WILLIAMSBURG – Providence Classical School recently announced the retirement of Susan Oweis, Head of School, who will conclude 19 years of leadership on Jun. 30.
Oweis was hired in 2007 and has played a central role in shaping Providence Classical School into the institution it is today. The school says that under her leadership, they relocated to its current campus in Williamsburg, enrollment more than doubled, and academic offerings were significantly expanded to serve students across a broader range of ages and stages.
Among her many accomplishments, Oweis launched the Rhetoric School (grades 9–12), providing students with a full classical Christian education through high school. She also established the school’s athletic program, strengthening school culture and student life, and introduced a four-year-old Junior Kindergarten program, extending the school’s mission to younger learners and their families.
Oweis’s leadership was especially evident during times of challenge. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she ensured Providence Classical School continued to provide in-person instruction, offering stability, continuity, and care for students and families during an uncertain season.
Deeply committed to the formation of students in wisdom and virtue, Oweis personally chaperoned educational trips across the United States and to Europe, enriching students’ academic experience through firsthand engagement with history, culture, and the great ideas of Western civilization, the school also shared.
“Susan Oweis has served Providence Classical School with faithfulness, courage, and a deep trust in God’s providence,” said Rita Stryker, Board President. “We give thanks to the Lord for her nearly two decades of leadership and for the countless ways He has used her to shape our students, strengthen our community, and advance the mission of the school. Her legacy will continue to bear fruit for generations.”
Reflecting on her tenure, Oweis said, “It has been an extraordinary privilege to serve Providence Classical School and to steward the calling God placed before me nearly nineteen years ago. I am profoundly grateful for His faithfulness throughout the years and for the partnership of families, faculty, and staff who share a love for truth, goodness, and beauty. I entrust the future of this school to the Lord with confidence and thanksgiving.”
The Providence Classical School community will celebrate her service at a farewell program on Apr. 17, to be held on campus with school families. In addition, the current Board of Trustees, past Board Presidents, and the current administrative team and spouses will honor her at a private retirement dinner in June.
