Derrick D. Willard
Each month RG175 does a "deeper dive" to get to know one of our Independent School colleagues. This month we are spotlighting Derrick Willard. Derrick has been named the Head of School at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina effective July 1, 2024. In his current role as Head of Augusta Preparatory Day School in Martinez, Georgia, Derrick has successfully led significant growth in enrollment and raised $10M for a new state-of-the-art sciences and engineering facility that will open in January 2024. Prior to his arrival at Augusta Prep in 2019, he dedicated 22 years to Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC in successive leadership positions. During his last six years there, he served as Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs and was responsible for all academic programs, policies and practices for the three school divisions. The role also encompassed recruiting, hiring, mentoring and evaluating over 200 faculty members. Before this, he taught science at both the Middle and Upper School levels at Providence Day, served as honor council chair, chaired the science department and coordinated professional development.
The son of two public school educators, Derrick was awarded an Army ROTC scholarship to Davidson College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army after serving as a tank and scout platoon leader and an armor battalion logistics officer. He went on to pursue a career in education and earned a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Winthrop University.
Derrick, an avid fly fisherman, is married to Jenny Willard, a pediatrician, and together they have two children, Mac (age 28) and Anna Grace (age 23), and two dogs.
What is your connection to RG175?
My first experience with RG175 was with Tom Olverson in a search at Davidson Day School about ten years ago. I was in search mode for the next three years or so after that experience and got to know Tom along with other RG175 consultants during that period of time before becoming the Head of School at Augusta Prep. My former Head of School at Providence Day, Gene Bratek, was also a consultant with RG175 for a few years. Great firm!
Can you summarize your experience working with RG175?
My experience working with RG175 consultants has been pleasant and professional. In this most recent search process for Ravenscroft, John Farber and Marcia Spiller were expert guides and wise counsel for me as a candidate.
If you had one thing to recommend to other candidates what would it be?
How about one thing with three parts? Be certain you can help the institution live into its mission, fully explore the HOS-Board governance partnership, and be yourself. If you lose, know that you just may not be what they think they need right now.
What do you enjoy most about your job as it pertains to Independent Schools?
I enjoy many things about being an independent school Head: the variety of things I get to do in one day/week/month/year, the ability to develop relationships with so many constituents, and the satisfaction of helping a community live up to an aspirational mission.