the 2019-2020 school year. She will continue to serve as Head of School through May 2020.