Finding the Greatness in People
The LJCDS community expresses its gratitude to Dr. Krahn for his leadership.
From welcoming kindergarteners to school in the morning to shaking the hands of seniors on stage at graduation, Head of School Gary Krahn, Ph.D., has been woven into the fabric of La Jolla Country Day School since he started in 2015. His genuine care and dedication to the LJCDS community were apparent in everything he did. With his retirement, we reflect on his legacy of fostering a community rooted in dignity and deep love for the school.
“I like being around young people,” Dr. Krahn shares. “I like the way they think, how they’re quick on their feet and challenge the status quo.” As much as he cherished his time with the students, they adored him even more. He could be found sitting or laying on the floor reading stories with Lower School students, visiting classrooms as a guest speaker or teaching a math concept, chaperoning field trips, participating in service-learning projects, marveling at the student’s innovations in the lab, cheering from the sidelines of sports activities and the audiences of arts performances, even directing traffic in the parking lots. His humor and playfulness appeared often, especially during Halloween, with his creative costumes (e.g., a parent badge, bucket filler, and retiree).
During the all-school assembly celebrating Dr. Krahn’s impact, Matthew DuBois ’26 shared his thoughts, “What is important is his ability to make everyone feel welcome. Every time I see him, he will without fail, smile, and say “hello.” And he does this for everyone, from Tiny Torreys to Upper School students. I’ve shared small events in my life, and after a day or two, he asks how those things went. Dr. Krahn is always present—for everyone. He makes you feel connected, and he never makes you feel inferior, but instead, like you’re talking with a friend—a caring, calm, and encouraging friend.”
Right from the start, as evidenced in this 2015 La Jolla Light article, Dr. Krahn’s vision was to shape the leaders of tomorrow “to become the best versions of themselves and to know how to ask questions, want to make the world a better place, and have the tools to do it.” He believed in the school’s transformational impact on young people and was determined to convince his daughter Kelly and her family to move back to San Diego so that his granddaughters, Reese ’30 and Avery ’33, could attend “the best school in the world.”
“I firmly believe the dignity model is the key to preparing our students to excel and make our world a better place,” shares Dr. Krahn. “By prioritizing dignity education on our campus and in our homes, we created the conversation and commitment to become more compassionate and empathetic human beings. We all wish to live and work in an atmosphere of trust, understanding, appreciation, and mutual respect—an environment that is conducive to growth and development. Treating all people with dignity is an aspirational goal. Despite our sincerest intentions, as humans, we all have examples of falling short, but we have the ability to pursue that goal and practice dignity every day.”
“Gary has been the heart and soul of our school for the last nine years,” shares Board of Trustees President Karen Deschaine. “Throughout his tenure, he has exemplified the true spirit of leadership, guiding our school with wisdom, compassion, and integrity. He has not only shaped the academic landscape but has also nurtured a culture of dignity, inclusivity, and innovation.”
“Gary has profoundly influenced countless lives,” reflects Associate Head of School Colleen O’Boyle. “He has cultivated an environment where LJCDS is not merely a place of learning but a sanctuary where curious minds are encouraged to break molds and redefine boundaries, promoting an art of questioning and bold exploration. He has helped shape future leaders, thinkers, and innovators ready to take on the world’s challenges. Gary’s legacy will continue to inspire and guide La Jolla Country Day School for generations to come.”
“At West Point, I was trying to shape the hearts and minds of young people,” explains Dr. Krahn. “When we started developing the university in Afghanistan, we needed to work with the Secretary of Education of Afghanistan and understand their national admissions process. I began to see the power of K–12 schools. In fact, I realized that if you don’t influence the hearts and minds of students until college, it’s too late.”
Back
“I like being around young people,” Dr. Krahn shares. “I like the way they think, how they’re quick on their feet and challenge the status quo.” As much as he cherished his time with the students, they adored him even more. He could be found sitting or laying on the floor reading stories with Lower School students, visiting classrooms as a guest speaker or teaching a math concept, chaperoning field trips, participating in service-learning projects, marveling at the student’s innovations in the lab, cheering from the sidelines of sports activities and the audiences of arts performances, even directing traffic in the parking lots. His humor and playfulness appeared often, especially during Halloween, with his creative costumes (e.g., a parent badge, bucket filler, and retiree).
