David Samson - Head of Upper School

Mr. David Samson began his tenure as Head of Upper School at Germantown Academy in July of 2024. Having served as a Counselor in the Upper School from 2004-2015, while also holding roles as a teacher, coach, House Head Director, Osbourn House Head, and Ninth and Tenth Grade Form Head, he is no stranger to GA. 

Prior to his return to Fort Washington, Samson spent five years as the Head of Upper School at Brookwood School, where he implemented equitable grading and feedback practices, developed and supported diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging initiatives, and served as a member of the Senior Leadership team, Board of Trustees, the Forest School Design Team, the DEIJB Committee, and the Affinity Group Planning committee. Before that, he served as the Assistant Principal of the Upper School at Rowland Hall for four years, where he where was a member of the Education Committee for the Board of Trustees, co-led the Upper School with a focus on student life, and designed and implemented a new system of academic scheduling to increase involvement and support from department chairs, faculty, and advisors. 

At GA, Samson introduced, designed the curriculum, and taught Honors Psychology and Upper School English, the latter of which he will again be teaching in 2025. As a counselor, he provided both short-term and long-term counseling services to students and families, managed crisis, and collaborated with Upper School parents about grade specific developmental issues. He was responsible for ensuring the academic, social, and disciplinary well-being of the ninth and tenth grade students as a Form Head. 

Samson was the Osbourn House Head from 2007-15 and advised and oversaw students and a team of advisors. He was also responsible for ensuring the academic, social, extracurricular, and disciplinary well-being of students. He was also the House Head Director from 2012-15, acting as the Head of Upper School in the absence of a Division Head. 

Some of Samson’s other professional highlights include designing and developing a new curriculum for the Freshmen Seminar program, and coordinating programing and procedures for the yearlong move into a temporary facility and the move into a new Upper School building. He also helped incorporate the House System model to GA with a team of administrators in the fall of 2007, co-chaired the Athletic Task Force Committee and the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools Self-Study Committee on Health and Safety. Samson developed, coordinated, and led retreats, and planned, designed, and implemented a new curriculum in coordination with the Upper School Administrative team to support the strategic direction of the school.  

Samson earned his undergraduate degree in Sociology Based Human Relations from Connecticut College, where he also played varsity lacrosse, and his master’s degree in counseling psychology from Lesley University.