Mary Keever Appointed as Westchester's 14th Head of School
The Board of Trustees for Westchester Country Day School announced the appointment of longtime teacher and administrator Mary Keever as the 14th head of school. The news of her unanimous selection was shared with faculty and parents on Friday, April 26.
Keever has served as interim head of school since July 2023 following Cobb Atkinson, who stepped down after leading the school for 13 years. She has been a Wildcat for 25 years, serving as a language arts and literature teacher since 1999.
"Mary has done a phenomenal job leading Westchester forward," said Tom Van Dessel, president of the Westchester Board of Trustees. "Throughout these months, she has demonstrated excellence in handling the day-to-day requirements of the job while operating at a strategic level. As we prepared to open a national search, it became clear that our internal candidate, who has been through an eight-month on-the-job interview, is the leader we were seeking."
Through the years, Keever also has held several leadership roles at WCDS. Most recently, she was head of Middle School, a position she held from 2012 until she was named interim head of school in 2023. Additional roles include dean of faculty and assistant head in the Middle School, athletic coach, and SAIS reaccreditation coordinator.
Keever has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Wofford College and a Master of Education in reading from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She earned certifications as an N.C. Certified Teacher of English and Reading Specialist and in Secondary School Education.
She and her husband, Wes, are High Point residents who have established roots of involvement and connection within the community. They have two children who attended Westchester from kindergarten: Dory, a 2021 graduate, and Abby, a member of the class of 2024.
She shared in an email to the school community that she knew she was in the right place the first time she came to campus for her job interview. She credited several faculty members for mentoring and guiding her in developing her craft and skill as a teacher.
"We are very fortunate to have such a capable educator and administrator come up from within the Westchester faculty," said Van Dessel. "This speaks to the overall quality and character of our school community."
Keever said becoming immersed in the full aspects of the school in the interim head role surpassed her expectations and brought her joy.
"I am blessed to serve alongside such talented administration and staff while engaging with students from pre-K to 12th grade and their families," said Keever. "The Board of Trustees has been exceptional and selfless as we’ve worked together on developing a strategic plan to guide Westchester through the next five years. I am thrilled for the opportunity to lead this plan and our vision for continued impact and service to our greater community."
