Athens Academy is pleased to announce that Patrick G. Snead has been named head of Middle School for the 2026-2027 school year. Pat currently serves as head of middle school at Stratford Academy in Macon, Georgia. He is also a returning Spartan, having previously worked at Athens
Academy from 2005 to 2018.

"I am incredibly humbled and honored to return ‘home’ to Athens Academy,” Pat says. “The school’s pillars and student-focused mission resonate deeply with me and have played a significant role in shaping my own personal educational philosophy over the years. Additionally, I am excited to reconnect with alumni, colleagues, families, and students, while also building strong
connections and relationships with the current generation of Spartans."

A Virginia native, Pat is a graduate of Episcopal High School (VA), Sewanee: The University of the South (TN), and Keele University (UK). He began his career in education at The Potomac School in Virginia and later served as a history teacher and middle school head at The Hammond School in
South Carolina. He went on to teach history at Christ School in Asheville, North Carolina, before joining the Athens Academy faculty in 2005.

During his earlier tenure at Athens Academy, Pat served in several roles, including Upper School dean and humanities teacher, International Studies Program chair, and Honor Council faculty sponsor. After several years he shifted to the Middle School, where he taught English and served as
the dean of students. In 2018, Pat left Athens Academy to become head of middle school at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee.

In addition to his degrees from Sewanee and Keele, Pat holds an instructional leadership certification from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a certification in school management and leadership from Harvard Business School. He received the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) Distinguished Service Award in 2024 and was named Oconee County’s
Rotary Teacher of the Semester in 2008. 

Incoming Head of School Jeff Miles announced Pat’s appointment to the school community on March 9, saying, “We are thrilled to welcome Pat Snead back to the Athens Academy community. Pat has spent his entire career in independent schools and has proven himself to be a thoughtful, student-centered, and collaborative middle school leader. I am excited to partner with him and look forward to our work together.”

 Pat and his wife, Sheila, have two college-aged children, Will and Palmer Grace, both of whom attended Athens Academy’s Preschool, Lower School, and Middle School.

Athens Academy is an independent, co-educational school for students in K3 through 12th grade, located on a beautiful 152-acre campus in Northeast Georgia. Now in its 59th year, Athens Academy pursues its mission of “excellence with honor” through academics, athletics, fine arts,
and service and leadership. Ranked the #1 private school in Athens, #7 private school in the state of Georgia (out of 400+ schools), and #1 private school in North Georgia (Niche.com).

For more information, please contact Kelley Cuneo, communications director, at [email protected] or 706-433-2410.