William Rowe's Bio

Mr. Rowe has been associated with Thomas Jefferson School since 1960, when he entered as a sophomore boarding student. His home at the time was the small town of Brandenburg, Kentucky; he attended one year of high school there before coming to TJ. Graduating in 1963, Mr. Rowe went on to Wesleyan University, where he majored in mathematics. He also earned an M.A. in classics (Greek, Latin, and Hebrew) from Washington University in 1988.

Since joining the TJ faculty in 1967, Mr. Rowe has taught a number of different subjects (primarily Greek, Italian, and various mathematics courses), was elected to the Board of Trustees, and became the school’s Director of Admissions in 1980. He was chosen as the third Head of School upon the retirement of Lawrence Morgan in 2000. Believing that administrators should keep in close touch with students and with the daily challenges of education, he continues to teach (currently a course in calculus), and he especially enjoys taking students on the school’s frequent trips abroad. He is presently a member of the Executive Committee of Independent Schools of St. Louis (ISSL) and sits on the Board of Trustees of The Wilson School. With a lifelong interest in natural history, he also teaches adult classes in bird study at the Missouri Botanical Garden and leads birding tours nationwide.

Mr. Rowe and his wife Margaret, who teaches at The College School of Webster Groves, will soon celebrate their thirtieth wedding anniversary. Their three children, all of whom attended TJ, are Elizabeth ‘88, Emily ‘97, and Matt ’99.