A Message from Dr. Dina Seif,
NH Parent and Chair of the Board of Trustees

Assalamu Alaikum Dear New Horizon Community,

On behalf of the Head of School Search Committee and New Horizon Board of Trustees, I am excited to share that the Board unanimously voted to appoint Mrs. Heba Hathout as our Head of School-elect.

Starting in March, we began a comprehensive search process led by distinguished educational search firm, RG175, which included rigorous screening, deep background checks, exhaustive interviews, detailed reference conversations, in-depth personal assessments, campus visits, live writing samples, and community surveys. Our search relied heavily on the input of teachers, administrators, parents, trustees, and even students. The Search Committee meticulously scrutinized the candidates’ qualifications and leadership records, while simultaneously assessing their readiness for the position and evaluating their alignment with our school’s ethos.

In addition to her 12 years as an educator in independent schools, Mrs. Hathout’s 7-year tenure as Dean of 7th Grade at her current institution has been a robust training ground for her future role at New Horizon. Her responsibilities included admissions, leading faculty while supporting their development, creating and implementing curriculum, managing academic and disciplinary issues, and addressing parent concerns. As an administrative leader, she has had insight into broader school functions, strategic planning, and policy implementation, all of which are critical to a school’s success and major requirements for the role of Head of School. Furthermore, Mrs. Hathout’s rigorous academic journey through Princeton and Harvard, where she achieved a Master of Mathematics Education, demonstrates her pursuit of excellence and dedication to the field of education.

Mrs. Hathout’s references spoke glowingly of her collaborative spirit and ability to “elevate” colleagues. They praised her exceptional organization, skillful management, composure in difficult situations, and effective goal achievement. She fosters meaningful, empathetic connections with students and parents. Mrs. Hathout’s current Head of School expressed full confidence in her readiness to excel as Head of School. We agree and are excited to see her achieve success at New Horizon.

Mrs. Hathout’s virtues, professional characteristics, dedication to excellence, knowledge of independent schools, administrative experience, leadership acumen, and vision for New Horizon align seamlessly with our values and aspirations. She has accepted the position and is thrilled for her family to join the New Horizon Irvine community on July 1, 2024.

Dr. Dina Eletreby, having led our school for 2 decades, recognizes the significance of a New Horizon alumna assuming the role of the next Head of School. Dr. Eletreby will continue to lead New Horizon through June 2024 and has committed to working closely with Mrs. Hathout in her first year to assure a smooth transition and ensure that the school remains steadfast in its mission. We look forward to celebrating Dr. Eletreby and recognizing her immeasurable contributions to our beloved school later this year.

The Board of Trustees is deeply grateful to Caitlyn Hobbs, Chair of the Head of School Search Committee, and members of the Search Committee: Uzma Said, Raghad Atari, Motasem Benothman, and Ali Bohra. Their commitment to this process is truly commendable. We thank our search consultant, Doreen Oleson, for her guidance and expertise. Finally, we thank our beautiful community and invite each of you to join in support, encouragement, and collaboration to further nurture an environment of growth and excellence at New Horizon. Our confidence in this selection is rooted in a collective commitment to the future. Change signifies progress, and with our next Head of School at the helm, we are certain that our school will continue to flourish with boundless opportunities for progress and innovation, inshaAllah.

With warm regards,
Dina Seif, MD

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Letter from Incoming Head of School, Heba Hathout

Assalamu Alaikum New Horizon Students, Parents, and Community Members,

I am truly honored to accept the position of Head of School beginning July 2024. Having experienced New Horizon as a student in its earliest days, as a Board Member of New Horizon Pasadena, and a current parent of a rising Preschooler and Kindergartener, I have loved New Horizon for decades.

The value of a rigorous and simultaneously progressive Muslim-American education is immeasurable, and New Horizon is unique in its ability to provide this. As a New Horizon alumna, I can bear witness to the lifelong effects of such an education – it is at New Horizon that I learned how to establish and maintain my prayers, that I fasted my first Ramadans with my friends, and built a community of friends and family bonded by our shared values. As a New Horizon parent, it brings me great comfort to know that my childrens’ school is sharing in the massive responsibility of instilling Islamic values in our kids.

