Jill Dougherty is Head of School at Stratford Friends School in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Stratford Friends is a co-educational Quaker independent school for students in grades K-8 with language-based learning differences; the school focuses on the unique gifts and needs of each student to foster strong, independent learners. Grayson’s Board of Trustees especially values her experience with many facets of private school leadership and students who learn differently as well as her student-focused teaching philosophy. Previously, Jill was Head of Upper School at The Woodlynde School, a college preparatory K-12 school which specializes in teaching students with learning differences. Prior to that, she was a Reading Specialist at Springfield High School in Springfield, PA, and taught reading in the Southeast Delaware County School District in Sharon Hill, PA.

A graduate of the Principal Certification Program at Cabrini College, Jill earned a B.S. degree in Communication Disorders from The Pennsylvania State University and also holds a M.A. degree in Reading with a Reading Specialist Certification from Bloomsburg University. She is a recipient of a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, referred to as “the Oscars of learning” — not an accolade for “lifetime achievement” or the proverbial gold watch at the exit door, these unrestricted awards recognize early- to mid-career education professionals for their already impressive achievements and, more significantly, for the promise of what they will accomplish in the future. As a school leader, reading specialist, and parent of a gifted learner, Jill has always advocated for unique learners and has championed their successes in the classroom.