Three-Campus School in New York Region Hires Outstanding Technology Leader
The Windward School
The Windward School is an outstanding coeducational, independent day school in the New York City Metropolitan Area that serves children with language-based learning disabilities in grades one through nine. Windward is a large enterprise with three campuses: two are in White Plains, and one is in Manhattan. Over 400 part-time and full-time faculty and staff work with one primary focus: to help nearly 1,000 students achieve their full potential in preparation for a successful return to a mainstream educational environment.
Beyond its traditional school operations, Windward has an international reputation as being a leader in LD education. For many years, The Windward Institute and the Windward Teacher Training Program have played a huge role in advancing and improving LD instruction in public school districts and private schools throughout the world. Other schools have recently launched across the country by following Windward's highly successful playbook.
The chief technology officer (CTO) was a new role that came at a key time for Windward. Historically, technology was not a huge component of day-to-day operations at this school where reading and writing instruction was built around physical, analog, and fine-motor methods. In addition, teacher training was also delivered in-person for many years. Post pandemic the school has not abandoned its roots, but at the same time recognized that technology has the potential to improve efficiencies and broaden the reach of the program. With the current head of school in his fifth year, the technology program was a cornerstone for the next chapter of this highly regarded educational institution approaching its centennial. Thus, the CTO would be serving in the executive cabinet, which included six other senior administrators with broad areas of oversight and responsibility.
The CTO would lead a department that had seven technology professionals working across the three campuses. Since the pandemic, the school has also worked with two different managed services providers to backfill support needs, major upgrades, and network engineering. The CTO would have opportunity to evaluate staffing needs and departmental structure after joining this dynamic, mission-aligned community.
Windward was thrilled to welcome Bernie McCormick to the position in the summer of 2024.
Meet the new leader
Bernie has worked in multiple nonprofit environments, from education to health care to performing arts. For the last thirteen years, he served in technology leadership roles at Mary McDowell Friends School in Brooklyn, New York, where he was most recently the chief technology officer. He has overseen both IT, data/systems, and educational technology departments. Bernie holds a BS in Business, Management and Economics, with a concentration in Information Systems Management, from SUNY Empire State, and an MS in Organizational Leadership from Johns Hopkins University.
