Head of School Spotlight: Jody Reilly Soja
By Shane Lischin ’26
News Section Editor
As the new Head of School, Jody Reilly Soja settles into her role at Loomis Chaffee, she reflects on the community, its culture, and her vision for the future. In a recent interview, Ms. Soja shared her thoughts on her first interactions with the school and the goals she is inspired by and hopes to achieve as she begins to make her mark on the Island.
When asked about her initial impressions of the school, Ms. Soja expressed her delight in the considerate nature of the community. “I have been really struck by how kind and warm everyone is,” Ms. Soja said.
Furthermore, she praised the community’s approachability and drive, observing the active engagement everyone fosters and contributes towards the common good. “One thing I’m paying attention to is just how much people seem to do and how busy everyone’s lives are,”
In her search process, Ms. Soja emphasized that one of the qualities initially attracting her to Loomis was the school’s commitment to being “elite but not elitist.” “This is a really excellent place, but also a place where people don’t take themselves too seriously. It’s not all about excellence—there’s a genuine care for other people and the community as a whole,” notes Ms. Soja.
Looking ahead, her main focus is building more cohesion within the school. “I am really interested in ways we can make a larger school feel smaller,” she said. “I think maybe because I’m coming from a much smaller school, I’m struck by how disparate groups feel [sometimes].” A current goal, Ms. Soja states, is to create more opportunities for the entire school to come together without adding more to everyone’s already packed schedules.
Additionally, Ms. Soja is passionate about fostering respectful dialogue in today’s divisive political climate. “My installation remarks were about how we can deal with divisive topics by listening to each other, engaging in dialogue with the goal of developing our own understanding, rather than just arguing our own case,” she said. “I think it’s really important to understand why other people might have opposing views and not spend our lives living in an echo chamber.”
Ms. Soja also wants to ensure that all voices are heard on campus, particularly those in the minority. “I really want to make sure that people who might not align with the majority opinion at Loomis still feel they have a space to share their ideas and ask questions,” says Ms. Soja.
Moreover, when asked about the pressures students face at Loomis, Ms. Soja expressed her concern about the culture of overachievement. “How do you put limits on that without restricting what people really want to do?” she asked. “I’m really trying to understand the schedule and where there might be opportunities to slow the pace down a little.”
As she works with the community to develop Loomis’ strategic plan for the future, she is committed to a collaborative approach. “I don’t think it always works well when a new leader comes in with their own agenda,” she said. I need to spend this year learning and listening.” Early feedback has highlighted several key areas, including environmental sustainability, inclusive excellence, and student health and wellness. Reoccurring themes include engaged citizenship, access, cultivating joy, and community building.
For students, her advice is clear: “Make sure you get enough sleep,” she said. “I think we sometimes miss the fact that our brain does a lot of work when we’re sleeping. When you’re staying up super late to get work done, you’re actually making it harder for your brain to retain information.”