MAYER, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One of the west’s most historic and revered college preparatory boarding schools, The Orme School, today announced Bruce A. Sanborn as its new headmaster. Sanborn’s selection was the result of a comprehensive six-month search by trustees of the board. With 34 years working in private college preparatory education, Sanborn brings a depth and breadth of experience in rigorously educating the individual student while also serving the school community. He begins his tenure as Headmaster of The Orme School on July 1.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Bruce Sanborn’s caliber leading The Orme School forward. Bruce’s extensive boarding and college preparatory school experience, combined with his time both in and out of the classroom, are a most excellent fit for our school and community,” said Marian Craver, Chair, Orme Board of Trustees. “Bruce Sanborn represents our founder, Charles H. Orme Jr.’s vision for the school: “Preparation for college, by all means. Preparation for living, for leadership, by every means.”
The Orme School trustees found Sanborn’s traditional college preparatory boarding school experience, including leadership positions at the oldest preparatory residential school in the U.S., West Nottingham Academy in Colora, Maryland (est. 1744), a uniquely strategic fit for Orme, one of the oldest co-educational college preparatory schools west of the Mississippi (est. 1929), founded by two visionary Stanford University graduates.
Mr. Sanborn, and his wife, Cathy, who have four adult children, will begin their westward journey to central Arizona this summer. In addition to extensive school leadership, teaching and coaching experience, Mr. Sanborn brings a love for the outdoors, inspired by summer work as a young man on a large cattle ranch in Colorado. In his new role of leading The Orme School, located adjacent to the 26,000-acre Orme Ranch and 1.25 million-acre Prescott National Forest, he will return to many personal interests including historic preservation and restoration, hiking, kayaking, skiing, camping, and gardening.
“With Orme’s focus on academic excellence, outdoor experiential education, and character development in a truly unique and beautiful setting rich in history, the possibilities to create transformative opportunities for students are endless,” said Mr. Sanborn.
Mr. Sanborn will begin his tenure with The Orme School as the historic school’s newest initiative--a commitment to local food systems--quite literally, grows. Earlier this year a new 35,000-square-foot organic garden was built by the students to provide produce and culinary herbs for the school’s meals. The school’s Director of Food Services, Chef Patti Marrs, is leading a novel garden-to-table, ranch-to-table and farm-to-table procurement initiative that sources both from the school’s organic garden as well as regionally-raised meats and locally-grown ingredients for a 2014-launched healthier school food initiative. In addition, the School’s alumni raised funds to build a new swimming pool, which will be completed by June 1, in time for the School’s summer Ranch Camp.
Mr. Sanborn, who will be participating in the May board of trustees meeting at The Orme School, will be taking over the leadership of The Orme School from interim Headmaster Michael Gemma.
Established in 1929 by Charles and Minna Orme, both 1916 Stanford University graduates, The historic Orme School is distinct as a pioneering independent, nonprofit (501c3) educational institution. The Orme campus is located in central rural Arizona on 300 acres at 4,000 ft. elevation, and is surrounded by the 26,000-acre Orme Ranch, and the 1.25-million acre Prescott National Forest. In addition to its rigorous academics, Orme students are involved in outdoor, athletic, horsemanship and art activities as part of a well-rounded experience to prepare students for both college and life. The oldest coeducational residential college preparatory school in the Western States of America, Orme remains committed to its founding family’s traditional educational values of community, responsibility, leadership, competition, and academics.
The Orme School’s motto is: “Excellence, Tradition, Character”.
