The Whitby School opened its Pre-K through Grade 8 learning community with a renewed sense of energy, mission and purpose with new Head of School Bryan Nixon at the helm. Whitby, the only U.S. school accredited by both the American Montessori Society and the International Baccalaureate (IB), is at the forefront of educational excellence at a time when the school is experiencing heightened demand for its academically rigorous and innovative curriculum. An international educator and independent school leader for 18 years, Nixon is uniquely qualified to steer Whitby to the next phase of growth as an innovator in 21st century education.
Nixon’s teaching and administrative career reveals a commitment to academic excellence and a track record of positive results. He comes to Whitby from The Bavarian International School (BIS) in Germany, a Pre-K to Grade 12 school offering the IB curricular program, where he served in leadership roles for seven years, with the last four years as Director, Head of School.
“What drew me to Whitby was its active learning environment and accomplished educators committed to fostering the independence of each child and helping them develop the intellectual, emotional and social skills to thrive in a dynamic world,” says Nixon. “I look forward to advancing Whitby’s tradition of innovative child-centered education within a global community of learners – among families and faculty from over 40 countries - to guide students to enthusiastically engage in learning, be inspired by their own discoveries and find that there is no limit to what they can achieve. My longterm plans include continuing Whitby’s development as an educational leader and keeping our promise of readying students for the future.”
Prior to his tenure at BIS, Nixon was the Curriculum Coordinator at the St. Andrew's School in the Bahamas where, under his leadership, the school successfully achieved authorized status from the IB Primary Years Program (IBPYP). As an official IBPYP workshop leader and site visitor for the last 12 years, Nixon has presented educational workshops and conducted IBPYP authorization and evaluation visits throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the U.S. and Canada.
Nixon, originally from Northern Ireland, resides in Greenwich, Connecticut with his wife and three children, who are attending Whitby.
