Meet the Head of School « Faculty + Staff
Virginia Paik
Virginia Paik's commitment to progressive education has been the guiding force of her educational career. Her vision not only supports the framework of Live Oak School's pedagogy but also extends to active discovery and invention in the educational field for the benefit of every learner—students and teachers alike.
In her seven years as Assistant Head of School and the past year as Interim/Acting Head of School at Live Oak, Virginia has been instrumental in designing and implementing Live Oak's rich and innovative curriculum. As the newly appointed Head of School, she leads Live Oak's mission to spark a passion for lifelong learning and to nurture and develop potential through knowing each child well.
Virginia holds an M.A. in Curriculum and Teaching from Columbia University Teachers College and a B.A. in English Literature from Pomona College. She began her career as a preschool teacher in San Francisco, spent three years at Hillbrook School teaching kindergarten, and arrived at Live Oak to teach third grade. She became Live Oak's Lower School Director in 2002 and accepted the position of Assistant Head in 2003. In 2010 she was appointed Head of School after a nationwide search. She is also a respected professional advisor and is a presenter for the Bay Area Teacher Development Collaborative's professional development workshops on differentiated instruction and independent school leadership.
Virginia lives in San Francisco with her husband and her daughter, who is very excited to have joined Live Oak's kindergarten this fall.
