At small private schools, Stephen “Brock” Dunn says, students have a better chance of being known, seen and heard.

He’ll get to test that theory at Oldfields School, a nearly 160-year-old Baltimore County institution that today enrolls just 34 students.

Dunn will become interim head of the all-girls school on July 1 on a three-year contract. He currently holds the same role at Northwest Academy, a private middle and high school in Portland, Oregon.

Dunn will arrive at Oldfields, a day and boarding school known for its equestrian program, at “a pivotal moment,” said Megan Mardiney, a trustee and chair of the Head of School Search Committee. Oldfields nearly closed three years ago, citing declining enrollment, financial challenges and the pandemic. At the time, it had about 100 students in grades 8-12.

Now a fraction of that size, Oldfields is rebuilding. Mardiney said Dunn was the search committee’s unanimous choice to lead the charge.

“We also wanted someone who could honor Oldfields’ traditions and distinctive character while leading the school thoughtfully into its next chapter,” Mardiney said.

Dunn, a longtime educator who has worked as a teacher, coach, dorm parent and senior administrator at schools across the country, said boosting enrollment is his primary goal.

“I really like its chances — our chances — of success, and I wouldn’t have signed on for it if I didn’t believe that,” Dunn said. “There is this collective optimism that’s grounded in reality.”

Trustee Bly Hartley said in an email that the school’s financial position has improved significantly since June 2023, when a parent sued to temporarily halt the sale of Oldfields’ 140-acre campus in Sparks Glencoe. That July, Oldfields announced it would reopen in the fall under a a new board of trustees. Ansley Smithwick became head of school that same month; she is about to retire after more than 40 years at Oldfields.

The first school year after the transition, Oldfields had just nine students. It grew to 20 the following year, then to 34 last fall, Director of Enrollment Management Betsy Parr said in an email. She said the school’s target enrollment is 130-150.

Dunn said a vision for the school’s future is “a community decision, not an individual’s decision.”

Originally from the Northeast, Dunn worked in public schools for 10 years before transitioning to independent schools. He loves the academic flexibility, smaller classes and connection with students.

Dunn and his wife, Jenna, raised their three daughters on boarding school campuses, and he’s excited to move to Oldfields’. His children, now adults, found their voices and confidence while attending The Ethel Walker School in Connecticut, another all-girls campus with an equestrian focus, where Dunn worked in senior leadership roles.

“If I can be part of providing that for other families, it’s almost like a pay-it-forward moment,” Dunn said. “I jumped at the opportunity.”

About the Education Hub

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