HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL

Position: Head of Lower School

Reports to: Head of School

Full-time, Exempt Position Begins: July 1^st, 2025

Ranney School, a coeducational independent early childhood through twelfth grade college preparatory day school of 780 students in Monmouth County, NJ, seeks a full-time Head of Lower School to lead a division of approximately 245 students in grades Beginners through 5^th, starting in July, 2025.  Founded in 1960 by Russell Ranney, a visionary educator, the school offers a strong Lower School academic and co-curricular program designed to meet the unique developmental needs of this broad age group. The division head role, therefore, offers a wonderful opportunity for a leader who finds these educational years to be compelling.  Strong candidates will be adept at nurturing academic excellence and helping students and faculty find balance by fostering a learning environment that combines challenge with support, work with play, and individual success with a commitment to collaboration. 

The Lower School occupies a beautiful physical space, including a state-of-the art library, a new greenhouse and garden, and shared facilities, including a pool, gym, and athletic fields on a 65-acre collegiate style campus. Leading confidently in service of the Ranney community, the next Head of Lower School will be conscious of what it takes to prepare our youngest learners to fulfill the school’s overarching mission of nurturing students in their ability to “lead honorably, think creatively, and contribute meaningfully.”  Building on a strong and innovative curriculum that includes a Reggio-inspired Early Childhood Center, a rich world languages program encompassing Spanish, French, and Italian, a strong STEAM model with a recent shift to Innovamat, a focus on social and emotional learning, under the care and guidance of a full-time counselor, and student support that provides assistance with skill-building, as well as enhancement for independent learners, the Lower School is, above all, a warm and nurturing environment, where students experience the joy of learning.  Ranney is searching for a goal-oriented senior leader who will embrace the culture and values of the institution, lead a talented faculty and student community to reach high standards and expectations, and articulate and celebrate the values of the school to prospective and current parents.  

Ranney seeks a visionary lower school educator who is well versed in relevant research on adolescent development and a capable administrator with substantial experience in a leadership role.  Strong interpersonal skills and excellent communication in relation to lower school children and their parents are important characteristics.  The relational nature of the community requires a division leader who embraces the school’s mission promise that “every child is known and valued.”  In addition, demonstrated experience in addressing the daily needs of students, faculty, and families is critical. The successful candidate will have a proven success in lower school teaching and administration, and will be eager to lead and coach the faculty as they assess and enhance school programs, both curricular and co-curricular. The Head of Lower School reports directly to the Head of School, serves on the Ranney senior administrative team, and works closely with the Head of Middle School and Head of Upper School to coordinate a comprehensive Beginners through twelfth grade program.  

Ranney School seeks?an?experienced school leader who will embrace the school’s culture, location, and history and help it move confidently forward. The chief qualities the school community aspires to see in its next head of middle school include:

• An experienced educator who loves working with elementary-age children and their families, who is both joyful and creative, and who believes in Ranney’s holistic approach to education;

• A visionary leader who can inspire a sense of common purpose within the division;? 
• An academic leader who is eager to develop innovative programs and develop an engaging environment that ensures students find joy in learning;
• A collaborative and relational leader who is also a decisive decision?maker;? 
• An outstanding communicator, both orally and in writing.
• An instructional leader of the division, supporting teaching teams and curriculum development to further elevate and align the program, with an eye toward EC-12 scope and sequence;
• A leader with some experience in recruiting, hiring, supporting, and retaining a talented, and mission-aligned faculty;
• An administrator committed to a personalized, individualized, and developmentally appropriate approach to student learning and community relationships;
• A leader to support the work of community, diversity, equity, and inclusion within the division and across the school;
• A relational, approachable, and humble leader, with a good sense of humor; an energetic colleague who will work well on the school’s leadership team;
• A colleague who will respect and enhance the sense of community and collaboration within a talented and cohesive Lower School faculty;
• An advocate for the division and school overall who can compellingly articular the school’s values to prospective families in the admissions process.

Successful candidates will have

• Three or more years of administrative/ leadership experience, ideally in a strong independent school, in a comparable role: division head, assistant division head, dean, etc.
• Substantial lower school teaching experience.
• An advanced degree.

Compensation and benefits are competitive.  Candidates can learn much more about Ranney School at www.ranneyschool.org.

To Apply 

Ranney School is committed to recruiting a diverse faculty and staff. The school therefore seeks applications from candidates who will contribute to an atmosphere in which all are valued and supported. Interested and qualified candidates will submit the following materials as separate PDF documents to humanresources@ranneyschool.org  : 

• A cover letter expressing their interest in the Head of Lower School position; 
• A current résumé; 
• A statement of educational philosophy and practice; 
• A list of three to five professional references with name, relationship, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission).

Ranney School is an Equal Opportunity Employers and is committed to providing consideration to all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, marital status, veteran status, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.

About Ranney School

Ranney School is an Age 3-Grade 12 independent, college preparatory school based in Tinton Falls, NJ. Our school serves a diverse body of approximately 770 students from across Monmouth & Ocean Counties on the northern New Jersey shore. A secular, college-preparatory day school, Ranney is guided by a strong Board of Trustees, an experienced Head of School, Dr. John Griffith, and most notably, by a powerful mission and vision. Our mission is “To know and value every child, nurturing intellectual curiosity and confidence, and inspiring students to lead honorably, think creatively, and contribute meaningfully to society.” We envision Ranney School as a nurturing learning community, in which families, faculty, alumni and all of Ranney’s constituents collaborate to distinguish and value every child, foster individual talents, sustain powerful connections between children and adults, and graduate resilient, globally-minded citizens. We continue to foster an inclusive community that supports a spectrum of cultures, beliefs and talents to promote the intellectual growth and moral development of all members of our community. We are inspired by an awareness and appreciation for diversity, human dignity and interpersonal acceptance.

Connections working at Ranney School