Meet the Head of School

Conrad Wildsmith

With nearly three decades of experience as an educator, Conrad Wildsmith has wide-ranging expertise, from gifted education, immersive language, and Montessori education to the financial and strategic management of nonprofits. 

Born in St. Louis, Missouri to English parents, Conrad's upbringing was a blend of American and International.  This juxtaposition shaped his worldview as  he spent his  formative years oscillating between the United States and Belgium. Conrad had a deep passion for running and swimming and was an integral part of the cross country, track, and swim teams throughout high school. 

Conrad headed for the classroom after completing his undergraduate studies at St. Louis University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Education. He served as a 4th and 5th grade teacher for six years in the public schools of University City, Missouri, and then completed a master’s degree in gifted education, and spent three years as a gifted instructor, creating a Gifted Student Identification Matrix to help the district identify more African-American students and diversify the gifted student population. In his leadership role, Conrad planned and implemented advanced curriculum for gifted students and provided professional development to teachers on differentiated instruction.

Conrad spent the following year at the American School in Paris, where he taught 4th grade, returning to teach at Chesterfield School and serve as Interim Head of School at Imagine Schools. The challenges there included aligning school spending with the budget, relocating a 600 student school to a new facility, increasing student enrollment, and aligning the school’s  K-8 curriculum with state standards. 

His next adventure took him to the The French School in St. Louis, where he served as Founding Head of School, spearheading the development of the school’s enrollment (from 0 to 200,) leading the development of an internationally-recognized immersion program, and guiding teachers in implementing school-wide best practices and creating a culture of inclusion. Conrad hired, trained, supervised, and evaluated all (multinational) staff and teachers and organized a French intern teaching program. His leadership brought the school to achieve International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program Authorization, no small feat for a start-up school.

Conrad spent a year in Austin, Texas helping the Austin International School through a leadership transition, before heading to Duxbury, Massachusetts, where he was Head of School at Bay Farm Montessori Academy from 2017-2023.  Among his many accomplishments there Conrad and his team increased enrollment by 42% over the last six years, establishing a “Right Fit'' tuition program (increasing Net Revenue by over 60%). and successfully led the school through American Montessori Society accreditation. With Conrad’s enthusiastic encouragement, the teaching team introduced a school-wide agriculture program— including a “micro barn” and orchard— and rebuilt the middle school facility to include an innovations laboratory. 

Currently, Conrad is serving as Interim Head of School at the Lucy School, in Frederick, Maryland, with a focus on assisting the retiring founders in transitioning the school to not-for-profit status, developing the Board of Trustees with best practices in independent school governance, and streamlining all school processes including hiring, on boarding, enrollment, and purchasing. 

Conrad is drawn to the mission of SAA; through his experience with his own gifted son, he firmly believes gifted children need an environment that fosters autonomy. This approach nurtures their academic prowess and builds their self-esteem, understanding, and empathy. For Conrad, educating and understanding the gifted isn't just a profession; it's a personal mission.