During the all-school assembly celebrating Dr. Krahn’s impact, Matthew DuBois ’26 shared his thoughts, “What is important is his ability to make everyone feel welcome. Every time I see him, he will without fail, smile, and say “hello.” And he does this for everyone, from Tiny Torreys to Upper School students. I’ve shared small events in my life, and after a day or two, he asks how those things went. Dr. Krahn is always present—for everyone. He makes you feel connected, and he never makes you feel inferior, but instead, like you’re talking with a friend—a caring, calm, and encouraging friend.”
Right from the start, as evidenced in this 2015 La Jolla Light article, Dr. Krahn’s vision was to shape the leaders of tomorrow “to become the best versions of themselves and to know how to ask questions, want to make the world a better place, and have the tools to do it.” He believed in the school’s transformational impact on young people and was determined to convince his daughter Kelly and her family to move back to San Diego so that his granddaughters, Reese ’30 and Avery ’33, could attend “the best school in the world.”
Recognized as a visionary, Dr. Krahn believes in enabling students how to think, not what to think. “I’m trying to anticipate where the world is going and prepare our students to respond to a rapidly changing world. I want them to feel comfortable solving problems they haven’t seen before, rather than rehearsing or memorizing the same solutions. I became an administrator because I like empowering people, but I don’t like meetings or rules. Every time you create a rule, you prevent a child from making a decision.”
The strongest impression Dr. Krahn made was his deep commitment to the dignity model created by Donna Hicks, Ph.D., as LJCDS’ core value. In her book Dignity, she states that “Dignity is our inherent value and worth as human beings.” Students and staff embraced the principles of dignity, and in 2018, Dr. Hicks recognized LJCDS as a pioneer in dignity education in her book Leading With Dignity. The school’s identity and reputation were strengthened, and the core value evolved into Inspiring Greatness for a Better World by Leading with Dignity.
“I firmly believe the dignity model is the key to preparing our students to excel and make our world a better place,” shares Dr. Krahn. “By prioritizing dignity education on our campus and in our homes, we created the conversation and commitment to become more compassionate and empathetic human beings. We all wish to live and work in an atmosphere of trust, understanding, appreciation, and mutual respect—an environment that is conducive to growth and development. Treating all people with dignity is an aspirational goal. Despite our sincerest intentions, as humans, we all have examples of falling short, but we have the ability to pursue that goal and practice dignity every day.”
“Gary has been the heart and soul of our school for the last nine years,” shares Board of Trustees President Karen Deschaine. “Throughout his tenure, he has exemplified the true spirit of leadership, guiding our school with wisdom, compassion, and integrity. He has not only shaped the academic landscape but has also nurtured a culture of dignity, inclusivity, and innovation.”
Dr. Krahn also introduced several key programs that have become an integral part of the school’s identity: media literacy to empower students to navigate the complexities of today’s information age, the Centers for Excellence for Citizenship and for Design and Innovation, the Global Education Program, and the Community, Culture, and Belonging Program. He also expanded the Wellness Program to include a partnership with Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, the first relationship of its kind in the country.
During COVID-19, Dr. Krahn’s leadership was instrumental, and the school’s return-to-campus initiative was recognized on the front page of The Wall Street Journal in March 2021. Dr. Krahn accessed his network of experts to gather a team of advisors, including medical professionals, researchers, scientists, and engineers to guide his decisions on masking, testing, opening campus, and the installation and use of hospital-grade CO2 detectors to help ensure the classrooms were well-ventilated. His goal was always the community’s safety and students returning to campus.
“Gary has profoundly influenced countless lives,” reflects Associate Head of School Colleen O’Boyle. “He has cultivated an environment where LJCDS is not merely a place of learning but a sanctuary where curious minds are encouraged to break molds and redefine boundaries, promoting an art of questioning and bold exploration. He has helped shape future leaders, thinkers, and innovators ready to take on the world’s challenges. Gary’s legacy will continue to inspire and guide La Jolla Country Day School for generations to come.”
BEFORE LJCDS
Dr. Krahn’s childhood dream to become a firefighter, just like his father, was upended in high school when his father had a massive heart attack. The financial hardship it caused emphasized the importance of job security with a strong retirement plan. West Point offered a solution and an opportunity: free tuition and the opportunity to serve the nation as a military officer. This appealed to Dr. Krahn’s desire for education and his commitment to service. His decision to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point led to a nearly 30-year distinguished career in the Army. Service in light infantry divisions included deployments around the world and a variety of leadership opportunities before he retired as a Brigadier General in 2006.
