April 3, 2023
Dear Pegasus Community,
After nearly a decade at The Pegasus School, Jason Lopez has informed the Board of Trustees of his plans to retire as Head of School at the end of the 2023–2024 school year. On behalf of the Board, I would like to express gratitude to Jason and warmest wishes to him and Pernille for what will be a well-deserved retirement after ten years at The Pegasus School and 35 years as an educator.
From the start of a typical day, greeting students arriving at school, cheering on a team and coaching super-readers for Battle of the Books, applauding student performances, joining students in their classroom activities, advising middle schoolers, mentoring teachers, playing Dads’ basketball, or displaying a vehicle license plate with the word ROAR, Jason's passion for Pegasus is undeniable.
Since Jason joined Pegasus in 2014, he has been an inspirational leader, working tirelessly to promote the school's Mission. He ensured that Pegasus offered a robust academic program by retaining and recruiting outstanding faculty and staff who nurture our student's intellectual curiosity and compassion. A dedicated administrative team is also now in place to support the school's operations. With Jason's guidance and the generosity of the Pegasus community, The Pegasus School improved its physical campus for our students by adding a pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten outdoor classroom, the Horowitz Family Quad, and the Kazu Fukuda Science and Technology Center. Furthermore, Jason managed Pegasus through a global pandemic, supporting our faculty and staff as they seamlessly moved our students to virtual learning and then safely back to the Pegasus campus — all while maintaining our sense of community in difficult times.
Jason will complete a decade of service at the end of the 2023–2024 school year, retiring at the ideal time to leave the school poised for excellence for the next journey under a new Head of School. The school is on firm financial footing. By Jason's retirement, we anticipate completing the re-accreditation process, the Geisler Family WINGS Building and project, and the Roots to Grow, Wings to Soar Strategic Plan. Pegasus is in a prime position to recruit its next Head of School to build upon Jason's success. We are thankful for Jason's decade of excellence and considerable contributions to establishing Pegasus as the premier day school for pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8 in Orange County.
Pegasus will use its advantageous position to attract exceptional candidates and find the next leader to advance the school’s Mission, embrace the school's unique philosophy established by visionary founder Dr. Laura Hathaway, preserve the ethos and culture of the community, and be an inspirational leader in an ever-changing world.
The Board has planned with Jason to make the transition to new leadership as smooth as possible. The school has retained Educational Directions, a nationally recognized consulting firm for independent schools and proven leader in Head of School searches, to oversee the search process. Also, the Board has formed a Head of School Search Committee to work with Educational Directions. In a couple of days, I will announce the members of the search committee and provide a search timeline. The Board expects the Head of School search process to take several months and to conclude by Winter 2023 with the announcement of the next Head of School, who will begin effective July 1, 2024.
The Pegasus community is fortunate to have one more school year with Jason. He will continue in his current role throughout the 2023–2024 school year, after which the Board will recognize Jason with the honorary title of Head of School Emeritus for his significant contributions and lasting impact on the school. In the coming months, the community will have opportunities to celebrate the success of the school under Jason’s leadership while making time to plan for an exciting future. Jason has genuinely helped Pegasus become the vibrant community it is today. He will retire with Pegasus poised to soar under new leadership.
Congratulations to Jason on his upcoming retirement!
Sincerely,
Diem Dang
Chair, Board of Trustees