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John M. "Hench" Murray, Head of School, first served as Head of School from 1981 to 1995 and returned to the position in 2005. Under his guidance, Woodlynde has become a strong and respected member of the local independent school community. As Head, his goal was and continues to be to fulfill the school's mission of empowering students to become strategic learners and self advocates. He strives to create an environment that encourages students to make wise choices, and emphasizes on service and personal responsibility to those in need.

Hench grew up in the Philadelphia area, attending Germantown Academy and the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a B.A. in English and a M.S. in Education. He has been involved in the field of education for over 40 years. He taught, coached, and handled various administrative responsibilities at the William Penn Charter School for fourteen years. He held the position of Assistant to the Headmaster at the time of his initial appointment to Head of School at Woodlynde.

After his retirement from Woodlynde, Hench accepted the position of Director at Camp Tecumseh, an overnight camp for boys in New Hampshire. Concomitantly, he formed Educational Support Services, Inc., a consulting firm designed to help companies improve the effectiveness of their training programs. In 2000, he began providing consulting services full time, which he continued to do until his return to Woodlynde.

Hench resides in the Radnor area with his wife, Donna Huston Murray. Hench and Donna have two grown children. Hench has served on the Board of Directors for the Maxwell Football Club, the Little Quakers, and the Pennsylvania Association of Private Independent Schools. Hench has provided the color commentary for the University of Pennsylvania Football radio broadcasts since 1981.