Tom Dillow

Tom Dillow has served as Head of School at Kingswood Oxford since 2018. Under his leadership, KO developed a strategic vision focused on transformative, real-world and interdisciplinary learning that extends the classroom beyond campus through partnerships across Greater Hartford. This vision comes to life through initiatives such as the IMPACT program, which empowers students to drive their learning through real-world challenges and interdisciplinary exploration. During his tenure, Tom has also led the successful $22 million Seize the Day campaign and significant campus improvements, including transforming the former library and dining hall into the Community Commons, a dynamic hub for learning, collaboration, and community.

A lifelong educator, Tom came to KO from Shorecrest Preparatory School in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he served as Assistant Head of School and Head of the Upper School. Earlier in his career, he taught and held leadership roles at The Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, NJ and began his career as a history teacher and soccer coach at The McCallie School in Chattanooga, TN and the Landon School in Bethesda, MD. Tom earned his undergraduate degree in Government and History from Georgetown University and a master’s degree in International and European Politics from the University of Edinburgh.

In his educational philosophy statement, Tom stated, “The end goal for our students is to create life-long learners who are respectful of others, capable of challenging their prior assumptions when confronted with better evidence to the contrary, yet steadfast when it comes to tackling a problem that seems insurmountable. They should be wary of the treacherous effects of entitlement and recognize that success should not be measured by how much they acquire or consume, but the extent to which they give back to their communities and make a difference.”

Tom serves on the Board of Hartford Youth Scholars and as a Commissioner on the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Commission on Independent Schools. Tom and his wife, Deirdre, have four sons, three of whom are KO graduates.

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