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School Leadership

Trish Dougherty, Head of School

Trish Dougherty is a dedicated educator and school leader with more than 25 years of experience in independent schools. She is a graduate of Washington & Lee University, where she earned a B.S. in Business Administration, and later pursued her passion for teaching by completing a Master’s in Elementary Education at Marymount University.

Trish began her career at St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School in Alexandria, VA, where she taught fifth grade for 15 years. During this time, she also served as a faculty member and co-director of the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) New Teacher Institute, a summer program designed to support educators new to the profession or to independent schools.

Her career then took her to The Walker School in Marietta, Georgia, where she spent seven years as Lower School Assistant Head and then Lower School Head. It was here, and through her years in the classroom, that Trish developed a deep commitment to supporting students with language-based learning differences, particularly dyslexia, and became a strong advocate for early intervention.

Most recently, Trish served as Assistant Head of School at Green Hedges School in Vienna, VA, where she especially enjoyed working closely with preschool students and faculty. This experience reaffirmed her passion for early childhood education and early literacy development.

Today, as Head of School at The Country Day School, Trish is delighted to bring her expertise, joy for working with the youngest learners, and lifelong dedication to student success to a community where every child’s educational journey begins.

Sarah Serenius, Asst. Head of School

Sarah Serenius brings over a decade of leadership and teaching experience in early childhood education to her role as Assistant Head of School at The Country Day School. She joined CDS in August 2025 after serving as a Director at Bright Horizons in Washington, D.C., where she led school operations, faculty development, and family engagement for more than six years.

Prior to that, Sarah was Director of the Kay School, where she oversaw all aspects of school programs, compliance, and community outreach. She also served as Director of Programming and Admissions at PGiP, where she helped increase enrollment to record levels, guided admissions and registration, and coordinated school-wide events.

Sarah brings over a decade of leadership and teaching experience in early childhood education to her role as Assistant Head of School at The Country Day School. She joined CDS in July 2025 after serving as a Director at Bright Horizons in Washington, D.C., where she led school operations, faculty development, and family engagement for more than six years. Sarah lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and their three children. Her youngest attends Country Day, so you will see her at parent events throughout the year! 

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