Dr. Krahn’s childhood dream to become a firefighter, just like his father, was upended in high school when his father had a massive heart attack. The financial hardship it caused emphasized the importance of job security with a strong retirement plan. West Point offered a solution and an opportunity: free tuition and the opportunity to serve the nation as a military officer. This appealed to Dr. Krahn’s desire for education and his commitment to service. His decision to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point led to a nearly 30-year distinguished career in the Army. Service in light infantry divisions included deployments around the world and a variety of leadership opportunities before he retired as a Brigadier General in 2006.
West Point offered an advanced degree program, which led to Dr. Krahn’s applied mathematics doctorate. His areas of research included applied mathematics, cryptography, leadership, and learning. As a professor and the head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Dr. Krahn redesigned the West Point mathematics program and consulted with universities and colleges to emphasize appropriate problem-solving and reasoning in curriculum design.
In 2004, Dr. Krahn was deployed to Kabul to help establish and build the National Military Academy of Afghanistan. He hired the initial 51 Afghan faculty members and formed the curriculum.
“At West Point, I was trying to shape the hearts and minds of young people,” explains Dr. Krahn. “When we started developing the university in Afghanistan, we needed to work with the Secretary of Education of Afghanistan and understand their national admissions process. I began to see the power of K–12 schools. In fact, I realized that if you don’t influence the hearts and minds of students until college, it’s too late.”
Dr. Krahn’s drive to reach younger students prompted him to spend nine years as the head of K–12 Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, Texas. When the opportunity opened at LJCDS, San Diego natives Dr. Krahn and his wife, Paula, were ready to come home. Even though they grew up just a few houses apart, they didn’t start dating until sophomore year in high school, and married in 1977 after Dr. Krahn graduated from West Point. They had two daughters, Carolyn and Kelly, and moved 17 times with the military.
Dr. Krahn may have freedom of his time, but there might be limited free time. “I’m taking some courses online to become an electrician, and I have an apprenticeship set up already. I hope to serve and volunteer at the Miramar National Cemetery or Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial. Some people at the USS Midway Museum have asked me to volunteer, too.”
REFLECTIONS
AFTER LJCDS
In Dr. Krahn’s second retirement, one might guess he isn’t interested in relaxing. “When I wake up, I’ll work out for an hour, play pickleball, read a book, maybe grab a drink at some cafe with friends and complain about young people, or whatever old people do. I just want to have more control over my life in the final stage. I also want more time to reflect on the things that impact our world. I’ve been a servant to others since I joined the military in 1973. Now it’s time for me to better serve my wife and grandkids.”
Dr. Krahn may have freedom of his time, but there might be limited free time. “I’m taking some courses online to become an electrician, and I have an apprenticeship set up already. I hope to serve and volunteer at the Miramar National Cemetery or Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial. Some people at the USS Midway Museum have asked me to volunteer, too.”
While Dr. Krahn passes the baton to Jeff Terwin, Ph.D., on July 1, he shares, “My wish for Jeff is that he is treated as well as I was treated, that he falls in love with the school and that the school falls in love with him. I also hope that he will allow me to use the pickleball courts on a regular basis.”
REFLECTIONS
Karen Deschaine, board president and parent of two alumni, reflects on Dr. Krahn’s unwavering commitment to LJCDS, “Gary came to a great school and is leaving us an even better school. His dedication to the whole-person education of our children has left an indelible mark on a generation of young minds, instilling in them the values of compassion, resilience, and lifelong learning. I, for one, feel like I’m a better person, a better leader, and a better parent for having learned from him. Gary is remarkable in many ways, but perhaps the most remarkable is his immense and limitless concern for our school and students.”
Dr. Krahn reflects on his time at LJCDS, “Every place you go and everything you do allows you to learn something. Learning is optimized when you are around remarkable people. I learned a lot here. LJCDS provided me with an opportunity to be in an environment where I could become a better and happier person. The school taught me that everything in life is about relationships and that people can have bad days, but it doesn’t mean they’re bad people. The goal is to find and inspire the greatness in people, not to identify or unleash their flaws. LJCDS revealed the meaning of Inspiring Greatness for a Better World.”
