June 2025 Board Meeting

The Board of Trustees met on the School campus from Thursday through Saturday, June 5–7, 2025. Each day of the meeting began with readings followed by the sharing of spiritual insights from our prayers in support of Principia. The readings included these verses from Hymn 553 in the Christian Science Hymnal:

Our desire to heed God’s calling
Lifts us to a new design, 
Outlined by pure inspiration,
Rendered in Love’s graceful line. . . . 

With the model right before us, 
Perfect God and perfect man, 
Let God’s wholeness reign within us,
Let Mind’s will perfect our plan.

With classes out for the summer, the Trustees enjoyed the opportunity to meet with teams from the Business Office over lunch on Thursday and Friday. It was a wonderful chance to get to know one another and learn more about the work of Advancement, Marketing, Accounting, Payroll, IT, Human Resources, and Capital Projects.

We received updates from incoming Head of School Terry Grigsby and incoming Interim College President Dr. Meggan Madden. They shared their plans for the upcoming academic year and outlined priorities as they step into these new roles. The Board is confident in their leadership and grateful for the continuity these new campus heads bring to leading the School and College forward.

Updates and Presentations
On Thursday, administrators and staff representing all areas of Principia presented updates:

  • Reaffirmation of Accreditation: Both the School and College are preparing for visits from their respective accrediting bodies next academic year. Trustees heard updates on the report writing, editing, reviewing, and other work currently under way to be ready for the Independent Schools Association of the Central States visit (School, November 2025) and the Higher Learning Commission visit (College, February 2026).
  • Admissions and Marketing: College and School Admissions and Marketing Directors shared insights into the robust recruiting and marketing strategies for both campuses. The College shared the sophisticated new marketing materials promoting the new Academic Centers. These thorough presentations helped Trustees understand recent successes as well as the challenges facing each campus for the upcoming year.
  • Human Resources: HR provided an update on their ongoing work to roll out and fine-tune the Principia-wide career framework and to expand manager and employee training.

Decisions and Approvals
On Friday and Saturday, the Board received additional updates from administrators and took action in several areas.

  • Capital Projects: Approved construction of a new entrance for the School campus from Clayton Road, improving wayfinding, traffic flow, and safety.
  • Student Healthcare: Consistent with Principia’s treatment choice policy and in support of evolving student needs, the Board approved the hiring at the School of a medical nurse to assist students seeking medical care, beginning with the 2025–2026 academic year. Both campuses continue to employ full-time Christian Science nurses to support spiritual healing.
  • College Academic Centers: Ratified the final organization and naming of the five interdisciplinary Academic Centers at the College (Center for the Arts; Center for Narrative, Meaning, and Media; Center for Civic and Global Engagement; Center for Sustainability, Ecology, and Chemistry; Center for Business and Computer Science).
  • Strategic Plan: Ratified the seven overarching goals of The Journey Reimagined: Principia’s 2025–2028 Strategic Plan:
    • Serve the Cause of Christian Science
    • Grow enrollment and retention
    • Foster a vibrant campus life
    • Design a distinct, results-oriented academic approach
    • Promote financial sustainability
    • Nurture an excellent, inclusive, and productive workplace
    • Evolve and improve system infrastructures (data, shared services, business intelligence, and facilities)
  • Chief Executive Barbara Blackwell facilitated a visioning workshop with Trustees as part of the 10-Year Task Force that is contributing long-term ideas for strategic planning.

Board Elections
The Trustees discussed our Board self-assessment, ratified updated nomination and election procedures for Board leadership positions, and held annual elections for Board leadership.

The following Trustees were elected to Board leadership positions for the term of one year, beginning immediately following the June 2025 Board meeting and ending at the June 2026 Board meeting:

  • Board Chair: Kristin Jamerson
  • Board Vice Chair: Todd Boyman
  • Trusteeship Committee Chair: Chestnut Booth

We are grateful that outgoing Board Chair Scott Schneberger will be able to support the transition to a new Board Chair as he finishes his final year as a Trustee. Other Board Officers elected to the Board Executive Committee for the term of one year are: 

  • Treasurer: David Walters
  • Secretary: Trish Sarkisian
  • At-Large: Liz Crow

The Board elected Dr. Ann Austin to join as a Trustee, effective immediately. Dr. Austin is a University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University (MSU), where she has been a faculty member in the College of Education since 1991. Her positions at MSU have included serving as Interim Vice Provost and Associate Vice President for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs, Interim Dean of the College of Education, Associate Dean for Research, and Assistant Provost for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs. She is married to John Beck, and they have an active family with three grown children, their spouses, and three grandsons.

Gratitude
As we close a year of tremendous progress across Principia, we are deeply grateful for your dedicated work. Following this inspiring meeting that highlighted so much good being accomplished, the Trustees are lifting “our hearts in joy today,” in accord with this past year’s inspirational theme from Hymn 58 in the Christian Science Hymnal. 

Have a happy summer and know that the Board is grateful for every good work, embracing you in the love of divine Love.