LAWRENCE — Christopher Wilson has been principal of St. Ignatius of Loyola Academy, an all-boys middle school in Baltimore. So he knows boys will be boys.
In July, he will learn girls will be girls when he becomes headmaster of Esperanza Academy, a tuition-free school for under-served fifth through eighth graders.
Wilson will replace Laurie Bottiger, founding head mistress of the school, which opened in 2006 with support from the Episcopal church.
"When I was looking to advance my profession, I wanted to continue the same mission of serving kids," Wilson said.
Esperanza Academy is based on the Nativity Miguel model, the same network of schools as is St. Ignatius, which serves sixth through eighth graders grounded in the Jesuit mission.
Wilson said he was impressed by Esperanza Academy's philosophy and its student body from the moment he walked through the school's doors.
During his visit the student leading him on a tour told him how Esperanza Academy had changed her life.
"It was so inspiring to see the energy. It was just wonderful to see that for them this is not just a school, but a home," Wilson said.
"Their approach is one that honors all the facets in a girl's life from academics, athletics, to emotions, and spirituality which will help them go off, get an excellent education and lead a happy successful life."
Rosalyn K. Wood, board president of Esperanza Academy said Wilson was chosen for the job for both his educational and work experience.
"He is the best person for the job. He was on the top, when he came for a personal interview was on the top and now he is at the top," Wood said.
"Having worked within the network, he is going to take our school, Esperanza to the next level," Wood said.
Esperanza Academy has 70 students with 20 new girls joining the incoming fifth grade.
Students at Esperanza are chosen through a lottery system in April. They attend school for 11 hours a day, 11 months of the year. In addition to the academics, they participate in extracurricular activities including garden club, theater, choir, horseback riding, Merrimack College/Lawrence Science Initiative, Girl Scouts, as well as guitar, cello, piano and violin lessons.
"I believe very strongly in providing a well rounded education," Wilson said describing his philosophy of teaching. "It's not just about classroom setting, you need to give kids at the age of 12 to 14 the opportunity to learn as they can, expose them to different ways of thinking so they can have a change to discover their talents, and find things interesting to them," he said.
Wilson was born in Madison, Wisconsin. and grew up in Baltimore. He has a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in history from Stanford University.
He was teaching at Friends School, a Quaker-sponsored independent co-ed school serving fourth to 12th graders, when he saw the opportunity to work at St. Ignatius.
In addition to being assistant head master and principal, Wilson has taught history, Latin and world religions in the eight years at St. Ignatius. He has also been a cross country and baseball coach.
Wilson and his wife, Stephanie have a two-month-old daughter, Madeline.
In a letter to the Esperanza families, Bottiger wrote she was stepping down because her two children will be freshmen and junior in high school.
"It feels like when you send your kids off to college, you provide love and support from a distance," she said. "That's the way it's going to be for me. By having Esperanza Academy, we have proven that Lawrence has talented and capable students; they simply need an environment where they can thrive," Bottiger said.
She is not hanging up her educational robe just yet.
Bottiger will become head mistress at The Country School in Madison, Conn., a private coed school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. She will also serve on the board of trustees of a new Nativity school scheduled to open in Connecticut.
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