Wakefield school to require seniors to take finance class

Starting this fall, instructors at Wakefield Country Day School are offering a new required, semester-long finance class for all seniors to complete before graduation.

The class will be taught by Head of School Paul Larner and Katie Hill, according to a news release from the school. "Learning basic finance is important because it's a skill necessary for life,” Larner said. ”To me, finance and investing are no different than History or English. Without some basic education in these areas, you enter the adult world distinctly disadvantaged."

Larner once owned a chain of car washes he built from the ground up. "Those car washes paid for my children's education," he said. Larner received his B.A. from Haverford College, graduating with honors, his M.A. with distinction from the University of London, and then he attended the University of Virginia where he received his J.D.

With over thirty years of real estate experience as an entrepreneur, real estate attorney, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Administrative Officer in public and private real estate companies, Mr. Larner is looking forward to sharing this expertise with WCDS students.

Hill, a graduate of James Madison University, brings a fresh perspective to students as someone who worked at Freddie Mac during the 2008 financial crisis and, more recently, as a small business owner.

Larner and Hill hope to take students on field trips for experiential learning opportunities, visiting potential investment sites like the Post Office in Flint Hill, River District Arts Center, and other parcels of land for sale in Rappahannock County. Then, together as a class, they will discuss whether these real estate investments could be profitable or not.

COURTESY PHOTOS Head of School Paul Larner and Katie Hill are teaching a new semesterlong finance class to all seniors. Above, Ruthie Windsor-Mann, who now lives and keeps her studio just outside Little Washington, is acclaimed by critics for her technique and use of light and color, this series of paintings focuses on the world outdoors, including landscapes of Rappahannock County and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Shown here is "Hilltopper" (oil on panel, 18x36). This is Windsor-Mann’s third show at Gay Street Gallery. More on the reception in Jan Clatterbuck's Washington column on page 20