Introducing Our New Leader
It is with tremendous joy on behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Search Committee that we announce the appointment of Michael Drew as Cannon School’s eighth Head of School, beginning July 1, 2024.
After a rewarding and validating search that involved more than 180 talented candidates from across the country and around the world, we have the utmost confidence that we have found the individual to best lead Cannon and our students into a flourishing future.
Mr. Drew comes to us as a beloved and integral member of the Bolles School community, where over the course of seven years he has held the positions of Associate Head of School and Middle School Head. In his current role as Associate Head of School, he directs the campus heads and academic program at Bolles including 1750 students in grades pre-K through Postgraduates. With a central role in the school’s forward-thinking vision, Mr. Drew has implemented signature programs including the Center for Global Learning and Engagement, the Center for Innovation and Applied Technology, and the Leadership Development Program. He has also partnered with the Head of School and members of the leadership team to plan and fundraise for the 47,000 sq ft Center for Innovation, on target to open this Spring.
Prior to his work at The Bolles School, Mr. Drew worked at The Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee in the roles of Dean of Sixth Grade and Middle School Campus Head. During his career, Mr. Drew has taught in various capacities, including middle school science, leadership, technology, and outdoor education. Mr. Drew graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Natural Resources and Lesley University with a M. Ed.
At the heart of the school is a deliberate focus on relationships that drew me to Cannon and most excites me about joining the community.
- Mike Drew
We are thrilled to benefit from Mr. Drew’s extensive knowledge and broad experience, but even more so from his sincere appreciation for the culture that is the heart of Cannon. It is clear from the recommendations we received and the interviews that we conducted that Mr. Drew has the innate ability to authentically connect with and lead a school community. Our process gave us clarity that Mr. Drew is the best leader to guide our community to uphold the mission, vision, core values of Cannon.
Mr. Drew shared his perspective on joining Cannon: “I am truly honored and humbled for the opportunity to join Cannon as its next Head of School. Since the very beginning of the search process, every person I met – Board members, faculty, administration, students, and parents – demonstrated a genuine and heartfelt love of Cannon and a deep commitment to its mission. A former mentor used to say that you can tell right away if a school is intended for children or adults, and clearly Cannon is designed to provide a meaningful and joyful learning environment for students. At the heart of the school is a deliberate focus on relationships that drew me to Cannon and most excites me about joining the community.“
Mr. Drew will be joined by his wife Lisa, and their move to the area will bring them closer to their two adult children who already live in North Carolina. Mr. Drew shared “My wife Lisa and I are beyond excited to arrive on campus in July to begin connecting with members of the community and learning more about the school. I look forward to meeting everyone then.“
The depth and breadth of our candidates was truly impressive, and the thorough, diligent, and genuine search process was an incredible reflection of all members of the Cannon community. We would like to acknowledge the hours of work done by our excellent Carney Sandoe consultants – Deveraux McClatchey, Marsha Little, and Allison Stiles– our loyal and dedicated Search Committee members, and all participating members of the Cannon community that enabled us to reach this exciting and rewarding conclusion to our search process. The constant support from the greater Cannon community was the foundation of our success.