Gretchen Thompson

Here’s a sport’s trivia question for you: What does former NFL football player Michael Oher have in common with Gretchen Thompson?

Answer: Both have been inducted into Memphis’s Briarcrest High School Athletic Hall of Fame—Michael Oher, a Super Bowl Champion offensive lineman in the NFL, whose life was depicted in the movie The Blind Side, and Gretchen, a five foot three “mighty-mite,” known for her friendly competitiveness, love of the game, and spirited leadership. Through their individual talents, both brought something special to Briarcrest and its athletic program. Many years removed from high school, three themes have remained consistent in Gretchen’s life: a sense of play, positive motivation, and leadership. Each led to her high school success as a student-athlete and propelled her rich teaching, coaching, and administrative career.

Gretchen joins the York Enrollment team with 25+ years of experience in both teaching and leadership in independent schools. Most recently, Gretchen was the Head of Middle School at All Saints Day School in Carmel, where she managed all operations for grades 6 through 8. Prior to her time at All Saints, she was the Assistant Head of School at The John Thomas Dye School in Los Angeles and Head of Middle School at the Ensworth School in Nashville. In both roles, she was responsible for scheduling, budgeting, faculty evaluation, and student support. At Ensworth and John Thomas Dye, in addition to her other leadership duties, Gretchen worked closely with the admissions department to help plan, organize, and execute admissions events and provide parent education. Additionally, Gretchen is an accomplished mathematics educator, serving as the math department chair at three schools.