Sigita Miltier will succeed Mark Munford as headmaster of Isle of Wight Academy, effective July 1.

The Board of Directors for the private school, which enrolls roughly 700 students in preschool through 12th grade, announced the change in leadership in an April 4 news release.

Miltier has been an IWA employee for 14 years and in 2023 was named assistant headmaster of IWA’s high school and of curriculum and instruction. Her past experience includes teaching middle school reading.

“As I step into my role as Head of School, I am filled with a profound sense of purpose and aspiration,” Miltier told the Times. “My foremost goal is to enrich, empower, and elevate our educational program, nurturing a learning environment that resonates deeply with our mission statement. I am committed to building on the strengths of our dedicated academic staff, fostering collaboration with our esteemed Board of Directors, our families, and the local community. Together, we will craft an educational journey that is both robust and enduring. I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support, relentless effort, and boundless dedication shown by everyone in our school family. Such commitment to our students and community inspires me daily, and I look forward to achieving great milestones together.”

“I look forward to Mrs. Miltier taking over as Head of School. She is a dedicated and conscientious leader and will be a great Head of School,” said Munford, who said he’s stepping down after eight years for health reasons.

In her current role, Miltier “demonstrated outstanding leadership, a deep commitment to student success, and a vision for the future of education that aligns with the values and mission of our school,” the news release states. “Throughout the hiring process, it became clear that Mrs. Miltier’s values, professional experience and dedication to empowering both students and faculty made her our choice to lead IWA into its next chapter. We are confident that she will build upon the great work already in place and continue to foster an inclusive, innovative, and supportive community.”

Munford was named headmaster in 2017, succeeding Benjamin Vaughan, who retired after 27 years in the role and 47 with IWA.

The announcement of MIltier’s elevation to headmaster came two days after another announced change in IWA’s administration. Chris Hooper, who serves as assistant headmaster of IWA’s middle school, was named on April 2 as the new head of school for Amelia Academy, a private school in Amelia County, also effective July 1.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 1:11 p.m. on April 8 to correct that Benjamin Vaughan was headmaster at IWA for 27 years, not 47, which refers to his total tenure at IWA.