Board chair Laura Helton Kalorin ’92 welcomes new Head of School Derrick Willard to Ravenscroft.

Kalorin shared that Willard and his wife, Jenny Willard, have been getting settled in the Head of School residence. “Today, July 1, 2024, marks his first official day as our Head of School,” she said.

“Together, our community is strong and has laid the foundation for an exciting and bright future. Derrick has been highly engaged with the board and senior leadership team to create a seamless transition while simultaneously completing his tenure at Augusta Prep,” she added. “For Derrick’s first year, the board has asked him to continue executing the current strategic plan — Framing Our Future — and to partner with the board to thoughtfully consider what’s next for Ravenscroft.”

Willard brings over 28 years of experience serving in education, with more than 27 years of leadership in independent schools. In previous roles, he has raised $10M for a new state-of-the-art sciences and engineering facility and has been responsible for all academic programs, policies and practices for three school divisions — recruiting, hiring, mentoring and evaluating hundreds of faculty. 

Please visit the new webpage Head of School to watch a video introducing Willard, read stories about his hiring and the board-guided leadership transition, and learn more about his background and experiences — including “15 Fun Facts” that explore everything from his favorite dessert to his first job and what it taught him.

Kalorin emphasized that families will have plenty of opportunities to get to know Willard themselves. 

“Expect to see Derrick all over campus — with his ‘field notes’ —  listening and learning more about who Ravenscroft is today and where we hope to take our school in the future,” she wrote. “As we embark on an exciting new chapter, please join me in officially welcoming Derrick and Jenny to the Ravenscroft community.”