John Elmore
Head of School
John Elmore's career in education has been marked by several key leadership roles. He has served as the Head of Upper School and Director of Studies at Greens Farms Academy in Westport, Connecticut, as well as the Assistant Head of School at Trinity School in Midland, Texas. He has also been the Director of College Counseling at schools in Michigan and New York and a science and math teacher at schools in New York. John holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Grinnell College in Iowa and a master's degree in religion and ethics from Yale University.
Faculty
WCDS teachers know their students and push each to succeed in a caring, stimulating environment. Every teacher challenges students to question, research, write, and speak in a reflective manner appropriate to their level of development. Teachers wear many hats, coaching teams, sponsoring afterschool activities and clubs, and giving their all to the school. All teachers and staff are expected to embrace the school’s mission of striving for personal and academic excellence.
Sylvie Blank
Pre-Kindergarten
BA, Sancta Maria College of Social Pedagogy,
Bruchsal, Germany
AA, Gustav von Schmoller
College of Business, Heilbronn, Germany
Amanda Hoffman
Learning Specialist
BA, English
MA teaching, Mary Baldwin
AA, nursing, LFCC
MEd, James Madison University
Welby Griffin
Latin, Comp/Grammar, Grades 7 & 8
Geography, Grade 6, AP Literature
AB, Bryn Mawr College
WCDS Alumna, 1995
Ann Pankow
Dual Enrollment and AP Environmental Science, Chemistry, Anthropology, Forensics, Earth Science, Physical Science
BS, University Maryland;
MEd, Penn State
MS, Virginia Tech
Brian Beres
Biology
Science, Grades 4/5
Math, Grades 5/6
BS, University of Virginia
PhD, Arizona State University
Gustavo Tisera
Stuart Ginsberg
Middle and Upper School Teacher
BA, Williams College
JD, Georgetown School of Law
DMD, University of Pennsylvania
JuLong Zhao
AP Calculus & Pre-Calculus
BS, University of London & Singapore University of Social Sciences
MS, Texas A & M University
Bryan Burk
AP Statistics, Algebra & Geometry
BS, Ohio State University
MS, Colorado State University
Elizabeth Monseur
Upper School History
B.S. James Madison University
M.Ed., George Mason University
Post Graduate, American Military University
Kara Ellis Skora
AP/Honors Literature, "The Hero's Journey" Literature, Narration & Persuasion in Writing, World Religions
AB, Harvard University
Ph.D, University of Virginia
Jeannette Miranda-Gould
Nile Patel '18
Julia Carney
Librarian
LS Enrichment Specialist
BA, Goucher College
M.Ed., Loyola University Maryland
Brian Dotzler
Physical Education
BS, The Citadel
BA, University of Maryland
MA, St. Mary's University
MA, Sam Houston State University