David Hutchings began his tenure as Saint James School’s Dean of Students in July, having been at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he served as the seventh-grade team leader, taught Spanish, and coached cross country.  Being comfortable in multiple roles should serve him well, as he will also teach one section of Spanish and serve as the head cross country coach at Saint James.

David said working in a day school this past year was especially challenging, and he is looking forward to moving on from virtual learning and getting back to a version of normal.  

“It was challenging to get to connect with students and colleagues, teach, and coach from six feet apart, and I will not take the opportunity to work and live in this community for granted,” he said.

While he was most recently at a day school, David previously worked at Stuart Hall School, a boarding school in Staunton, Virginia.  He missed the sense of community and involvement a boarding school community offers and looks forward to returning to that environment. David said he was attracted to the “leaders for good” part of the Saint James mission.

“My favorite part of working in education is helping students grow as people and leaders, and I think a focus on being moral and happy people is important,” he said.

David has a BA and MAT in Spanish from the University of Virginia and an Ed.M. in Private School Leadership from Columbia University.  He believes the best thing about working in education is that no day is the same.

“I love that working with young people means that every day is a fresh start. It provides opportunities to empathize, collaborate, and adapt,” he said. “This work is not about the adults, but in the process of trying to help students be their best selves, we are also working on ourselves. I am grateful for that balance and the perspective it provides.”

David enjoys cooking, running, reading, and watching sports, but at the end of the day, most of his free time is spent with his wife, Lauren, who is a former teacher, and their two boys, Courtland (age 3) and Dempsey (age 2). The family is living in Old Orchard House along with their black lab, Scout, and cat, Boo.