Greenhill Mourns Phil Foote

Former Head of School Phillip Gene Foote passed away on January 30, 2026.

Foote spent 23 years at Greenhill, first serving as Head of Lower School, then Head of Lower and Middle School, and finally as Head of School from 1976 to 1992. Foote was the perfect leader to take the baton from school founder Bernard Fulton and lead Greenhill to the next stage in our evolution.

During Foote’s time as Head of School, Greenhill was characterized by prodigious, contagious energy and boundless optimism. His personal magnetism and his courage in exploring new ways of “doing school” empowered and inspired faculty to dream big and take risks. He intentionally fostered the idea of “The Greenhill Family,” and he had an extraordinary way of making every student and family feel known and important.

Foote advanced Fulton’s vision by growing enrollment from 984 to 1,210, increasing the number of full-time faculty members from 95 to 135, and establishing financial stability for the school by leading the Greenhill Park land-lease initiative, which solidified and grew Greenhill’s endowment. He was also known and loved for wearing red-plaid pants and playing the piano during the holidays.

Foote is survived by his wife, Dr. Mary S. Foote, and their children, David Foote ’85, Andrew Foote ’86 (wife: Blake), and Amy Foote McCooe ’89 (husband: Matt).

We offer our deepest sympathy to the Foote family and to those friends, colleagues, and students whose lives he touched.