Living at Boarding School | Foxcroft School

Living at Foxcroft

This affordable boarding school for girls in Virginia is truly a community of understanding hearts, where each girl is known and valued. Our key values of respect, integrity, kindness, and service are at the center of all that we do. Girls thrive intellectually, socially, and emotionally because our nurturing community and strong values foster growth in each of these realms.

Residential Life

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Five Dorms with Dedicated Faculty

Foxcroft has five dormitories that each house between 20-45 girls. Dorm Teams are comprised of four dedicated faculty members and several student leaders managing residential life and daily happenings.
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Sleeping Porches

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Nurturing Healthy Minds & Bodies

Sleeping porches are a distinctive part of our School culture and are instrumental in our mission to nurture healthy minds and healthy bodies. Our sleeping porches:
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Faculty Advisors

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A Source of Support Away from Home

Each girl at Foxcroft establishes a special, unique relationship with her faculty advisor. Through weekly meetings, shared meals in the Dining Hall or in the advisor’s home, and other activities, girls find their advisors to be a source of support away from home.
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Contact

List of 7 members.

Courtney Ulmer

Assistant Head of School, Dorm Parent

540.687.4330

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Courtney Ulmer was born and raised in Baltimore, Md., and attended The Bryn Mawr School, an all-girls day school, for 13 years. Courtney also attended The College of William and Mary as an undergraduate and earned a master's degree in American History from Vanderbilt University. Before coming to Foxcroft she taught history in New Hampshire and Baltimore.

In 2013, Courtney became Foxcroft's Academic Dean, a new role that she embraced following seven years at Foxcroft teaching and serving as Chair of the History Department. She was named Assistant Head of School for Academics in 2018. While her Academic Office responsibilities keep her busy, Courtney enjoys returning to the classroom as possible; most recently she taught an elective in History of Western Art, which has been a passion of hers since her undergraduate days as a dual history and art history major.

Courtney lives in Stuart Hall, where she serves as a dorm parent. When not reading history books, Courtney enjoys sailing with her family on the Chesapeake Bay.
Stephanie Young

Dean of Students; Dorm Parent

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A Foxcroft School graduate, Stephanie earned a bachelor's degree in International Relations at Syracuse University and studied law at American University. She was in AU's International Dual Degree Program, focusing on Constitutional Law in the United States and then studying law for two years at Université de Paris X – Nanterre, where she earned a Master 1 de Droit et Science Politique (master]s degree in law and political science), with a focus on European Union Social Law.

Stephanie, a lifelong Washingtonian, did legal work in Washington, D.C., for two years before joining the Foxcroft faculty. She continues to keep a hand in the field, doing temporary legal work in the summers.

At Foxcroft, Stephanie teaches World Cultures, AP World History, and several electives, including International Relations and Freedom in America: On the Road to Equality. She lives in Applegate where she is part of the Dorm Team.
Whittney Preston

Dean of Inclusive Excellence

540.687.4333

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Whittney joined the Foxcroft community in July 2021 as the Dean of Inclusive Excellence.

Before coming to Foxcroft, Whittney resided in Oklahoma City, OK, where she worked for Heritage Hall School. During her time there, she had the enriching opportunity to work in all three divisions of the school teaching Spanish. She also served there as Associate Director of Diversity and Inclusion, where she works to implement diverse programming throughout the school as well as to serve as a sounding board for students, patrons, alumni, faculty, and staff. She started programs that connected all aspects of the community such as Charger Spotlight and Courageous Conversations, which she defines as open and honest dialogue about diversity challenges the community is facing. She also served as the Lower School Specials Team Lead, where she led the largest group of teachers on campus consistently towards common goals.

She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish from The University of Oklahoma and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Southern Nazarene University. She is currently working on her Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership, where her dissertation is focused on how the lack of diversity and diverse programming in independent schools can have a negative impact on all students.

Whittney is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the first African American Greek-lettered Sorority. Through that organization, she volunteers supporting initiatives such as Women’s Healthcare and Wellness, as well as assisting high school students in their efforts to enter college. Whittney loves spending time with her family and her sweet little dog, a Maltipoo named Milo. In her spare time, she loves reading, traveling, and learning about cultures that are different from her own. She is a sports fanatic and loves watching and cheering on her Oklahoma Sooners, Boston Celtics, OKC Thunder, and Dallas Cowboys!

Whittney is excited to be a part of the Foxcroft community.
Josie Ross

Assistant Dean of Residential Life, Lead Dorm Parent

540.687.4348

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In 2016, Josie Ross joined the Foxcroft family as the Assistant to the Dean of Student Life and as a Lead Dorm Parent in Dillon. As Assistant to the Office of Student Life, Josie closely advises the student-led Activities Committee, which plans on and off campus activities for the student body. She coordinates the weekend duty team, handles weekend and weekday permissions for students, and assists the Student Life team in leadership development and wellness programming. Josie also manages the on-campus low ropes course and, during the winter months, dedicates her after-school hours as head coach to the Foxcroft competitive climbing team.

Josie earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Western Michigan University with minors in political science, holistic health, and interdisciplinary health. Since graduation, she has worked in a variety of roles involving outdoor leadership, and experiential and service learning. These include serving as a Team Leader for AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, a role in which she trained and led diverse teams of young adults doing service learning projects in communities across the United States. As an experiential educator for Adventure Centre at Pretty Lake in Michigan, Josie managed overnight multi-day programs for student and adult groups, including low and high ropes challenge courses and rock climbing walls.

Josie and her husband, Ronnie, an English teacher at Highland School, live on campus in Dillon with their son.
Elizabeth "Beth" O'Quinn

Experiential Learning & Student Life Coordinator

540.687.4376

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Beth O’Quinn is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design with bacheloer’s degrees in Fine Arts and Interior Architecture. She worked for several architecture and interior design firms in both New York City and Washington, DC, on projects ranging from large scale, corporate headquarters to small scale, residential spaces. After Beth and her husband, Dan Murphy, moved to Middleburg in 1986, she opened O’Quinn Design.

In addition to her design work, Beth has engaged in volunteer work for various organizations in Loudoun County, and currently serves on the Outreach Committee of Trinity Episcopal Church in Upperville, VA. She is a lifelong rider and avid gardener. Beth and Dan have two daughters, Grace, Foxcroft Class of 2010, and Molly ‘15.
Juliana Mushala

Residential Life Dorm Coordinator

540-687-4350
Alexis Hall

Assistant to the Office of Student Life & Social Media Coordinator