Woodlawn School Announces Holly Honeycutt as Next Head of School

The Board of Trustees of Woodlawn School, an independent PreK-12 school, announced that Holly Honeycutt will become the next head of school, effective July 1, 2023. Honeycutt, who currently serves as Associate Head of School, will succeed Paul Zanowski upon his retirement at the end of the 2022-2023 school year.

“I am honored and humbled to be given this opportunity on the 20th anniversary of Woodlawn School. A thoughtful and intentional design of a community that inspires those that attend, as well as those who have the privilege to serve. The Woodlawn Way embodies mutual trust and respect, authentic and purpose-driven learning, and seeks to listen, engage, and connect with everyone in our vibrant community. Our unique and powerful mission, philosophy, and vision inspires life-long learning, values partnerships, and cultivates a sense of agency and efficacy in our young alumni – that they too can make a meaningful impact in their community and our society at large.“ – Holly Honeycutt

Honeycutt is currently serving as Woodlawn’s Associate Head of School and manages the daily operations of faculty and staff. She joined Woodlawn in 2015 as School Psychologist and Counselor, quickly demonstrated exceptional management and organizational capabilities and advanced in the leadership team, serving as both Head of Lower School and Head of Middle School, while providing leadership to the Upper School.

During her tenure at Woodlawn School, Honeycutt has been an advocate and collaborative leader for the advancement of project-based learning both at Woodlawn School and in the larger community. She has successfully launched the Pre-K Explorers Early Childhood Program and led the innovative new Foundations & Futures program which prepares Upper School students for success in college and beyond.

Honeycutt earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in Political Science and then completed a Master of Arts in Counseling with a Certification of Specialization in School Counseling (SSP). She also earned a Specialist Degree in School Psychology from Winthrop University and is pursuing her Doctorate of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with expected completion in 2026. Holly is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP), a North Carolina licensed school psychologist and certified school counselor.  Before joining Woodlawn School, Honeycutt worked for a decade in Iredell-Statesville and Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools.

Honeycutt is a graduate of the inaugural class of the NCAIS Emerging Leaders Institute (2019-2020) and represented Woodlawn at last year’s NCAIS Heads and Trustee Conference (January 2022). Holly is currently enrolled in the SAIS New and Aspiring Heads Institute.

“Holly’s demonstrated leadership in project-based learning as well as the strengths of her existing relationships with the students, staff and the community made her a logical choice for this role. She is well-positioned to carry forward the momentum of our first 20 years and further our mission to produce independent, lifelong learners who are responsible, contributing members of a diverse global society.” – Lee Blakely, Chair, Woodlawn Board of Trustees

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Woodlawn School is an independent, nonprofit school founded in 2002. Currently accepting students in grades PreK-12, and accredited by both the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Woodlawn offers a challenging, project-based academic experience. Woodlawn is located on a 61-acre campus one mile north of Davidson, N.C.