Dr. Eletreby’s work over the last two decades on behalf of New Horizon is awe-inspiring. She has established New Horizon as a premier independent school in Orange County, founded the New Horizon Irvine Middle School, expanded the school to two campuses, and led the school through historic national events. I am humbled to be following in her footsteps and delighted to be able to use the next year to learn from her.

In the coming years, I look forward to working with the board, the faculty and staff, and the student and parent bodies to take advantage of the opportunities before us. I am eager to continue to grow the Middle School programming and facilities in a post-pandemic environment, and to deeply reflect on how we, as a community, can best serve our alumni, helping them to maintain their Islam and connection to the Muslim community after their graduation from New Horizon.

During our visit to the New Horizon campus this Winter, my husband and I were astounded by the engagement of the Preschoolers in their classroom activities, the Picasso artwork of the elementary school students, the beauty of the Quran reading room, the incredible DSL sports program, and so much more! You have all built something truly special, and we are honored to be able to step into and contribute to it, insha’Allah.

I am greatly looking forward to the return of students and families to campus this August and hope to meet each one of you throughout the course of the year. Please know that I consider my primary goal of this year to be to listen. While I have a cherished New Horizon background and extensive independent school experience, I recognize that I am new to the Irvine community and I am deeply committed to learning from all of you.

The start of a new school year is always a time for excitement, hopes, and new beginnings. This is especially true for me this coming year. Please be on the lookout this summer for further communication on informal Meet-and-Greet opportunities in the early weeks of the new school year. I look forward to getting to know all of you and to building friendships within our community, insha’Allah.

Sincerely,
Heba Hathout

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Follow-up: Head of School Search Committee Announcement


Assalamu Alaykum Dear New Horizon School Community,

Following Head of School Dr. Dina Eletreby’s announcement to retire after the 2023-24 school year, I am writing to assure our community that the Board is taking the task of finding the next Head of School very seriously.  After interviewing several search firms that specialize in head of school searches, we are pleased to share that our search partner is Resource Group 175 (RG175), a nationally recognized search firm. More importantly, the individual who will be overseeing the search process and advising the Search Committee is Doreen Oleson from RG175, a proven leader in Head of School searches. Doreen, who spent 25 years as the Head of Saint Mark’s School, an Episcopal day school in Southern California and has served as president of the governing board of the National Association of Episcopal Schools, is very familiar with New Horizon and Dina’s 20-year tenure as Head of a CAIS School.

We are also pleased to announce that Caitlyn Hobbs, Trustee and Alumni parent, will Chair the Head of School Search Committee. The Search Committee brings diverse experience, varied skills, and broad community representation to the process, assuring we find the right candidate for New Horizon School, Irvine.  We will strive to run a process that provides many opportunities for many viewpoints to be heard.

Joining Caitlyn on the Search Committee are the following:

  • Dina Seif (Trustee, Board Chair, and Current Parent)
  • Ali Bohra (Trustee, Chair of the Development Committee, and Current Parent)
  • Motasem Benothman (Former Board Chair, Current Board Chair of the New Horizon Irvine Educational Foundation, and Alumni Parent)
  • Uzma Said (Lower School Director and Alumni Parent)
  • Raghad Atari (Admissions Director, Alumni and Current Parent)
 

The search committee will review candidate resumes, interview promising candidates, speak to references, select finalists, and recommend the next Head of School for the Board to hire. As a reminder, the search committee’s job is to make the final recommendation to the board. The final decision and responsibility to appoint the next Head of School rests solely with the Board of Trustees.

The search process will also include opportunities for the community to have a voice. Doreen will be at New Horizon School, Irvine on May 31st and June 1st, 2023, to gather input from all constituents about the school and the characteristics the community hopes to find in the next Head of School. Community members will be interviewed and surveyed, and from these discussions with our entire community, she will develop a job description to be circulated nationally. Later, community members will have the opportunity to meet with the finalists when they come to campus and provide feedback on the finalists to the search committee. The Board expects the Head of School search process to take several months and to conclude by Winter 2023 with the announcement of the next Head of School, who will begin effective July 1, 2024.

