Erin P. Mayo is getting used to making history.
Mayo became the head of independent school Doane Academy in July, the first woman to hold the position in 50 years and the ninth woman to head the school in its 186-year history in Burlington City.
“I really wanted this position,” said Mayo, 54. “I’m blessed that it came my way.”
Before that, she was the first woman to head Fryeburg Academy, an independent day and boarding school in Maine.
After other stints in Vermont and Dallas, Mayo, a former English teacher, believes she has found her place at Doane. Located on the Delaware River across from Bristol, Doane has a rich history that has evolved from its beginning as an elite Episcopal boarding school for white girls.
On a picturesque 15-acre campus in 1837, founder Bishop George Washington Doane founded the school for girls to have access to the same educational opportunities as…
