Dear Acera Community,

The Acera Board of Directors is excited to announce the unanimous vote to appoint Dr. Heather Pinedo-Burns as the next Head of Acera School. She has a doctorate in education, a strong track record of leadership, and a deep commitment and focus on gifted education. We believe she is the ideal leader for Acera’s next chapter and is strongly aligned with our mission and strategic plan. Heather’s appointment as Head will commence on July 1, 2025.

The process of finding the next head of school was a thorough and rigorous one that began last December. We are very fortunate that our Board includes two former heads of school with collectively 30+ years of experience who were both able to provide wise counsel throughout the process. Advice and engagement from these and other Board members early on helped us agree on a search process in which we sought an Associate Head of School, with succession planning top of mind. After interviewing several potential search firms, Courtney and the Board selected Educational Directions and recruiter Jay Underwood, himself a former head of a gifted school, to help us conduct our search for an Assistant Head of School, with the hope that we might ultimately be identifying Acera’s future Head.

After posting the search nationally, Jay reviewed and interviewed numerous applicants presenting an initial pool to Courtney who further whittled them down. We established a Search Advisory Committee that included representatives from all constituencies including: Acera parents, faculty, administration, alumni, and Board members. After extensive reference checking and initial interviews, the top five candidates came to the Committee for a structured group interview. From there, three finalists emerged all with varied experiences and strong backgrounds. Each finalist then came to Acera for a daylong visit which included in-person interactive workshops with staff and question and answer sessions with parents. The parent sessions were recorded and shared with the entire parent community; all were invited to provide input.

The entire process revealed Heather by a significant margin to be the preferred candidate for our school. Our recruiter shared that he had never seen such unilaterally positive feedback for a school leader candidate. Though perhaps unconventional, it was Courtney and the Board’s desire to hire an Associate Head of School who had the full capability of becoming the next head, and to give her time to integrate into the community, learn and experience our mission and values, and allow both parties to assess mutual fit. We are all now delighted to say that the fit is mutual.

Running parallel to the search process, our community has been engaged for over a year in creating our updated strategic plan. Quite fittingly, it is titled ‘Building To Last,’ and functioned as a North Star in our search. The strategic planning process included hundreds of voices (parents, faculty, students, and alumni) through 18 different input meetings. Of note, these discussions helped us further align around the centrality of gifted education as the core part of our mission, and to ensure that this mission endures through sustainable leadership and thoughtful succession planning.

As a Board, we have met with Heather both individually and collectively. Also, we have heard resoundingly strong reports on her performance since her first days beginning with last summer’s Instructional Leadership Team workshop. Our Board’s unanimous vote shows our belief in Heather’s intellect, experience, judgement, enthusiasm, and listening leadership style. We are confident she will enable our school to build on its strengths and also elevate Acera as the school for gifted students in New England. We whole-heartedly support her as our leader as we seek to achieve the goals set in our Building to Last 2030 Strategic Plan.

As Heather takes on the role of Head of School, Courtney will transition to one with an outward facing focus. She will continue to work on sharing the story of Acera with potential students and families. She will help with fundraising efforts for One Lowell and continue to grow the Acera EI program.

Following this letter, you’ll receive a note from Courtney in which she shares more details about the transition and outlines opportunities for you to spend additional time with Heather this winter and spring.

Thank you to Courtney for creating Acera! Thank you to all current and former students, families, faculty, staff and friends for making this such a special place. Please join us in welcoming Heather to her new role.
Sincerely,

Holly Whittemore
Chair of the Board of Directors of Acera School

Dear Acera Parents,

Love and Respect
At Acera, love and respect are at the heart of everything we do–a love of learning, inquiry, thinking, innovation, and creativity, and a deep respect for our students, our teachers’ autonomy, and the collaborative spirit of our community.

A year ago, I first learned of Acera, a small school with big dreams. From the moment I arrived, collaboration, innovation, and kindness echoed through every conversation—with students, staff, parents, and board members. Acera is a place where student-led inquiry, interdisciplinary learning, and outdoor free play are cherished. It’s a school where teachers’ passions ignite sparks of inspiration. At Acera, I saw the true meaning of community. A community that loves learning, embraces friendship and most importantly pushes us to try harder.

I am honored to succeed Courtney Dickinson as the next Head of School. My heart is filled with gratitude for Courtney, for the students, staff, parents, board, and administration who make Acera an extraordinary educational community.

Building to Last
Guided by Acera’s mission and our Strategic Plan: Building to Last, my leadership will center on four commitments: Giftedness, Stewardship, Stability, and Growth.

Stewardship means honoring Acera’s mission and ensuring the long-term financial stability of the school. Through thoughtful planning and strategic decision-making, we will preserve and grow our strong financial foundation, safeguarding Acera’s legacy for the next 15 to 50 years.

Stability fosters a thriving school culture. Research shows that teacher and student retention directly impacts the quality of education. By supporting a healthy, consistent environment, we’ll nurture opportunities for growth, creativity, and new possibilities.

Growth will be thoughtful and intentional, always guided by our approach of admitting for fit. We’ll carefully increase enrollment while maintaining Acera’s identity as an intentionally small school. The intimacy and connection of a small school are invaluable, and as we expand with the addition of 1 Lowell, we’ll prioritize building a unified, connected community across both campuses.

Giftedness is our guidepost. At Acera, we know there is no single way to be gifted. We view giftedness as a unique lens through which students experience the world. Our inquiry-based, interdisciplinary, and hands-on approach meets each student where they are. Individualized learning plans, sustained blocks of learning time, and our commitment to outdoor play are cornerstones of our promise to gifted students.

Making Our Work Visible
We must make the incredible work happening at Acera visible. This means enhancing communication—both internally and externally—and creating opportunities for families and the broader community to witness the magic of our classrooms.

Building on our efforts in curriculum mapping and classroom communication, we will create more ways for you to see and engage with what makes Acera so special. By opening windows into our students’ learning experiences, we can celebrate our successes and strengthen our shared purpose.

Looking Ahead
I will continue to listen, learn, and lead with a steadfast commitment to Acera’s mission. Together, we will ensure Acera is recognized as the destination for gifted education in New England. Community collaboration, clarity in communication, and continuity will guide us as we move forward.

As a leader, I value reflection and seek feedback. I thrive on connection and am excited to deepen my understanding of this remarkable community. Your thoughts, ideas, and conversations are always welcome.

Honoring and Fostering the Magic of Acera
Acera is unlike any other school. Here, students dash to the Adventure Playground for recess and race back to class ready for inquiry. At a time when studies show students nationwide feel less challenged and engaged in school, it is clear that Acera students are happy to be here every day.

Acera is a place where gifted students are challenged, valued, seen, heard, and supported—with love and respect. My role is to ensure this magic flourishes for years to come.

With joy and anticipation,
Heather