Here is the search timeline:

May 2023
Search consultant surveys and interviews school community with a two-day site visit; Write, edit, secure approval, publication, and circulation of Job Description and Posting;

May–September 2023

Candidate recruitment begins with preliminary interviews of prospects by Search Consultant; Initial review of candidate dossiers by New Horizon School’s Search Committee; Semifinalists selected

October-December 2023

Interviews of Semifinalists, followed by Finalist visits

January 2024

Announce Head of School selection

July 1, 2024

Head of School assumes responsibility

The search committee plans to update community members throughout the process via email, and there will be information, updates, and frequently asked questions about the Head of School Search on the New Horizon School, Irvine website.   

We are also thankful for our entire administration, faculty, and staff for continuing to positively and meaningfully impact the school and school community. New Horizon School, Irvine looks forward to finding its next Head of School to build upon the decades of leadership by Dr. Dina Eletreby. Thank you to the Head of School Search Committee for taking on this significant responsibility.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dina Seif
Chair, Board of Trustees

Meet Our Consultant

The Board of Trustees has engaged Resource Group 175 (RG175), a consulting firm that specializes in independent school transitions, to lead the community through a comprehensive and inclusive search process.  RG175 will be represented by Doreen Oleson, Ed.D. and, as an initial step, will be on campus to interview community members and to learn as much as possible about what makes New Horizon School, Irvine special.  In addition, she and her colleagues at RG175 will work to attract a great candidate pool for our search.   

Doreen Oleson

 

Doreen is a Senior Search Consultant and has been with RG175 since she retired after twenty-five years in 2015 as Head of School from Saint Mark’s School, an Episcopal Parish Day School in Altadena, CA.  Prior to her appointment in 1990 as Head, she was Assistant Vice-President at Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA and prior to her university work, she taught in the public schools in Hawaii and California. She also served as the president of the governing board of the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), was trustee of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), was president of the California Association of Independent Schools’ board of directors (CAIS), served on the National Commission on Accreditation, and chaired the Commission on Schools for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. 

 

She now resides in Las Vegas, NV with her husband, Don Oleson, a retired missile defense engineer, and is “Mom” to two boys and two girls (all grown up now) and is “Granny” to seven grandchildren, ages 6 through 25. 

Dr. Oleson is currently the CAIS representative to the Accrediting Commission for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. She also mentors aspiring school leaders and new heads of schools and belongs to organizations and boards which support education and community service learning.

In addition, if you have any questions or comments, please contact her at 626-676-5203 or doreenoleson@gmail.com.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Dr. Dina Eletreby will complete twenty-two years of service to New Horizon School, Irvine at the end of the 2023–2024 school year.  New Horizon is in the best position in its history with a growing enrollment, financial stability, and a dedicated administration, faculty, and staff.  New Horizon is in a prime position to recruit its next Head of School and for that individual to build upon Dina’s success as New Horizon enters its next strategic phase. We are thankful for Dina’s leadership excellence and considerable contributions to establishing New Horizon as the premier independent Islamic school serving PS-8th grade.  

One of the Board’s most important responsibilities is to hire, support, and evaluate the performance of the Head of School. The Search Committee will present the finalists and their recommendations to the Board of Trustees to make the final decision regarding the next Head of School. 

The search committee will work closely with Doreen Oleson from RG175 to review candidate resumes, interview promising candidates, speak to references, select finalists, and recommend the next Head of School for the Board to hire. 

  • Caitlyn Hobbs (Trustee, Search Committee Chair, and Alumni Parent)
  • Dr. Dina Seif (Trustee, Board Chair, and Current Parent)
  • Ali Bohra (Trustee, Chair of the Development Committee, and Current Parent)
  • Motasem Benothman(Former Board Chair, Current Board Chair of the New Horizon Irvine Educational Foundation, and Alumni Parent)
  • Uzma Said (Lower School Director and Alumni Parent)
  • Raghad Atari (Admissions Director, Alumni and Current Parent)

The Head of School, in partnership with the Board of Trustees, upholds the mission of the school and sets the school’s long-term strategic plan. The Head is the Chief Executive Officer of the school and is responsible for hiring, supervising, evaluating, and dismissing all administrators, faculty, and staff members. Further, the Head of School manages the academic program, curriculum, admissions and enrollment, employees, facilities, financial health, fundraising, community relations, and the day-to-day operations of New Horizon School, Irvine.  They also foster professionalism, collegiality, and ethical conduct among all constituents.  

