By Alex Daum ’20
Laura D. Ross will become the Head of Upper School starting July 1, 2017. On Oct. 26, President Rick Commons announced Ross as Head of Upper School through an email to the school community. Along with eight other finalists for the position, Ross visited the Upper School this fall. In his email, Commons commended Ross for her work at her current school, Greenhill in Dallas.
“At Greenhill she has been lauded for her impact on the climate and the culture of the school, focusing her leadership on best practices for teaching and learning and on the well-being of students and faculty,” Commons said in the email.
Ross has been the Head of Upper School at Greenhill since 2012, and before that she was the Director of College Counseling at Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin. Ross was also the Senior Associate Director of Undergraduate Admission and Transfer Admission at Columbia University. While there, Ross was a primary reader of Harvard-Westlake students’ applications. Ross said she has enjoyed her work at her prior schools.
“I have worked at three different independent schools in my career, and they all had amazing qualities and unique characteristics. I don’t see my job as trying to change a school to fit a particular mold, but instead to work to help each school community reach their own goals and aspirations,” Ross said in an email.
Though she has only visited the Upper School once, Ross said she already has a sense of the how she will fit into the school community.
“When I visited this fall I felt like I belonged there. I felt comfortable being myself when I was talking to students, administrators, parents and faculty. I hope that’s a good sign that I will fit in well,” Ross said.
She also said that she is excited and looking forward to joining the community
“[I am most looking forward to] getting to know the amazing students and faculty. One of the best things about working in schools is that remarkable things go on every day in a strong learning community. I can’t wait to be inspired by the people there,” Ross said.
