Faculty and Staff

List of 6 members.

• 

  Mr. John Fixx 

  Head of School

  Bio

  A 30-year veteran of independent school leadership, John Fixx came to The Country School in July 2013 from Chase Collegiate in Waterbury, where he served as Headmaster for 10 years.
  
  

  Before being named Head of School in July 2014, John served The Country School for one year as Assistant Head of School for Development and External Relations, overseeing advancement initiatives; raising funds for capital improvements, annual giving, endowment, and scholarship support; and galvanizing all segments of the community, from students and teachers to parents, alumni, and the broader educational and business sectors.
  
  

  John's arrival at The Country School in July 2013 marked a homecoming of sorts; in the mid- to-late 1990s, he served The Country School as Assistant Headmaster, Middle School Director, and English teacher. He also started the school's cross country team.
  
  

  In 1998, John left TCS to become Headmaster at The Lexington School, a PreK-8th Grade school in Lexington, KY. From there, he went on to lead Chase, where he oversaw two major capital campaigns — one for $13.3 million and one for $15.1 million — and nearly quadrupled the endowment to almost $12 million, guided the school through a name change, and oversaw major construction and renovation projects.
  
  

  John received his BA in English and American Literature from Wesleyan University and his MBA, with a concentration in non-profit organizations, from the University of Connecticut. During his three decades in independent schools, he has also served as Director of Admission and Financial Aid at Westminster School (Simsbury, CT) and Bancroft School (Worcester, MA) and as Director of Admission and External Affairs at the Hoosac School (Hoosick, NY). He has served as Trustee and Chair for the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools and as Chair of the Board of Directors of the New Haven Ballet.
  
  

  In addition to serving as Head of School, John coaches The Country School's highly competitive interscholastic cross country team and the popular intramural running program for younger athletes, the Flying Owlets. In 2016, John became a published author, writing The Curious Guide to Things That Aren't, a children's book based on a few short chapters initially started by his late father, the author Jim Fixx, when John was a young child. John lives in Madison with his wife, Liza, and their children, Nat, a recent graduate of Boston University, and Emily, a student at the University of Vermont.
• 

  Ms. Karen Cunningham 

  Chief Financial Officer

  Bio

  Karen Cunningham, CPA, MST, is The Country School’s Chief Financial Officer. Karen, who joined The Country School in 2013, has worked as a business and financial services consultant for many years, primarily in private education, construction, contracting, and manufacturing. She is the co-owner and co-founder of a precision manufacturing business in Bristol and is also an accomplished artist.

   

  Karen's previous work with schools, construction, and contracting have proven essential as The Country School embarked on its 60th Anniversary Shaping the Future campaign and construction project, an initiative which promises to transform both our campus and our students' experience.
• 

  Mrs. Jennifer Hornyak 

  Head of Lower School | Learning Support Coordinator | Reading Specialist
• 

  Mr. Will McDonough 

  Assistant Head of School | Head of Middle School | Humanities
• 

  Mr. Benjamin Taylor 

  Assistant Head of School | Dean of Academics | Mathematics

  Bio

  Ben Taylor began his career as a physicist, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Connecticut and published multiple research articles on the magneto-optical properties of thin films. During 21 years at Hopkins School, his work grew from teaching physics and varsity coaching to leading initiatives in student research, curriculum design, instructional technology, and faculty development. He was instrumental in the development of authentic research program connecting students with laboratories at institutions such as Yale, UConn, MIT, and CERN; taught classes ranging from Middle School Science to Quantum Mechanics; helped shape technology and instructional policies; and served in leadership roles including Director of Senior Projects, Head Adviser, Director of Academic Technology, Director of Information Systems.

   

  Alongside his work at Hopkins, as Dean of Instruction for the Malone Schools Online Network, Ben supported educators and academic leaders at dozens of independent schools, led professional learning for more than 1,500 teachers, and helped guide collaborative online education across the country. He joined The Country School in 2024 and now serves as Assistant Head of School and Dean of Academics, bringing together his experience in teaching, technology, curriculum, and school leadership to build strong programs and help teachers and students thrive.
• 

  Mrs. Pamela Glasser 

  Director of Admission

  Bio

  Pam Glasser serves as The Country School’s Director of Admission and Director of Curriculum. A longtime Country School educator and administrator - and the parent of two alumni - Pam has a deep understanding of and appreciation for all that The Country School experience can mean to its students and their families.
  
  

  Pam began her career at The Country School in 1995, when she started teaching Kindergarten in Clark House. After taking a few years off to stay home with her own children and work on her Masters Degree, she returned to teach 2nd Grade. Pam later was named Lower School Director, followed by Curriculum Director. In 2013, she was also named Director of Admission.
  
  

  Pam received her Masters of Education Degree in Curriculum and Teaching from Columbia Teacher’s College, and in her role as Curriculum Director, she shares her extensive knowledge of local, regional, national, and global education policies, practices, and programs with The Country School. While serving as Curriculum Director, she has overseen several major initiatives, including a massive curriculum mapping project and the integration of new programs including Singapore Math, STEAM, and Elmore Leadership.

  
  In addition to her M.Ed. from Columbia, Pam received her B.A. in Political Science and German and her Teacher Certification from Southern Connecticut State University and she also studied at Universitat Salzburg.