Head of School

Thank you for your interest in Greensboro Day School! GDS is a relationship-focused community where you’ll find an exciting academic program that’s in sync with the world as well as countless opportunities for students to enrich their experience through extracurriculars, athletics, and arts. Exceptional faculty and staff place students at the heart of teaching and learning each and every day. Whether we are preparing students for the next grade level or for college, our community inspires students to become critical thinkers, discover their passions, and be the best version of themselves. I hope you will visit GDS and see for yourself what makes our school such a special place.

dr. Tracie Catlett, Head of School

About Dr. Tracie Catlett

Leadership

Dr. Tracie Catlett joined Greensboro Day School as the seventh Head of School in 2019. Dr. Catlett has invested deeply in improving employee compensation and benefits, student and employee wellbeing, and the school’s commitment to inclusion and belonging. In July 2024, GDS became the first independent school in North Carolina to be certified as a Family Forward North Carolina Employer.

Under Dr. Catlett’s leadership, student enrollment has grown by 33% over a five-year period, the school is in the midst of completing a $27 million comprehensive campaign, the first preschool facility (Helen Monroe Preschool) was constructed and opened, and construction for a new, 49,000-square-foot Center for Student Life, Entrepreneurship, & Innovation is under way. The school has celebrated historical fundraising success, acquired key real estate assets resulting in strategic contiguous property, and has expanded academic offerings in entrepreneurship and robotics. Dr. Catlett secured the school’s membership in Kufundisha Pamoja, a collaborative idea exchange that takes place annually each summer in Arusha, Tanzania.

Dr. Catlett was recognized as a Fox8 Local Hero for her leadership during the global pandemic and in 2024 was honored by the Triad Business Journal as a 2024 Outstanding Woman in Business. She has led and facilitated national and regional presentations at NAIS, SAIS, and NCAIS.

Community Engagement

Dr. Catlett serves on the board of directors for the United Way of Greater Greensboro, the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS), and MISBO. She is a graduate of the Leadership Greensboro Class of 2022. She also serves on the advisory board for Authentic Connections and is a member of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, Heads Collegiate Forum, and the Ready for School, Ready for Life Communications Committee.

Education

Dr. Catlett received her Ed.D. from Johns Hopkins University, where she completed her research and dissertation on the effects of a school-based mindfulness intervention on stress and emotions on students enrolled in an independent school. She received a M.A.T. in Mathematics from the University of Louisville and a B.S. in Finance from Florida State University. Her career in education spans more than 28 years, including 11 years in public schools and 17 years in independent schools.

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Our Program

Preschool

Ages 2–5

Nurturing the joys of learning and independence

Lower School

Grades K–4

Encouraging curiosity and love of learning

Middle School

Grades 5–8

Guiding young people from childhood to adolescence

Upper School

Grades 9–12

Helping students discover their passions and prepare for college

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GDS is accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS).

Greensboro Day School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, disability (to the extent that reasonable accommodations are possible), sex, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, or any other programs administered by the school.

Greensboro Day School does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its programs, services or facilities, including admissions, enrollment, and access to educational programs offered by the School in accordance with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.