WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington School for Girls has appointed Ms. Beth Reaves as the second President of the school beginning in the 2017-18 school year.

Following the September announcement that co-founding President and Head of School Sr. Mary Bourdon, RJM would depart the school at the end of the 2016-17 school year, the Washington School for Girls Board of Trustees initiated a comprehensive nationwide search for its new President. That search has concluded with the appointment of Ms. Beth Reaves to serve as the next leader of WSG. Ms. Reaves is currently the Head of School at Friends School Mullica Hill in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, a Pre-K to 8th grade independent Quaker school that seeks to cultivate the intellectual growth, creativity, scholarship and social conscience of each student.

“We are extremely fortunate to have found Ms. Reaves,” said WSG Board Chair, Pamela Johnson. “What impressed us most was the combination of her strong sense of mission, and her expertise as an educator and a strategic thinker. From the first interview, it was clear that she embodies the WSG motto ‘In the Spirit of Courageous Women’ through her steadfast dedication to serving students, families, and teachers and fostering personal and spiritual growth in all those who cross her path.”

Ms. Reaves’ career began in corporate marketing, where she quickly rose to leadership positions before transitioning to the field of education. Prior to FSMH, Reaves worked at Wilmington Montessori School in Wilmington, Delaware, and held part-time and adjunct professorships at Northcentral University and Rowan University. In addition to holding an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Doctorate of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, Ms. Reaves recently participated in the prestigious Klingenstein Fellowship Program for Heads of Schools offered by Columbia University.

Ms. Reaves will join the school at an exciting time in its history. WSG is celebrating its 20th anniversary throughout 2017 and will complete its transition to a year-round balanced academic calendar in July. In recent years, the school added a 3rd grade program and expanded its family and graduate services. “I am so pleased to pass the torch to Ms. Reaves this summer. When I met her I could feel immediately that she is grounded in her faith and her sense of mission,” said Sr. Mary Bourdon. “I am confident that she will lead WSG capably and compassionately as the school plans for its next twenty years.”

What began as an afterschool program for middle school girls in 1997, WSG has grown over the past 18 years to encompass a full academic program on two campuses in Southeast Washington, D.C. WSG blends academic challenge with support for the social, emotional, and spiritual growth of each student by offering small classes, a rich extended day program, and a safe and caring environment for learning. A tuition-free independent Catholic school recognized by the Archdiocese of Washington, the WSG is funded entirely through private contributions and grants.

Read letters from Pamela Johnson, Sister Mary, and Beth Reaves

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WSG is an independent, all girls, Catholic day school in Ward 8 serving grades 3-8 tuition-free. WSG is located on two campuses, one at the Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation Campus (THEARC) and one at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. To find out more about WSG’s programs, contact the school at 202-678-1113 or visit www.washingtonschoolforgirls.org.