History

In the fall of 1965, Concord Hill School opened its doors as a non-denominational, not-for-profit, pre-elementary school with 20 students in Primary and Kindergarten. The school, originally located in St. Albans Parish Church, was founded by Olivia Chappell, Nancy Israel, deVismes Lee, and Katherine Shorb.

In 1967, Eleanor Chatfield-Taylor was named the first Director of the School. Her 23-year tenure was a period of growth and success for Concord Hill, with the addition of Grades 1–3, and finally a Preprimary class in 1972. In 1987, the School moved to its current home at 6050 Wisconsin Avenue where Mrs. Taylor oversaw the extensive renovation of the building and welcomed 90 students for the 1988–89 school year. In 1991, French McConnaughey became the School’s second Director.

During the following 11 years, CHS developed its first strategic long-term plan reaffirming the School’s vision and trajectory, and saw building renovations including a new library, art room, and music room, as well as an extensive playground and other grounds improvements. Mrs. McConnaughey’s warm leadership fostered a strong faculty and helped maintain the School’s close-knit community.

In 2002, Denise Gershowitz was named the third Head of School. During her 14 year tenure, her love of children, high standards, and incredible energy helped CHS to continue strengthening its position as a respected educational institution with a faculty of experts in early childhood and development. The curriculum broadened to include technology and Spanish, as well as a defined social curriculum. The community of children, parents, and faculty enjoyed increased diversity with the help of a growing Financial Aid program. Under Mrs. Gershowitz's leadership, the School’s endowment increased from nearly $500,000 to over $2 million.

In July 2016, The Board of Trustees named James Carroll the fourth Head of School. James brought with him 17 years of teaching experience, several years of administrative and management experience, and a passion for early childhood education. In February, 2018, Concord Hill School announced the search for our fifth Head of School, appointing Susan Arzt, Assistant Head of School/Director of Admission & Financial Aid, as Acting Head of School.

In July 2019, the Board of Trustees named Nate Dennison the fifth Head of Concord Hill School. The Director of Elementary Grades at Washington Episcopal School since 2015, Nate was also the Associate Principal of the Hong Kong International School from 2008 to 2015, where he served 660 students, Grades PK–2. Nate began his career in the Lower Primary classroom and has gained strong administrative experience over the past ten years. In the words of his former Head of School, “Nate always keeps what is best for kids at the forefront of his thinking."