CHESTERTOWN — Jennifer Durham, Ph.D., has been selected as the next head of school for Radcliffe Creek School, the board of trustees announced in a news release Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Durham’s term will begin July 1 , 2025.
Her appointment follows a months-long nationwide search, which was led by consultant Kirk R. Duncan and the school’s search committee and included engagement and input from members across the Radcliffe Creek community.
RCS, which opened in the fall of 1996, is a K-8 private school in Chestertown that focuses on students with learning differences.
According to the news release, Durham “has dedicated her career to the needs of neurodivergent learners and their teachers.”
Since 2018, she has served as the director of learning support for grades 7-12 at The Potomac School in McLean, Virginia, where she was hired to develop and implement policies, curriculum and professional development programs to support exceptional students with learning differences and their families.
From 2010 to 2018, Durham was, variously, the academic dean and elementary curriculum and technology coordinator at The Lab School in Washington. There, she was integrally involved in admissions, student testing and evaluation, program development and faculty recruitment through partnerships with American University.
Since 2008, Durham has been an adjunct professorial lecturer at American University and designed syllabi for numerous AU graduate-level and teacher training special education courses.
“I am thrilled to be part of Radcliffe Creek School and the Radcliffe family, a community that exemplifies an unwavering dedication to each student’s unique potential and is deeply committed to creating a culture of care and connection,” Durham said in the news release.
“From the moment I walked onto campus and with each person I spoke to — from parents to teachers to students — it was clear how special the RCS community is in creating a place where children can be exactly who they are and where their hearts can truly exhale. It is an honor to be entrusted with heading a school where every child feels seen, supported, and valued.”
Search Committee Chair Betsy Duff said in a written statement: “We are deeply grateful to the faculty, staff, parents, teachers, and friends of Radcliffe who eagerly and thoughtfully participated in the search process, providing invaluable feedback and insights. We are thankful, too, for the leadership of Kirk Duncan and the constant support of Interim Head of School, Peter Thayer, throughout the search. We are so pleased to welcome Jenn to Radcliffe Creek School!”