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Paul Cuffee Leadership

Head of School

Board President

Lower School Academic Head

Middle School Academic Head

David L. Bourns, Head of School

David Bourns brings experience as a facilitator, management analyst, public advocate and educational leader to his position as head of school. Previously he was head of George School in Newtown, Pennsylvania, for 21 years. David Bourns holds degrees from the College of Wooster in Ohio and Union Theological Seminary. Most recently, he received an honorary doctorate from Haverford College. His passion to develop PCS as a model for urban school districts around the country is behind the school’s remarkable achievements in its few years of operation. PCS’s reputation grew considerably when it was honored as one of the top 100 charter schools out of 3,000 nationwide by the Center for Education Reform in Washington, D.C. in 2004.

David C. Burnham, Immediate Past Board President

After devoting his professional career to independent school education, first as a teacher and counselor and then headmaster, Dave Burnham describes the Paul Cuffee School as his second career. Sixteen of his eighteen years as a head of school were at Providence’s Moses Brown School. Burnham holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Massachusetts. An accomplished educator and avid sailor, he has been involved with Paul Cuffee School since 1997. He actively promotes the growth and success of PCS, and works diligently to attract major financial support to ensure its future.

Suzanne C. Mills-Shaw, Lower School Academic Head

A veteran teacher and special educator, Suzanne Mills-Shaw joined PCS in the spring of 2001. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in education from the University of Maine, and a Master’s Degree in special education from Rhode Island College. Mrs. Shaw worked for many years at Wilbur/McMahon School in Little Compton, R.I., where she was responsible for evaluating, planning and implementing reading, writing and math programs for students in kindergarten through grade six. As Academic Head of Paul Cuffee School, Mrs. Shaw is responsible for the school's academic program, faculty, curriculum development and, ultimately, for meeting the individual learning needs of each Paul Cuffee student.

Nell Butchenhart, Middle School Academic Head

Nell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Bowdoin College and a Masters Degree in education from Harvard University. She is also a graduate of the Upper Valley Teacher Institute. Nell became interested in teaching because of her many summers working at the Bowdoin College Upward Bound program. Coincidentally, her first teaching job was at George School, in Newtown, Pennsylvania, where David Bourns was head of school. Prior to her faculty positions at Cuffee, she taught at Rivendell Academy, a public middle and high school school in Orford, N.H.