Resilience has long been a lesson at Ranney School’s heart.

Over the past 18 months, Head of School Dr. John Griffith has seen it on display more than ever in the face of a pandemic.

“Our community rallied,” he says. “The faculty was terrific; they recreated themselves and the way they taught. Parents were very supportive of protocols and our students were incredibly cooperative. Adaptability and resilience, those core values, definitely bore out as advantages.”

LEAD. CREATE. CONTRIBUTE.

Ranney School serves 700 students from age 3 to 12th grade. Classes and activities include fine/performing arts, top-ranked robotics squads and 40 athletic teams. Facilities include state-of-the-art spaces such as two Innovation Labs. Recent improvements include updated sports fields and a modernized health center.

The school’s mission is to “nurture intellectual curiosity and confidence to inspire students to lead honorably, think creatively and contribute meaningfully to society.” In those words, Dr. Griffith sees real-world touchstones for the resiliency, service and adaptability that the school touts.

“We have a school-wide commitment to community service. This year, we will host two community-wide service efforts for all students as we endeavor to be connected to the broader community.”

The school taught in-person last year, though activities were modified for safety. The Maymester program for Upper School students, which envisions travel programs, shifted in-house.

“Students still had opportunities to do experiential education,” Griffith says. “Projects over the past couple of years have included building a pizza oven, learning culinary studies and applying math and engineering to applications like building a golf course. We certainly expect those and other experiences to grow in the future, including a return to travel.”

CULTIVATING INDIVIDUAL TALENTS

If intellectual curiosity is the start of a Ranney journey, connectedness is the end.

Dr. Griffith proudly follows alumnus Scottie Lewis, a star basketball player drafted to the Charlotte Hornets. And he was thrilled to watch alumna Jessica Springsteen—The Boss’ daughter— help her team win a silver medal in the US equestrian team jumping final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“Both are examples of the school’s ability to cultivate students with individual talents and accommodate their needs and schedules,” he says. After all, resiliency takes work.

For more information, please contact: admission@ranneyschool.org