May/June 2023 — Consultant conducts interviews and surveys community members 

June–October 2023 — Candidate recruitment begins, and the Head of School Search Committee conducts interviews

October–December 2023 — Finalists interviews and campus visits

January 2024 — Announce Head of School selection

July 1, 2024 — New Head of School assumes responsibility

Dr. Dina Eletreby will continue in her current role as Head of School throughout the 2023–2024 school year. The Board and community will have opportunities to celebrate the success of New Horizon School, Irvine under her leadership and recognize her significant and lasting contributions to the school community. Dr. Eletreby will continue to be a lifetime supporter of New Horizon and, even in retirement, will be available to the new incoming Head to provide support as needed for a smooth transition.

The school community will be kept informed throughout the process. The Search Committee will send out periodic emails, as well as include updates on the New Horizon School, Irvine website. Doreen Oleson will be visiting New Horizon School, Irvine on May 31st and June 1st, 2023, to gather input from all constituents about the school and the characteristics the community hopes to find in the next Head of School. 

Please reach out to our consultant from RG175, Doreen Oleson.

Timeline for Head of School Search

May 2023
Search launched with official communications from Head/Board Chair and announcements of strategies, and selection of Search Consultant
May 2023
Search consultant surveys and interviews school community with a two-day site visit; Write, edit, secure approval, publication, and circulation of Position Statement;
May–September 2023
Candidate recruitment begins with preliminary interviews of prospects by Search Consultant; Initial review of candidate dossiers by New Horizon School’s Search Committee; Semifinalists selected
October-December 2023
Interviews of Semifinalists, followed by Finalist visits
January 2024
Announce Head of School selection
July 1, 2024
Head of School assumes responsibility

A Message from Dr. Dina Seif,
NH Parent and Chair of the Board of Trustees

Assalamu Alaikum Dear New Horizon Community,

On behalf of the Head of School Search Committee and New Horizon Board of Trustees, I am excited to share that the Board unanimously voted to appoint Mrs. Heba Hathout as our Head of School-elect.

Starting in March, we began a comprehensive search process led by distinguished educational search firm, RG175, which included rigorous screening, deep background checks, exhaustive interviews, detailed reference conversations, in-depth personal assessments, campus visits, live writing samples, and community surveys. Our search relied heavily on the input of teachers, administrators, parents, trustees, and even students. The Search Committee meticulously scrutinized the candidates’ qualifications and leadership records, while simultaneously assessing their readiness for the position and evaluating their alignment with our school’s ethos.

In addition to her 12 years as an educator in independent schools, Mrs. Hathout’s 7-year tenure as Dean of 7th Grade at her current institution has been a robust training ground for her future role at New Horizon. Her responsibilities included admissions, leading faculty while supporting their development, creating and implementing curriculum, managing academic and disciplinary issues, and addressing parent concerns. As an administrative leader, she has had insight into broader school functions, strategic planning, and policy implementation, all of which are critical to a school’s success and major requirements for the role of Head of School. Furthermore, Mrs. Hathout’s rigorous academic journey through Princeton and Harvard, where she achieved a Master of Mathematics Education, demonstrates her pursuit of excellence and dedication to the field of education.

Mrs. Hathout’s references spoke glowingly of her collaborative spirit and ability to “elevate” colleagues. They praised her exceptional organization, skillful management, composure in difficult situations, and effective goal achievement. She fosters meaningful, empathetic connections with students and parents. Mrs. Hathout’s current Head of School expressed full confidence in her readiness to excel as Head of School. We agree and are excited to see her achieve success at New Horizon.

Mrs. Hathout’s virtues, professional characteristics, dedication to excellence, knowledge of independent schools, administrative experience, leadership acumen, and vision for New Horizon align seamlessly with our values and aspirations. She has accepted the position and is thrilled for her family to join the New Horizon Irvine community on July 1, 2024.

