Bios
Christopher Arnold is the co-founder of Educational Directions Incorporated, in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Schooled in the classics (Diploma, Roxbury Latin School, Boston, Massachusetts; B.A. with honors, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; and M.A., Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut), Mr. Arnold has taught Latin, ancient Greek,philosophy, history, and English; coached lacrosse, wrestling, and football; and held a variety of independent school administrative positions.
Chris launched his independent school career of more than two decades as teacher, coach, and dorm parent at the Pomfret School in Pomfret, Connecticut. Following this, he served as admissions officer, class dean, and department chair—in addition to teaching and coaching—at Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Massachusetts. Subsequently, he received an appointment as visiting scholar at the Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington.
Chris capped his independent school experience as head of the upper school at Heritage Hall in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, founded in 1969, whose PS – 12 curriculum enrolls over 800 students. During his six-year tenure—a significant period in the young school’s growth and coming of age—the leadership team completed a successful program of physical plant improvement and achieved a measurable rise in student performance.
Chris is a past trustee of Cate School in Carpinteria, California and the Peddie School in Hightstown, NJ. Within his community, he has served as a trustee of the Community Preparatory School, Providence, Rhode Island, and the Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum, New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Avid anglers, golfers, and tennis players, Chris and his wife Trish—trustee of the Posse Foundation and past trustee of Milton Academy and Wheaton College—reside in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, where they enjoy family gatherings with their three grown children and five grandchildren.
Stephen DiCicco is the co-founder of Educational Directions Incorporated. He attended Fay School and St. Mark’s School, both in Southborough, Massachusetts. He holds a B.A. and an M.Ed. from Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts. His experiences with day and boarding schools include teaching, dorm parenting, school headship and trusteeship.
Stephen began his teaching career at Rivers School in Weston, Massachusetts, subsequently becoming Head of its Middle School. He then went to Trinity-Pawling School in Pawling, New York, as Assistant Head and Director of Admissions. Together with his wife Harriet, he lived on campus, ran a sophomore dorm, and continued to teach. Later, he served as Head of St. Michael's School, Newport, Rhode Island, where he increased enrollment, expanded the Early Childhood Program, initiated after-school programs, developed a Strategic Plan, and carried out a Capital Campaign and building project.
Committed to the community, he has presided over the boards of the Newport Children’s Theatre and the Robert Potter League for Animals.
Stephen DiCicco has extensive board experience including membership on the Board of Williams School (CT), Treasurer of the White Mountain School (NH), Independent School Chairpersons Association and Brantwood Camp for disadvantaged children (NH) and past President of the Bartlett School (MA).
Associates
A graduate of Emory University, Margaret Huling Bonz earned an M.A. in Education from Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, and a Ph.D. in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland, College Park. She also holds a certificate from the Institute for Educational Management, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
A seasoned 38-year veteran in the field of education, Margaret has worked in colleges and in elementary and secondary schools, in both the independent and public sectors.
While at the University of Maryland, she was appointed Chair of the Chancellor’s Commission on Women's Affairs. In recognition of her leadership, she was awarded a Special Citation from the Governor of Maryland for contributions to achieving equity for women during the first decade of Title IX.
Margaret spent almost 14 years at Dartmouth College, initially as the first full-time Affirmative Action Officer and subsequently as Dean of Freshmen. While there, she was tapped to attend the National Forum of the American Council on Education National Identification Program for outstanding women administrators and educators. During a sabbatical, she served as Director of Student Life for the University of Pittsburgh Semester at Sea program and traveled around the world on the S.S. Universe.
She then became Head at Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, Connecticut, during a difficult period for single gender institutions in the late 1980s. While there, she strengthened the enrollment, doubled the endowment, tripled annual giving, completed the largest Capital Campaign in the School’s history, and oversaw the construction of a new Academic Center.
Margaret also conceived of and obtained five years of funding for the annual four-day Patrina Foundation Leadership Conference—a collaborative venture between the School and Dartmouth College instructing over 60 young women leaders from selected New England independent schools.
