Forsyth School welcomed Robert Butler, Jr., as new head of school on July 1, 2021. Butler returned to St. Louis and joined Forsyth with more than 20 years of experience as a teacher, coach, and administrator. He comes to Forsyth from University Liggett School (Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan), where he had been the assistant head of school and head of the middle school since 2017. Before that, he worked at Whitfield School in St. Louis for seven years in a variety of teaching, coaching, and administrative roles, ending his tenure there as the middle school director.
According to the committee that chose Butler, “Rob emphasized growth as personal, professional, and institutional… He talked about student growth and empathy. He spoke directly to equity and inclusion. He talked about collaboration and decision-making… He spoke to both the human and institutional elements of running a school. In short, Forsyth would be lucky to have him.”
Butler holds a master of arts in English from Oklahoma State University and a bachelor of arts in education from Northeastern State University. He has served on the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) Board of Trustees since 2015 and recently participated in the ISACS Leadership Academy in partnership with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.
The following are excerpts from Butler’s introductory letter to the Forsyth community: “With a profound sense of honor and gratitude, I welcome the opportunity to serve as head of school at Forsyth. Before my tenure at University Liggett School in Michigan, my family and I proudly called St. Louis home. I learned quite a bit about Forsyth when I worked at Whitfield School, and I was consistently impressed with the quality of Forsyth graduates. In addition to being academically sound, Forsyth students were well-equipped with the tools needed for success in secondary school and beyond.”
Butler continued, “Forsyth students always stood out for being incredibly thoughtful, articulate, determined, and prepared to embrace challenges. For all of these reasons, the opportunity to serve as a leader at Forsyth felt more like a calling than a job prospect. The magic of Forsyth became abundantly clear from the moment I set foot on campus. Even through the masks, social distancing, and other (necessary) safety protocols, the community’s warmth, passion, and joy were palpable. From the bright young eyes shining in the Eyas Program’s Falcon’s Nest, to the Grade 6 students who warmly engaged me in a conversation about math, to the intense energy of the Grade 5 students on the playground, I found a place that is a testament to the value of private elementary education. Forsyth is a place where the bedrock of honorable, confident, impactful global citizens is cultivated and nurtured by a talented and dedicated faculty and staff.”
Forsyth is currently celebrating the 60th anniversary of its founding.
