Head of School Announcement

September 26, 2024

James A. Hamilton was unanimously appointed Peddie’s 17th Head of School at a special meeting of the Board of Trustees, Board Chair Doug Davidson ’64 announced today. Hamilton will begin his position on July 1, 2025.

Hamilton has served as the Head of School of Berwick Academy in Maine for the past six years. Prior to taking the lead at Berwick, he was the Associate Head for External Affairs at Brooks School in Massachusetts and the Director of Admission at St. George’s School in Rhode Island. He began his independent school career at Brooks, where his first role was Director of Financial Aid and Associate Director of Admission for six years.

“Jim could not be a better educator to lead Peddie in its next chapter,” Davidson said. “The search committee and the Board of Trustees were convinced that his strong and steady leadership, his vision for Peddie’s future and his genuine warmth and care for others will make him successful beginning in Peddie’s 162nd year.”

Hamilton is a graduate of Amherst College (B.A., English) and Wesleyan University (M.A., Liberal Studies). He is a member of the Board of Trustees of The Roxbury Latin School in Boston and is a class agent at Amherst. He is a member (and chair-elect) of the Board of Trustees of the Enrollment Management Association and serves on the Board of Directors of The Music Hall in Portsmouth, N.H.

“I am deeply honored to join the Peddie community and grateful to Doug Davidson, the search committee, and the Board of Trustees for entrusting me with the leadership of this remarkable School,” Hamilton said. “I am excited to embark on this journey and, following Peter Quinn’s impactful legacy, to continue shaping Peddie into a place where students thrive and grow into individuals who will make a difference in the world.”

Doug Davidson ’64, Chair of the Peddie Board of Trustees and head of the Search Committee, said Hamilton’s steady leadership made an impact at the three independent schools he served.

“When the Board of Trustees began its search for a new Head of School last winter, we knew that finding a successor for Peter Quinn and his decades of experience at Peddie would be a challenging feat,” Davidson said. “We also knew that every transition is an opportunity for a school to look far into its future and dream about all its wants for its students, alumni, employees and community.”

Hamilton will succeed Head of School Quinn who will retire from Peddie after 11 years.

“Jim Hamilton has the heart to understand and cherish Peddie, the experience to celebrate and challenge Peddie, and the vision to lead the Peddie community in that wonderful habit of beginning ‘anew,’ ” Quinn said.