She was selected as a Klingenstein Visiting Fellow, a month-long program associated with Columbia University Teachers College, New York, and attended annually by ten independent school heads from the U.S. and abroad.
Margaret Huling Bonz has served on the Commission on Independent Schools for New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools and the Board of Directors for the Rumsey Hall School.
As the daughter of a Foreign Service officer, Harriet DiCicco experienced independent school education initially as a student in international schools. She holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and an M.Ed. from the University of Rhode Island, Kingston.
Harriet has worked with students of all ages in both public and private schools. She began teaching in a public alternative high school in Watertown, Massachusetts. When she moved with her husband Stephen to Trinity-Pawling School, Pawling, New York, she tutored in the Language Retraining Program and ran a sophomore dorm.
At St. Michael’s School, Newport, Rhode Island, Harriet was involved with creating and implementing a variety of school-wide community and fundraising projects and worked with students in an after-school club program. Upon completing her post-graduate work, she created curriculum and taught pre-kindergarteners, focusing on early literacy.
In the community, Harriet DiCicco has worked as a volunteer in the community literacy program in the public schools. She just stepped down as President of the Board of the Robert Potter League for Animals.
Over the course of his career, Matt has developed a wealth of knowledge and information about Catholic schools. His BA and Masters from California State University are in the field of Linguistics. His doctorate from the University of San Francisco/Institute for Catholic Education Leadership is in Private School Administration with a specific focus in international education.
Matt began his teaching in higher education with the California State University and from time to time, has returned to that world as lecturer at Los Angeles Valley College, and professor at Senzoku Gakuen College, Japan and Troy State University, Korea and Hawaii.
His experience with independent schools includes teacher and associate dean of students at St. Vincent’s High School (CA); teacher, coach and Director of the International Student Program at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy (CA), and academic dean at Marymount High School (CA) and middle school head at San Domenico (CA).
Most recently, Matt stepped down after 10 years as Head of San Domenico School - a day/boarding school founded by the Dominican Sisters, coed day in grades PK- 8 and girls only boarding/day in grades 9 -12. Among his accomplishments were the creation of a Master Plan, the new construction of a science and technology center, hall of the arts and athletic center, and the installation of one of the largest school based solar systems. In addition, he was responsible for the creation of a new teacher mentoring program, implementation of Teaching Excellence/Broad Band compensation model to promote professional excellence for faculty, as well as the enhancement of best practices for faculty in such areas as integration of literacy strategies across the curriculum.
Recognizing the importance of education and being of service to the larger community, Matt has served on the board of Seeds of Learning, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving educational opportunities in rural Latin America
With a BA in Japanese Studies and a Masters in Asia Pacific Studies augmenting her bilingualism, Risa’s career has led to various teaching and administrative positions in the educational world at institutions such as Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy (CA), Marin Academy (CA) and most recently San Domenico School (CA).
At San Domenico, Risa began as an instructor of Japanese language before moving into the Associate Director of Admissions position. She then took over the admissions for the high school as well as for all international students. Her signature programs at the school were known for attention to the individual prospective students and their families, and for involving currently enrolled families and students in the process.
As Director of International Student Relations, a position proposed by Risa to focus on the needs of international families, Risa collaborated with members of the College Counseling, Development and ESL departments to ensure that those families felt well-served by the school and part of the school community.
A dancer in her spare time, Risa also started a dance program as a component of the Theatre Arts department at San Domenico.
With undergraduate degrees in Elementary Education and Business Administration and a Masters in Management, Linda has a breadth of experience working in various types of organizations.
She began her career working for the Maine Department of Human Resources as a financial social worker. She has taught in the public school system in the adult education program and later at the elementary level.
Seeking broader horizons, Linda became an officer in the U.S Navy where she served in various capacities, stateside and abroad, for 16 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Commander.
Versed in speaking French, Spanish and Dutch, in directing naval ships in Spain that were in danger of grounding when a hurricane threatened,in getting 700 40-foot containers to their destination when a commercial ocean carrier company went bankrupt, Linda ably manages all aspects of Educational Directions’ publications.
In her free time, she is a master tax advisor for H&R Block and an enrolled agent for the IRS!