Dr. Dina Eletreby, having led our school for 2 decades, recognizes the significance of a New Horizon alumna assuming the role of the next Head of School. Dr. Eletreby will continue to lead New Horizon through June 2024 and has committed to working closely with Mrs. Hathout in her first year to assure a smooth transition and ensure that the school remains steadfast in its mission. We look forward to celebrating Dr. Eletreby and recognizing her immeasurable contributions to our beloved school later this year.

The Board of Trustees is deeply grateful to Caitlyn Hobbs, Chair of the Head of School Search Committee, and members of the Search Committee: Uzma Said, Raghad Atari, Motasem Benothman, and Ali Bohra. Their commitment to this process is truly commendable. We thank our search consultant, Doreen Oleson, for her guidance and expertise. Finally, we thank our beautiful community and invite each of you to join in support, encouragement, and collaboration to further nurture an environment of growth and excellence at New Horizon. Our confidence in this selection is rooted in a collective commitment to the future. Change signifies progress, and with our next Head of School at the helm, we are certain that our school will continue to flourish with boundless opportunities for progress and innovation, inshaAllah.

With warm regards,
Dina Seif, MD

 

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Letter from Incoming Head of School, Heba Hathout

Assalamu Alaikum New Horizon Students, Parents, and Community Members,

I am truly honored to accept the position of Head of School beginning July 2024. Having experienced New Horizon as a student in its earliest days, as a Board Member of New Horizon Pasadena, and a current parent of a rising Preschooler and Kindergartener, I have loved New Horizon for decades.

The value of a rigorous and simultaneously progressive Muslim-American education is immeasurable, and New Horizon is unique in its ability to provide this. As a New Horizon alumna, I can bear witness to the lifelong effects of such an education – it is at New Horizon that I learned how to establish and maintain my prayers, that I fasted my first Ramadans with my friends, and built a community of friends and family bonded by our shared values. As a New Horizon parent, it brings me great comfort to know that my childrens’ school is sharing in the massive responsibility of instilling Islamic values in our kids.

Dr. Eletreby’s work over the last two decades on behalf of New Horizon is awe-inspiring. She has established New Horizon as a premier independent school in Orange County, founded the New Horizon Irvine Middle School, expanded the school to two campuses, and led the school through historic national events. I am humbled to be following in her footsteps and delighted to be able to use the next year to learn from her.

In the coming years, I look forward to working with the board, the faculty and staff, and the student and parent bodies to take advantage of the opportunities before us. I am eager to continue to grow the Middle School programming and facilities in a post-pandemic environment, and to deeply reflect on how we, as a community, can best serve our alumni, helping them to maintain their Islam and connection to the Muslim community after their graduation from New Horizon.

During our visit to the New Horizon campus this Winter, my husband and I were astounded by the engagement of the Preschoolers in their classroom activities, the Picasso artwork of the elementary school students, the beauty of the Quran reading room, the incredible DSL sports program, and so much more! You have all built something truly special, and we are honored to be able to step into and contribute to it, insha’Allah.

I am greatly looking forward to the return of students and families to campus this August and hope to meet each one of you throughout the course of the year. Please know that I consider my primary goal of this year to be to listen. While I have a cherished New Horizon background and extensive independent school experience, I recognize that I am new to the Irvine community and I am deeply committed to learning from all of you.

The start of a new school year is always a time for excitement, hopes, and new beginnings. This is especially true for me this coming year. Please be on the lookout this summer for further communication on informal Meet-and-Greet opportunities in the early weeks of the new school year. I look forward to getting to know all of you and to building friendships within our community, insha’Allah.

Sincerely,
Heba Hathout

 

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Follow-up: Head of School Search Committee Announcement


Assalamu Alaykum Dear New Horizon School Community,

Following Head of School Dr. Dina Eletreby’s announcement to retire after the 2023-24 school year, I am writing to assure our community that the Board is taking the task of finding the next Head of School very seriously.  After interviewing several search firms that specialize in head of school searches, we are pleased to share that our search partner is Resource Group 175 (RG175), a nationally recognized search firm. More importantly, the individual who will be overseeing the search process and advising the Search Committee is Doreen Oleson from RG175, a proven leader in Head of School searches. Doreen, who spent 25 years as the Head of Saint Mark’s School, an Episcopal day school in Southern California and has served as president of the governing board of the National Association of Episcopal Schools, is very familiar with New Horizon and Dina’s 20-year tenure as Head of a CAIS School.

