Interim Head of School Quincy McLaughlin Settles in to Her New Role

Quincy McLaughlin always knew she wanted to work in independent schools. Based on her experience as a boarding student at the Dana Hall School, a 6-12 school in Boston, Massachusetts, she is not at all surprised that she works in schools. 

“I was deeply well cared for by independent schools. Deans of students, my algebra teacher, my science teacher, advisors, coaches, et cetera were some of the most significant adults in my life,” Quincy said. “We help people’s kids grow up, you know; that’s a big deal. It’s such an honor and a privilege to be a part of that developmental moment.”

Quincy was raised just outside of Boston, the daughter of Irish immigrants. She spent her childhood in that area before eventually becoming a boarding student at the Dana Hall School. A 6-12 school, Dana Hall was not only the place where Quincy spent her formative years, learning and growing as an individual, but it was also the place that introduced her to the beauty of a 6-12 institution. 

After graduating from Dana Hall, Quincy left Boston for Bronxville, a city about an hour northeast of New York. There, she attended Sarah Lawrence College, a liberal arts school. Quincy studied social welfare and eventually pursued work in that field. She then worked a variety of jobs in that line of work. Some of the roles she had were in academic medical centers and children’s hospitals. She also taught research at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts for almost eleven years.

After her role as a research professor, Quincy worked at the Hotchkiss School, a boarding school in Salisbury, Connecticut. After five years at Hotchkiss, she traded New England for the Midwest, where she was the Head of School at the Greenhills School, another 6-12 school, in Ann Arbor, Michigan for six years. Through these roles, Quincy’s love for 6-12 schools and education solidified. 

“Quincy's vast and varied experience as an educational leader will serve her well in the role of interim Head of School,” said Jon Nickens, Head of the Board of Directors. “With over 25 years of experience as a school leader, teacher, program director, and administrator, Quincy has developed a deep understanding of the needs of a school.”

One of Quincy’s projects at her previous school was pioneering and creating a “Speaker Series” in their local community. When she noticed that residents of the local community were unaware of the Greenhills School’s presence and resources, she created “Speaker Nights” to which the entire community - not just students and parents at the school - were invited. Speakers such as journalist and podcast host Jane Coaston, who recently spoke at Athenian, and writer Jeff Salingo came to Greenhills to speak to the entire community as a part of this program.

Quincy’s original connection to Athenian was through students who transferred to the Greenhills School. The Greenhills School, which is close to the University of Michigan, saw many students whose parents moved from research institutions like the University of California-Berkeley to Michigan to pursue their work. Some of those students transferred from Athenian, bringing with them recommendation letters from Athenian faculty and staff members.

Quincy’s initial exposure to Athenian was through students who transferred, but her first experience as a member of Athenian was the first time she was hired as the Interim Head of School. When former Head of School Eric Niles took medical leave in 2022, Quincy came to Athenian to fill his role. Eric recovered faster than anticipated, meaning that Quincy was only in his role for about three months. Nevertheless, the Athenian community left a lasting impact on her, as she did on the community. 

“Quincy's initial tenure, albeit brief, left a lasting impression on the school and its broader community,” said Jon. “Her leadership during that critical period provided much-needed stability when the school faced leadership uncertainty.” 

When Jon called Quincy in May and offered her the role of Interim Head of School, she decided to return to Athenian. The Athenian community can expect the official launch of the permanent Head of School search in late October. Athenian has partnered with Storbeck Search and assembled a Search Committee to help with the process. Members of the community will be able to find a permanent landing page on the Athenian website for more information on how the search is progressing. 

Quincy’s connection to the Bay Area spans beyond just this community, as her brother resided in Oakland for some time. Quincy enjoys meeting her friends in that area for dinner or coffee in her free time. As House 1, the home typically reserved for the Head of School, is undergoing renovations, she is currently living in downtown Danville. Quincy has been taking advantage of her proximity to the Iron Horse Trail, saying it’s “like a highway” on the weekends. Her son Gus and husband Ken have joined her in California, and Gus is attending college here. With them are two Spaniels, Huckleberry and Bash, who are “very badly behaved."

“That voice, that capacity of students, the sense of agency, confidence, and competence that this community nurtures in the student, it’s so distinctive,” said Quincy. “Athenian has a tremendous reputation out in the world as being a really innovative, creative, experiential place.”