Message from the Board of Trustees

Woodlawn Announces Ed Hollinger as the New Head of School

February 11, 2013

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – The Woodlawn School Board of Trustees announced Monday that Edward B. Hollinger has been hired as the next head of school effective July 1, 2013. Hollinger has over 30 years of strong leadership experience in teaching and administrative positions at both public and private schools.

“The board was extremely impressed with Ed’s understanding of both the need and the methods to educate students to be independent, lifelong learners in an increasingly complex and interconnected world,” noted Woodlawn Chairman of the Board Greg Bridgeford. “We started this process with a well-defined set of head of school competencies and when comparing our needs to candidates’ abilities, Ed was an obvious choice.”

Hollinger will join the Woodlawn family following his role as the head of school at Chiaravalle Montessori School, an independent PK-8 school of 350 students in Evanston, Ill. While at Chiaravalle, Hollinger led the community in their strategic planning process and oversaw the launching of a capital campaign for a new educational and athletic wing on the Chiaravalle campus. He also helped lead the effort to found Beacon Academy, an independent, innovative high school set to open in 2014 in the Chicago area.

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to serve the Woodlawn community as the next head of school,” Hollinger said. “I am looking forward to returning to North Carolina and continuing my life’s work in a thriving environment that is committed to project-based, interdisciplinary learning. It was obvious to me from my initial visit to Woodlawn that this is a school where students can prosper in a caring and nurturing atmosphere while also being challenged to be their best in a vigorous and innovative educational program.”

Widely recognized as an engaging leader and visionary educator, Hollinger was the founding head of the upper school at New Garden Friends School in nearby Greensboro, N.C., from 2005-09. He has a noteworthy background in strategic planning while at New Garden and during his time as head of school at Friends School in Virginia Beach, Va.

Hollinger earned his Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from Temple University and received his undergraduate degree from Trinity College in social sciences. He began his career in education as a middle and high school social studies teacher in Lancaster, Pa. Hollinger is a member of numerous professional organizations including the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the Elementary School Heads Association and Phi Delta Kappa.

The search committee and board of trustees unanimously endorsed Hollinger as Woodlawn’s next head following an extensive seven-month national search. Hollinger will replace former head Angela McKenzie.

Woodlawn School is an independent, mission-driven K-12 school founded in 2002 and located just north of Davidson, N.C. Woodlawn offers a challenging, integrated academic experience with a goal of producing lifelong learners who are responsible, contributing members of a diverse global society. All of Woodlawn’s graduates are enrolled at four-year colleges and universities, including schools such as Yale, Princeton, Middlebury, Bowdoin and Carleton.