Sandy Spring Friends School

 

Breadcrumb

Leadership Change at Sandy Spring Friends School, MD

Leadership Change at Sandy Spring Friends School, MD

The Sandy Spring Friends School Board of Trustees in Sandy Spring, MD announces a leadership change for the coming academic year.  Christine Lewis, Assistant Head of School, has been promoted to the Interim Head of Sandy Spring Friends School for 2024-2025 school year following Dr. Rodney Glasgow’s resignation. Frank Massey, the interim Board Clerk, noted that Christine is a seasoned administrator with proven expertise in curriculum and pedagogy spanning from early childhood to seniors in high school, whose educational philosophy aligns wonderfully with the School's Quaker values. Ms. Lewis will be the School’s first female head in its 63-year history.

Sandy Spring Friends School offers a progressive Quaker PK-12 grade education for approximately 620 students in the greater DC/Maryland area. The School is known for its unique combination of challenging academics characterized by inquiry-based and experiential learning; a strong arts program; inclusive athletics; and a commitment to equity, justice, and belonging. Founded in 1961, the school’s motto—“Let Your Lives Speak”—underscores SSFS’s Quaker commitment to social justice and action. Beyond its educational program, SSFS is known to the local community via the largest Adventure Park in Maryland adjacent to its academic campus.

Christine Lewis joined SSFS in 2023 following a storied 10+ year career at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Maryland, including in their Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning.  A native of New Zealand, Ms. Lewis emigrated to the United States in 2003.  With an undergraduate degree in science from Waikato University, NZ, and a master’s degree in education from Drexel University, Ms. Lewis has been a lifelong educator—including as a classroom teacher of students ranging from elementary to high school—with an active consulting practice specializing in curriculum development,  the science of teaching and learning, student wellness, and early education.

Ms. Lewis’s educational bona fides include extensive publishing on topics related to transformational education, training in the Orton-Gillingham structured literacy theory, and a 2022 certificate in Psychology of Leadership from Cornell University.  As the head of Lower School Research for St. Andrews’ Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, Ms. Lewis’s educational philosophy has been grounded in her commitment to an exceptional student experience that involves the family.  “I know through my research that students are transformed when they encounter academic challenges within a supportive community. As I begin my tenure as  SSFS’s interim Head of School, I will work to further deepen our community bonds, which will enhance an already rich student experience.”   Ms. Lewis notes that SSFS’s mission is especially compelling in 2024.  “We must help young people to build skills to manage their way in an increasingly complex world.  SSFS faculty and staff develop both academic knowledge and critical thinking/empathy skills within our classrooms, studios, and fields. At SSFS, these skills can be practiced and grown within a strong community guided by our Quaker values and mission.”

Ms. Lewis invites all families interested in learning more about the School and its vision forward by reading the School’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, “Going Places, Together,” designed to identify relevant and sustainable strategic opportunities that align with the mission and vision of Sandy Spring Friends School. Honoring the Quaker wisdom that compels SSFS to gather broad input and touch base with everyone impacted by the direction of the strategic plan, the School developed the vision through an inclusive, community-sourced approach. Read more at www.ssfs.org/about/strategic-plan.

Subscribe To The Gnu Stories Podcast:

Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts

More Stories