Head of School
John (“Jay”) W. Ferguson, Jr.
Jay Ferguson, J.D., PhD is the Head of School of Grace Community School in Tyler, Texas. Jay is in his 16th year as head of Grace. Since that time, Jay has worked to build a flourishing culture at Grace, a vibrant educational community that has been awarded Blue Ribbon Exemplary status by the U.S. Department of Education in 2015 and 2017.
He is an adjunct professor at Covenant College, Gordon College, and Dallas Baptist University, and recently served on the adjunct faculties of the Van Lunen Center at Calvin College and at Peabody College of Education at Vanderbilt University. Jay is past President of the Board of the Texas Private School Association, former Chair of the Board of the Council on Educational Standards and Accountability, and is Chair-Elect of the executive board of the Association of Christian Schools International.
Jay and his wife, Ashley, have three daughters: Emma, Annie, and Ellen. He has taught them to love Jesus and football, in that order, which he considers his gift to future sons-in-law, Lord willing.