Paul F. Larner to Continue to Lead Wakefield Country Day School in Huntly into 2022

Wakefield Country Day School’s (WCDS’) Board of Trustees announced that Paul F. Larner has agreed to stay on as Head of School for the 2021-2022 school year.  Mr. Larner, former Board Chair of WCDS, assumed the role of Interim Head of School in November 2020 when Patrick Finn resigned.

Mr. Larner has long had a passion for education in addition to more than 30 years of legal, financial, and administrative experience.  He earned his B.A. with honors from Haverford College in 1978; his M.A. with distinction from the University of London in 1982; and his J.D. from the University of Virginia in 1985.

When asked to share his overall vision for WCDS, Mr. Larner replied, “We plan to build on and expand the sequential, classical and college preparatory education with which we have achieved a 100% college admission rate over the past 50 years.  Our education emphasizes both rigorous academic standards and character development.”  With regard to his short-term goals, Mr. Larner continued, “We would like to increase our enrollment in select grades from pre-school into grade 12 through scholarship programs and the standard enrollment process.”

Covid-19 has affected all educational institutions in the past year.  The safety of students, staff, and families continues to be of paramount importance at WCDS according to Mr. Larner.  He stated, “WCDS has been open for in-person instruction every day since last August and will remain open in-person for the remainder of this school year and the next school year.  We have operated under CDC guidelines and our own additional safety protocols.”  Mr. Larner shared, “More than 95% of WCDS teachers and staff are two weeks past their second vaccination.  Protocols will be reviewed moving forward and will be based exclusively on science.”