Debevoise & Plimpton LLP Investigation Report |
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP Investigation and Report
Dear Saint Ann’s Community,
In July, we shared with you that the Board’s Working Group hired an external investigator to review the hiring and tenure of Winston Nguyen as well as Saint Ann’s policies and practices relating to the hiring and supervision of faculty and staff. Debevoise & Plimpton LLP has now completed their investigation, and we write to provide you their full report which includes findings and recommendations for Saint Ann’s to implement as we move forward together.
We recognize an exploration of this sensitive topic, while necessary, will be unsettling for members of our community. Please know this report does include difficult and mature subject matter.
The report contains critical information provided by many members of our community, including families, faculty and staff, and others. While the Debevoise team did not share with the Board Working Group or school administration the names of anyone who reached out with information, we are grateful to everyone who participated.
This report details disturbing circumstances which have been deeply upsetting to our community. It also presents recommendations for how Saint Ann’s can learn and improve.
We have posted the full investigation report, available here, and links to all school and Board communications related to this process to a dedicated page on the Saint Ann’s website.
With the release of this report, Saint Ann’s now has clear findings, guidance, and direction. Starting today, school leadership is charged with developing and implementing a plan to incorporate the recommendations within the day-to-day processes at the School. Once school leadership has had a chance to view and digest the findings and recommendations, they will be reaching out to the community to share next steps.
The Board of Trustees will continue to provide oversight throughout this next phase, and we take seriously our responsibility to provide governance and accountability for this work. Questions regarding the investigation or the Board’s role in this process may be directed to boardcommittee@saintannsny.org.
Nothing is more important to us than the physical and emotional well-being of the students in our care. We are committed to taking the steps necessary to maintain a safe and nurturing environment at Saint Ann’s.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Katz
Chair of the Board Working Group
Mary Watson
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Communications from the School