We are also pleased to announce that Caitlyn Hobbs, Trustee and Alumni parent, will Chair the Head of School Search Committee. The Search Committee brings diverse experience, varied skills, and broad community representation to the process, assuring we find the right candidate for New Horizon School, Irvine.  We will strive to run a process that provides many opportunities for many viewpoints to be heard.

Joining Caitlyn on the Search Committee are the following:

  • Dina Seif (Trustee, Board Chair, and Current Parent)
  • Ali Bohra (Trustee, Chair of the Development Committee, and Current Parent)
  • Motasem Benothman (Former Board Chair, Current Board Chair of the New Horizon Irvine Educational Foundation, and Alumni Parent)
  • Uzma Said (Lower School Director and Alumni Parent)
  • Raghad Atari (Admissions Director, Alumni and Current Parent)
 

The search committee will review candidate resumes, interview promising candidates, speak to references, select finalists, and recommend the next Head of School for the Board to hire. As a reminder, the search committee’s job is to make the final recommendation to the board. The final decision and responsibility to appoint the next Head of School rests solely with the Board of Trustees.

The search process will also include opportunities for the community to have a voice. Doreen will be at New Horizon School, Irvine on May 31st and June 1st, 2023, to gather input from all constituents about the school and the characteristics the community hopes to find in the next Head of School. Community members will be interviewed and surveyed, and from these discussions with our entire community, she will develop a job description to be circulated nationally. Later, community members will have the opportunity to meet with the finalists when they come to campus and provide feedback on the finalists to the search committee. The Board expects the Head of School search process to take several months and to conclude by Winter 2023 with the announcement of the next Head of School, who will begin effective July 1, 2024.

Here is the search timeline:

May 2023
Search consultant surveys and interviews school community with a two-day site visit; Write, edit, secure approval, publication, and circulation of Job Description and Posting;

May–September 2023

Candidate recruitment begins with preliminary interviews of prospects by Search Consultant; Initial review of candidate dossiers by New Horizon School’s Search Committee; Semifinalists selected

October-December 2023

Interviews of Semifinalists, followed by Finalist visits

January 2024

Announce Head of School selection

July 1, 2024

Head of School assumes responsibility

The search committee plans to update community members throughout the process via email, and there will be information, updates, and frequently asked questions about the Head of School Search on the New Horizon School, Irvine website.   

We are also thankful for our entire administration, faculty, and staff for continuing to positively and meaningfully impact the school and school community. New Horizon School, Irvine looks forward to finding its next Head of School to build upon the decades of leadership by Dr. Dina Eletreby. Thank you to the Head of School Search Committee for taking on this significant responsibility.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dina Seif
Chair, Board of Trustees

Meet Our Consultant

The Board of Trustees has engaged Resource Group 175 (RG175), a consulting firm that specializes in independent school transitions, to lead the community through a comprehensive and inclusive search process.  RG175 will be represented by Doreen Oleson, Ed.D. and, as an initial step, will be on campus to interview community members and to learn as much as possible about what makes New Horizon School, Irvine special.  In addition, she and her colleagues at RG175 will work to attract a great candidate pool for our search.   

Doreen Oleson

 

Doreen is a Senior Search Consultant and has been with RG175 since she retired after twenty-five years in 2015 as Head of School from Saint Mark’s School, an Episcopal Parish Day School in Altadena, CA.  Prior to her appointment in 1990 as Head, she was Assistant Vice-President at Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA and prior to her university work, she taught in the public schools in Hawaii and California. She also served as the president of the governing board of the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), was trustee of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), was president of the California Association of Independent Schools’ board of directors (CAIS), served on the National Commission on Accreditation, and chaired the Commission on Schools for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. 

