St. Catherine's welcomes a familiar face as the School's 12th Head of School. Cindy L. Trask begins her appointment on July 1, 2021 as announced by St. Catherine’s Board of Governors and the Trustees of the Church Schools in the Diocese of Virginia (CSDV) today. She follows Lila Lohr who will serve as Interim Head of School for the 2020-2021 school year. Trask is a former St. Catherine's Science Department Chair. Current Head of School Dr. Terrie Hale Scheckelhoff will stay in her role through the end of July.

     "I am thrilled to return to St. Catherine’s as the next Head of School," Trask said. "My experience, paired with my passion for, and understanding of St. Catherine’s, will enable me to continue and advance the good and important work underway at the School for girls age 3 through grade 12."

     Trask joins St. Catherine's from her role as the Director of Upper School at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, where she leads approximately 850 Upper School students and more than 130 Upper School faculty and staff. In this role, she oversees all aspects of the Upper School’s academic programs, student life and operations. Trask is responsible for recruiting, motivating, hiring and supervising faculty and staff and plays a leadership role in admissions, each with an emphasis on ethnic and socio-economic diversity. She also actively participates in Westminster’s current $100 million campaign.

     She graduated with honors from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with a B.S. in Biology and Mathematics and earned a Bachelor of Education degree in Secondary Science from St. Mary’s University in Canada and a Masters in Educational Leadership from University of Richmond.

     Trask began her career in education at St. Johnsbury Academy (1996-2006) in Vermont teaching AP Biology and Chemistry and was promoted to Science Department Chair, during which time she designed and implemented an Upper School STEM curriculum and a Middle School Forensics program. She moved to Richmond in 2006 and taught Biology and Chemistry at Collegiate School for two years before joining St. Catherine’s in 2008.
     At St. Catherine’s, Trask was the JK-12 Science Department Chair, Chair of the STEM Task Force, Chair of St. Catherine’s and St. Christopher’s Joint Department Chair Committee and a Digital Task Force Member. In addition, she was the freshman class faculty sponsor, taught professional development workshops for faculty in grades 5-12 and assisted with the capital campaign for the construction of the Armfield Science Center.

     "St. Catherine’s is a national leader in girls’ education," Trask said. "As a former faculty member, I embraced the purpose and principles articulated by the School’s Founder, Virginia Randolph Ellett, that are woven into the School today. Grounded in Episcopal values, a St. Catherine’s education allows girls from diverse backgrounds and perspectives to realize their unique potential and become lifelong learners and leaders in a world that so deeply needs them.

     "It is with these responsibilities and commitments in mind that I have enthusiastically accepted this appointment."
     In 2013, Trask left St. Catherine’s to assume a dual role of Director of the Middle School and Director of Academics at Columbus School for Girls, a PreK-12 independent day school in Ohio, the same school from which Dr. Terrie Scheckelhoff came before joining St. Catherine’s in 2012. As Director of Academics, Cindy oversaw all aspects of the PreK-12 academic curriculum.

     “Cindy possesses an impressive mix of intellect, integrity, balanced perspective and thoughtfulness that uniquely qualifies her to lead St. Catherine’s School," said Dr. David Charlton, President of the Church Schools of the Diocese of Virginia.
     "She exudes warmth and approachability; she devotes time to building trusting relationships with colleagues and community stakeholders. I cannot wait to see the School flourish under her leadership. What a gift to welcome Cindy back to St. Catherine’s.”