Randy Hollister ’82G

Randy Hollister

“Anxiety is a block to learning, so the best thing you can do—in addition to hiring great teachers and setting an affirming direction—is to create a relaxed environment,” says Randy Hollister.

That philosophy helps explain the resounding success of Loudoun Country Day School in Leesburg, Virginia, consistently voted Best Private School by readers of Leesburg Today and Washington Families. From a modest beginning in 1953 with two faculty members and a student body of seven, LCDS has grown to nearly 280 students taught by 48 instructors.  Most of this growth occurred under the guidance of Hollister, who came to the school in 1988 and assumed the post of headmaster in 1993.

Hollister’s responsibilities as headmaster encompass everything from overseeing the school’s capital campaign to greeting students when they arrive in the morning. “I’m in my office by 6-ish opening things up,” Hollister says, “and by 7a.m., a few students who are in our Morning Care program often come in and say hi and sit with me a while.  Then I go out and greet cars as they arrive with students.  We have assemblies once a week in which I announce birthdays, events and activities; I hand out commendations for character, kindness, and achievements , and then we usually talk about current events, or character values like compassion, perseverance, or citizenship.  The rest of the day, I write a lot of notes—because every student gets a handwritten note for their birthday.  I also visit classes, meet with faculty, meet with parents, and work on administrative tasks, like our capital campaign for or new 69-acre campus, which will have a gymnasium, several athletic fields, tennis courts, a playground, and a renovated barn for the school’s performing arts program.”

Hollister’s personal approach to leadership forges relationships and creates a culture of respect and love. “My goal is [to create] an environment in which students really want to learn and grow.” he explains.  “I want our teachers to love being here, and our parents to be excited about bringing their kids to school and the experiences and relationships their children are having here.” This supportive environment helps children master LCDS’s rigorous curriculum, which includes creative thinking, critical thinking, foreign languages, communication skills, reasoning abilities, culture, technology, and physical health.

After receiving his master’s agree in education from Plymouth State in 1982, Hollister completed a PhD in the social foundations of education at the University of New York-Buffalo in 1988.  After graduation, he was offered a position at a private school in Buffalo, and he contacted an acquaintance in Virginia, Raymond Nance, the headmaster of LCDS at the time, to see what he thought about the school Hollister was considering.  To his surprise Nance offered him a job at LCDS, teaching English and writing lab and coaching soccer and basketball.

“After my first year, he offered me the position of assistant head of school, and I continued to teach and coach for four more years,” Hollister notes. “When Raymond announced his decision to move on from LCDS, the board of trustees asked me to consider being a candidate for the position.” He was eventually selected as the new head of school and has been headmaster at Loudoun ever since.

Hollister credits much of what he has accomplished to his experiences at Plymouth State. “Plymouth was life-changing for me,” he says. “Gene Fahey and his family were my introduction to the college, and I was influenced by the legendary Norton Bagley, Doug Wiseman, and Michael Fischler. The greatest influence on my career in education was Christopher Clarke.  His teaching inspired me.  In addition, he and his wife, Eileen, invited me to be a part of their family, and Chris encouraged me to go on for my doctorate—and without his mentorship, encouragement, and inspiration, I probably wouldn’t be doing what I am today. There’s no question that Plymouth State was a significant and transformative experience.”

—Rhiannon Hutchinson.

Rhiannon Hutchinson is a freelance writer based in Windsor, VT.