In a few months, Andrew Wooden will take the reins as head of Marymount of Santa Barbara, one of the area’s top pre-K-8 independent schools.

Wooden’s experience includes teaching and leading multiple schools, with his most recent stint as interim head at St. James’ Episcopal School in Pacific Palisades. But compared with his days as a Yale Divinity School student, he said he has noticed a change in today’s schooling.

“We live in a generation where school is getting dumbed down, and we’re not going to let that happen (at Marymount),” said Wooden, who will succeed Debbie David at Marymount, 2130 Mission Ridge Road, on July 1.

Two-thirds of Marymount’s students scored in the 95th-plus percentile in the standardized ERB (Educational Record Bureau) tests, but Wooden said there should be more emphasis on writing, adding that he made it a priority during his American literature and religion classes.

“The information age is a shallow age. There’s breadth over depth, people are reading less and less deeply, writing is shorter and more superficial,” Wooden said. “There is not as much deep thinking going into school work as there used to be, and I want to make sure that academics are rigorous and have depth.”

He said Marymount has a unique opportunity to create such an environment because of its handpicked teachers and curriculum, and its 7-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Having visited more than 250 schools nationally and internationally, Wooden praised Marymount’s teachers and students as among the best.

“That’s where our faculty comes in; they are experts in their disciplines and know what students need,” he said. “They play to the kids’ strengths and build on areas they can grow. They take kids further because they can motivate them for the next step.”

Wooden recognized a change in teaching styles as well, with what he called “21st-century education.”

“Instead of sitting in rows and memorizing information, it looks more like groups working together and problem-solving in unfamiliar situations so kids understand what it means to be members of the world,” he said. “Marymount has the structure to be a part of this and graduate kids with skills that means they will be ahead of the game.”

To give students a more communicative and global perspective, Wooden said teachers can customize the curriculum and provide students individual attention.

“The more we learn about adolescent development, the more we understand what works in student achievement and what’s keeping kids motivated,” Wooden said. “We’re in a unique position to meet each kid individually and give what they need to continue to operate at the highest level.”

In addition to maintaining highly qualified teachers, Wooden said he wants to continue to provide financial aid for deserving students. Tuition at the independent school costs about $15,000 annually, and about 40 percent of the students at Marymount receive financial aid, according to Hilary Doubleday, chairwoman of the head search committee.

“A high percentage of the budget is spent on teaching salaries — as it should be. The second greatest need is financial assistance,” Wooden said. “We want the best students, and not all can afford independent school tuition.”

Doubleday said many people still don’t understand Marymount’s mission, adding that there is a misconception when it comes to the nondenominational school that once was a Catholic all-girls school.

“We’re not a parochial school; we’re open to everyone,” said Kristin Linehan, president of Marymount’s Board of Trustees. “We do have a Catholic heritage and we honor that tradition, but we also have a strong world religious program. They think the nuns are still up here with rulers.”

Linehan said that one of the downsides to a new head of school is that people are often resistant to change, but she noted that it can be an opportunity to introduce new ideas and a fresh approach.

“Change is worrisome to some, but getting Andrew acquainted early will help quell worry,” she said. “Everyone seems supportive and excited that a new energy is coming to Marymount.”

Wooden said he will strive to become intimately acquainted with the Santa Barbara community to better convey Marymount’s importance and to build a rapport with parents.

“It’s important to be head storyteller for the school, getting the community to know about the school, because independents tend to be humble and not communicate their strengths,” he said.

During 12 years at Choate Rosemary Hall, Wooden worked in admissions and financial aid and on the senior dean’s council. He also built a school from the ground up as head of the Bosque School in Albuquerque, N.M., taking it from 70 students on a leased facility to 560 students 14 years later.

“I understand every aspect of school. When you start something from scratch, you are involved in everything, you know every role in school,” he said. “You are sympathetic to each position, and try to be a leader who can help them move forward.”

Wooden will succeed David, with whom he maintains daily contact.

“Debbie David is a friend of mine. I have incredible respect for her,” he said. “I feel as though we are going through this transition as a partnership, and I still have a lot to learn from her.”

Marymount, 2130 Mission Ridge Road, will host a community open house on campus at 1 p.m. Jan. 30.

“It’s these grades where we can give kids the best foundations and teach in such a way where they will be curious and enthusiastic about the future,” Wooden said.

— Noozhawk staff writer Alex Kacik can be reached at akacik@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk or @NoozhawkNews. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.