 

She now resides in Las Vegas, NV with her husband, Don Oleson, a retired missile defense engineer, and is “Mom” to two boys and two girls (all grown up now) and is “Granny” to seven grandchildren, ages 6 through 25. 

Dr. Oleson is currently the CAIS representative to the Accrediting Commission for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. She also mentors aspiring school leaders and new heads of schools and belongs to organizations and boards which support education and community service learning.

In addition, if you have any questions or comments, please contact her at 626-676-5203 or doreenoleson@gmail.com.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Dr. Dina Eletreby will complete twenty-two years of service to New Horizon School, Irvine at the end of the 2023–2024 school year.  New Horizon is in the best position in its history with a growing enrollment, financial stability, and a dedicated administration, faculty, and staff.  New Horizon is in a prime position to recruit its next Head of School and for that individual to build upon Dina’s success as New Horizon enters its next strategic phase. We are thankful for Dina’s leadership excellence and considerable contributions to establishing New Horizon as the premier independent Islamic school serving PS-8th grade.  

One of the Board’s most important responsibilities is to hire, support, and evaluate the performance of the Head of School. The Search Committee will present the finalists and their recommendations to the Board of Trustees to make the final decision regarding the next Head of School. 

The search committee will work closely with Doreen Oleson from RG175 to review candidate resumes, interview promising candidates, speak to references, select finalists, and recommend the next Head of School for the Board to hire. 

  • Caitlyn Hobbs (Trustee, Search Committee Chair, and Alumni Parent)
  • Dr. Dina Seif (Trustee, Board Chair, and Current Parent)
  • Ali Bohra (Trustee, Chair of the Development Committee, and Current Parent)
  • Motasem Benothman(Former Board Chair, Current Board Chair of the New Horizon Irvine Educational Foundation, and Alumni Parent)
  • Uzma Said (Lower School Director and Alumni Parent)
  • Raghad Atari (Admissions Director, Alumni and Current Parent)

The Head of School, in partnership with the Board of Trustees, upholds the mission of the school and sets the school’s long-term strategic plan. The Head is the Chief Executive Officer of the school and is responsible for hiring, supervising, evaluating, and dismissing all administrators, faculty, and staff members. Further, the Head of School manages the academic program, curriculum, admissions and enrollment, employees, facilities, financial health, fundraising, community relations, and the day-to-day operations of New Horizon School, Irvine.  They also foster professionalism, collegiality, and ethical conduct among all constituents.  

May/June 2023 — Consultant conducts interviews and surveys community members 

June–October 2023 — Candidate recruitment begins, and the Head of School Search Committee conducts interviews

October–December 2023 — Finalists interviews and campus visits

January 2024 — Announce Head of School selection

July 1, 2024 — New Head of School assumes responsibility

Dr. Dina Eletreby will continue in her current role as Head of School throughout the 2023–2024 school year. The Board and community will have opportunities to celebrate the success of New Horizon School, Irvine under her leadership and recognize her significant and lasting contributions to the school community. Dr. Eletreby will continue to be a lifetime supporter of New Horizon and, even in retirement, will be available to the new incoming Head to provide support as needed for a smooth transition.

The school community will be kept informed throughout the process. The Search Committee will send out periodic emails, as well as include updates on the New Horizon School, Irvine website. Doreen Oleson will be visiting New Horizon School, Irvine on May 31st and June 1st, 2023, to gather input from all constituents about the school and the characteristics the community hopes to find in the next Head of School. 

Please reach out to our consultant from RG175, Doreen Oleson.

Timeline for Head of School Search

May 2023
Search launched with official communications from Head/Board Chair and announcements of strategies, and selection of Search Consultant
May 2023
Search consultant surveys and interviews school community with a two-day site visit; Write, edit, secure approval, publication, and circulation of Position Statement;
May–September 2023
Candidate recruitment begins with preliminary interviews of prospects by Search Consultant; Initial review of candidate dossiers by New Horizon School’s Search Committee; Semifinalists selected
October-December 2023
Interviews of Semifinalists, followed by Finalist visits
January 2024
Announce Head of School selection
July 1, 2024
Head of School assumes responsibility