Renowned San Francisco High School Names Experienced, Values-Driven Educational Leader
Lick-Wilmerding High School
Lick-Wilmerding High School is a private school with public purpose, serving 560 students in grades 9-12 in San Francisco. Since its founding in 1895 as a vocational school, Lick-Wilmerding High School has built upon a long tradition of valuing and integrating the liberal arts, sciences, technical arts, visual arts and performing arts to offer a robust college-prep curriculum. LWHS has a rich and distinctive academic program, with thriving departments, vibrant student life, and signature initiatives like the Center for Civic Engagement and the Public Purpose Program. Faculty and students are passionate, engaged, and driven by values that reach far beyond the classroom.
At this pivotal moment, LWHS sought an assistant head of school for academics to serve as the school’s primary academic leader and strategic partner to the head of school and the senior leadership team. This new position leads curriculum and teaching & learning initiatives to thoughtfully integrate the mission of LWHS into its academic programs with clarity and coherence. Another new role—the dean of faculty development and culture—supports the assistant head of school in ensuring that faculty development aligns with the school’s strategic academic vision. Key opportunities for the assistant head of school include developing interdisciplinary throughlines, clarifying how and when to implement and scale new initiatives, and ensuring that student wellness and belonging remain core to the academic experience. The assistant head of school for academics reports directly to the head of school, and starts July 1, 2026.
Lick-Wilmerding High School was thrilled to welcome Miranda Thorman to the position.
Meet the new leader
An accomplished and mission-driven school leader, Miranda Thorman brings extensive experience across classroom teaching, instructional leadership, and executive administration. She has held senior roles—including Executive Director, Middle School Principal, and Dean of Instruction & Culture—at Bay Area charter and independent schools, most recently serving as Executive Director at East Bay Innovation Academy. Her leadership has spanned strategic planning, competency-based learning implementation, faculty development, curriculum design, and school culture transformation, consistently advancing equity and deepening instructional practice and student outcomes. Ms. Thorman holds a Masters in Education from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in U.S. History, with a minor in Music from University of California, San Diego.
