Former Harvard-Westlake Educator Returns to L.A. To Take Reigns of New Boarding School Opening in 2020



A longtime education leader and administrator with experience at the nation’s top-tier high schools has been selected to serve as Head of School for the new EF Academy in Pasadena, an international boarding school slated to open in 2020. George Stewart, who began his career in Los Angeles at elite private school Harvard-Westlake, was tapped for the top job following his successful tenure as Head of School at the Academy’s other flagship location in Thornwood, New York. The new EF Academy Pasadena will ultimately welcome 975 high school students hailing from 75 countries.

“Given George’s years of stellar leadership at our New York campus, we knew he was the right choice to launch our Pasadena school,” said David Wideberg, President of EF Academy. “George is right for this role because he believes in the power of using education as a force to create a more peaceful and sustainable world, and that belief will serve EF Academy students well in California.”

Stewart has a B.A. in Spanish and political science from Bates College and earned his M.A. in Spanish and Latin American Literature at Middlebury College. His impressive knowledge of language and world studies equipped him well for his career at EF Education First where he first served as head of the Innovation Group for North America, creating an online multimedia educational platform that has reached more than 50,000 students.

“There is a certain amount of poetic symmetry to EF Academy opening in Southern California given the first language school EF Education First established was in Santa Barbara and my own education career began in L.A.,” said George Stewart, incoming EF Academy Head of School. “I am thrilled to help build this institution nestled in the technology innovation capital of the world, surrounded by a vibrant and diverse community, and steps way from several of our nation’s top universities.”

EF Academy Pasadena is located on the former campus of William Carey International University and is in the process of modernizing and expanding facilities before opening in September 2020. The Academy will stand out among the region’s educational institutions for its focus on preparing students for a future with no borders through a rigorous curriculum, intercultural education, and experiential learning.

Offering a full pathway to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma as well as elective credits, EF Academy students will not only have a multi-faceted academic experience, but also can aspire to the most selective universities. At EF Academy’s New York campus, one out of three students are accepted to the world’s top five percent of universities.

“EF Academy is a unique addition to the L.A. private school market because of the international diversity of its student body and its intense focus on building relationships across borders and cultures,” said Daniel Paccione, Deputy Head of School for Learning and Support. “Students are especially prepared with the skills to navigate our diverse, interconnected world because of the school’s emphasis on cultivating global competence. No other school in the region can provide its students with the real-world experience through its diversity.”

In addition to heading EF Academy, Stewart advises schools and school districts nationwide on the design and implementation of a Global Education Curriculum. He consults closely with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), EdLeader21, P21, as well as a number of other national and regional educational organizations concerned with innovation, leadership, second language learning and quality improvement in developing 21st century skills in secondary schools.

About EF Education First

EF Education First is a family-owned global education company. Through language, academic, cultural exchange and travel programs, EF hopes to play a small part in making the world a better place by uniting people across borders. EF was founded in 1965 in Lund, Sweden.

More information about EF Academy Pasadena is available here.

 

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