Elizabeth Hofreuter’s visionary leadership has transformed WCDS into a beacon of innovation and resilience, inspiring future generations to embrace learning with courage and joy.
Elizabeth Hofreuter’s tenure as Head of School at Wheeling Country Day School has been nothing short of transformative. When she returned to her alma mater in 2009, WCDS was facing significant financial challenges and uncertain times. Armed with vision, resilience, and a gambler’s confidence, Elizabeth immediately invested in revitalizing the school. Through strategic financial moves, she reinvigorated WCDS, doubling enrollment within two years, revitalizing community support, launching a landmark capital campaign, and repaying the school’s initial investment to the cent.
Under Elizabeth’s leadership, the school’s enrollment has grown from 100 to nearly 250 students, with hundreds more served through programs like WCDS Summer Camps and Edge Fearless Learning, which provides support for students often overlooked. Her business acumen has expanded the operating budget and annual fund fourfold, allowing WCDS to raise salaries, invest in staff, and foster a workplace culture that prioritizes professional growth.
Elizabeth’s dedication to progressive education has positioned WCDS as a trailblazer in Appalachia and beyond. Her leadership has brought state-of-the-art buildings, innovative play-based learning, and project-based experiential learning to the curriculum, culminating in the re-establishment of the WCDS Middle School as a Branch Campus in 2019. Known for her willingness to disrupt norms, Elizabeth has crafted an environment where students and teachers are encouraged to try, fail, and learn.
Throughout her journey, Elizabeth has remained connected to WCDS with the heart of a student, embracing each day with wonder, laughter, and a desire to learn something new. As she reflects, “You don’t know how much you need Wheeling Country Day School, until you do.”
We honor Elizabeth Hofreuter as a visionary leader whose impact on WCDS will be felt for generations to come.
