Norwich — Norwich Free Academy Head of School Brian Kelly announced he will not seek renewal of his three-year contract in July 2023 but will remain at the helm of the academy until then.

Kelly told the NFA board of trustees of his plan during a closed-door session Tuesday evening, and after the board affirmed its support for his remaining through June 2023, he announced his plan to faculty and staff Wednesday morning.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision to make,” Kelly wrote in the letter released by the academy Wednesday, “but as the father of two young children, I made it based on what I believe is best for my family. I informed the board at this moment because of the amount of time a Head of School search takes to complete.”

Kelly did not elaborate on his reasons for departing in 16 months, and he was not available Wednesday for comment.

Board of trustees Chairman DeVol Joyner said Kelly’s decision was a surprise, but he and all the other board members understood Kelly's desire to put his family first during the difficult COVID-19 pandemic. Joyner said the board was pleased with the advanced timing of the announcement, allowing 16 months to conduct a search for a new head of school.

“The big thing for him is just family,” Joyner said Wednesday. “It had nothing to do with the job. It’s family, with two young kids. I think COVID has pushed everybody to an extreme. As a parent with young kids, I completely understand, and the other board members do too.”

The board of trustees hired Kelly in May 2020 from his previous position as director of a kindergarten through 12th grade school in Manizales, Colombia. Kelly had served as a teacher and school administrator in international settings for much of his career. At NFA, he succeeded previous Head of School David Klein, who departed to become president of St. Joseph High School in Trumbull.

Kelly’s entire tenure thus far at NFA has been dominated by COVID-19 and the resulting financial strain the pandemic placed on the academy. He arrived in July 2020 with the pandemic raging. With remote and hybrid learning protocols, he did not see a full campus until late last spring. But he has yet to preside at a graduation ceremony on campus, as the event was moved to the Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium the past two years.

The pandemic exacerbated projections of declining high school enrollment, as NFA lost dozens of tuition-paying international students to travel restrictions. Kelly’s first NFA budget featured staff cuts and a restructuring of school administration, creating two dean of students positions and eliminating the long-standing house principal positions.

He also helped secure unprecedented state and federal pandemic response grants for the academy, which previously did not qualify for any government aid as a privately endowed academy.

“It is an honor and privilege to work at this institution, and I am very proud of the work the faculty and staff have done during what I believe is one of the most difficult times in education and in our society” Kelly said in his statement. “This is a special community, and I am grateful to all of you for your daily dedication to our students.”

Joyner also issued a statement Wednesday from the board of trustees. He noted several of Kelly’s accomplishments, including the pandemic response, enrollment crunch, administrative restructuring and the complete restoration now underway of the Slater Memorial Museum's slate roof.

“The Board of Trustees is very grateful for the leadership of Dr. Brian Kelly, and the immediate impact he and his team have made at Norwich Free Academy,” Joyner’s statement said. “The school has positioned itself well financially to deal with challenging times caused by the pandemic and an overall projected lower enrollment.”

Kelly next will head NFA’s accreditation process next school year with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Joyner said the board will discuss the head of school search in the coming months. The board hired Boston-based international search consultant Carney, Sandoe and Associates for the search that resulted in the selection of Kelly.

“He has given us the notice, we have time and I think what we will do is meet and have a discussion in the upcoming months,” Joyner said. “When David (Klein) left, we brought in a search firm. It was January and we had to get someone to start by July. We were able to successfully get that going.”

c.bessette@theday.com