Letter From the Head of School
Welcome to Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School!
It is with great excitement and pride that I introduce myself as the 15th Head of School of this storied institution. Since our founding in 1764 by King’s College, now Columbia University, we have grown from a small classroom with one teacher and a few students into the oldest nonsectarian independent school in the United States and a leader in student-centered education. For over two and a half centuries, we have built a tradition of excellence, with our graduates — including Moby Dick author Herman Melville, Nobel laureate Murray Gell-Mann and current New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns — making remarkable contributions across many different fields.
Our students today continue this proud tradition, embracing challenges with curiosity. Whether they are exploring logical thinking and problem solving in our nationally acclaimed chess program, formulating and articulating cogent arguments in a mock trial inspired by The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time or making bold discoveries in our Advanced Science Research program, the spirit of inquiry and ingenuity thrives on our Upper West Side campus.
Over the years, CGPS has evolved to meet the changing needs of our students, while we remain steadfast in our commitment to creating a vigorous learning environment that sparks intellectual curiosity, encourages innovative thinking and inspires excellence both inside and outside the classroom. Each day, our dedicated faculty and staff work to provide a balanced educational experience tailored to meeting each child’s unique needs and supporting their academic, social and emotional development. From pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, we are energized by our shared belief that students reach their full potential when they feel a deep sense of purpose, joy and self-satisfaction in their learning journey.
I am delighted to welcome you to our community! If you have any questions or would like to learn more about CGPS, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Admission Office at admission@cgps.org. We look forward to connecting with you!
Sincerely,
Will Moseley
Head of School
Head of School's Office
Oshrit Azoulay
Executive Assistant to the Head of School Office and Board of Trustees
212.749.6200 x202
You may also contact us through our form here.
Biography
Will Moseley joins CGPS from St. Margaret’s Episcopal School in California, a coeducational day school of 1,250 students. His professional experience includes two 10-plus-year tenures as Head of School at large independent schools, most recently at St. Margaret’s and, before that, the Ensworth School in Nashville. Originally from Long Island, Mr. Moseley was the Assistant Headmaster and Director of Admission at The Browning School in Manhattan earlier in his career.
Mr. Moseley’s achievements at St. Margaret’s and Ensworth are significant. He developed a strategic plan centered on student experience using a design thinking approach, conducted successful capital campaigns to build and improve facilities, championed faculty professional development, led master planning and space utilization initiatives, and engaged with and supported the college office to optimize every student’s college process.
While at Ensworth, Mr. Moseley opened a new high school with an emphasis on balancing classwork and extracurriculars, which yielded outstanding academic results and beyond. His intentional approach to building community includes being visible and present during the school day and at events, and he is committed to inclusion that supports every student’s need for belonging.
Mr. Moseley holds an MA in Independent School Leadership from the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University, and a BA from Lake Forest College. His continuing education coursework includes Harvard Graduate School of Education, Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, Harvard Business School and numerous conferences.