Potomac’s new assistant head of school for academics, Sarah Beck is an experienced educator with a deep commitment to student success. Prior to Potomac, she was the assistant head of school for programs at The Langley School in McLean where she served as chief of staff to the head of school and oversaw all academic and related programming.
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts in comparative studies in race and ethnicity from Stanford University. After working as a management consultant, she returned to school, earning her Master of Education in secondary education, as well as a graduate certificate in educational leadership and administration, at The George Washington University.
Sarah began her career in education as a seventh grade history teacher at Glasgow Middle School in Falls Church, Virginia, and quickly took on administrative responsibilities. In 2017, she was named Fairfax County Public Schools’ Outstanding Leader of the Year. That same year, Sarah received the Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award from GW’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development in recognition of her professional accomplishments.
Sarah, tell us about your background and early education.
I grew up in the Bay Area and went to multiple schools: I was homeschooled for a while and attended two public schools and an Episcopal school. I eventually ended up at Castilleja School, an all-girls independent school.
I learned a lot about myself as a learner from going to so many different types of schools.
In the independent school environment, my teachers knew me, I knew my classmates, and the classes were largely discussion based, which helped me feel visible and find my voice. I think that shaped who I am as an educator.
You earned your undergraduate degree at Stanford. What did your post-college path to leadership look like?
My dad advised me to go into business right out of school because that would equip me with a wide range of skills. I started out as a management consultant at Bain & Company. I learned how to work on a team and the values that come with that, such as trust, integrity, and collaboration. I learned to be more mindful and to consider the possibility that even one’s strongest convictions could be wrong. Another lesson I learned at Bain is to seek to understand first, and to be understood second.
When my husband and I moved to Washington, DC, I decided to pursue a Master of Education at The George Washington University. I then got a teaching job at Glasgow Middle School – one of the largest, most diverse middle schools in Virginia. At one point, my principal reached out to John Kowalik to see if we could come to Potomac to learn what independent schools were doing, so I visited Potomac early in my teaching career and was blown away by what I experienced here.
That was around the time when I really started stepping into leadership. A new principal came in, surveyed the faculty and said, “What are the three top problems that we need to address as a school, and who here is doing a good job in those areas?” My name was mentioned as a person who managed student behavior well. So I was asked to provide professional development and teacher coaching around classroom management.
Later, I joined The Langley School as director of curriculum and instruction and ultimately had opportunities to fill a number of different administrative roles there.
What drew you to this position at Potomac?
Two weeks before the pandemic hit, the head of school at Langley asked me to serve as interim head of the lower school. I went from a position that was not parent-facing to talking with a lot of parents about their concerns, hopes, and anxieties. And I really enjoyed that direct partnership. As challenging as it was to be a new division head, I loved having closer contact with the students and their parents. During those three years, I was promoted to assistant head for programming – a position that involved helping to coordinate efforts across all of the school’s divisions. That gave me an opportunity to work more closely with my faculty colleagues. My role at Potomac offers these same opportunities. I value connection and look forward to working with people across this wonderful school community.
In your opinion, what makes a great educator?
You have to love learning and model learning. That sounds lovely, but in reality, it means that you’re leaning into discomfort. You’re seeking feedback. You’re reflective, and you carve out time to read, think, collaborate, and adjust course when needed.
What do you consider Potomac’s chief responsibility?
I think our responsibility is to help students cultivate their strengths and abilities within the context of making the world a better place. It’s important for students to ask themselves, “To what end am I pursuing excellence? To what end am I exploring my interests and developing my talents?” The “why” is really important.
If we can create a place where kids are empowered to be their best selves and make a difference, if we can model care for them so that they will go out and practice care for others, we will have achieved our goal.
How will you help ensure a well- rounded educational experience for Potomac students at all grade levels?
Excellence in education is about being committed to implementing the best practices that you currently know about, while also recognizing that best practices change and evolve. I will actively pursue data, research, and feedback to check that we are using the best tools and approaches as we work together to create enriching learning experiences for all Potomac students.
How do you find balance outside of work?
I think the pandemic helped me prioritize balance. I really enjoy being around children, and not just in schools. I love my own child, my nephews, the neighborhood kids – I just love all kids. They’re fun, and they remind you of that childhood joy. So being around kids is really refueling and balancing for me. In addition, I love reading. And I also lift weights, which has been life changing for me.
Complete the following statements:
Every day, I try to...make time and space to fully connect with someone and be present for them.
Talk to me in one year, and hopefully I’ll...have been able to spend a lot of time in Potomac classrooms and have specific stories and examples of our school’s mission in action.
My first-year goal is to...do some inquiry, build relationships, observe, and learn where I can add the most value. I’d like to be of service as I gather the information necessary to be an effective, strategic leader.