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235 Hope Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724  /  732.542.4777

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)

We are proud of our school’s diversity—our families encompass a broad spectrum of cultures, races, religious backgrounds, countries, family structures, and socio-economic backgrounds.

Ranney is making a commitment to social justice by:
  • Advancing DEIB as a critical priority and focus of our 2021 strategic plan.
  • Creating partnerships and connections with communities of color
  • Increasing diversity of both our student body and our faculty and staff with intentional outreach, marketing and hiring practices
  • Offering access to Ranney thought academic merit scholarships and need-based financial aid
  • Developing meaningful DEIB programming
  • Ensuring DEIB is infused into Ranney's curricula across disciplines and student life experience

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  • Board Diversity Committee

    Ranney's Board Diversity Committee is chaired by Ranney alumnus and Trustee Dr. Walter Greason ’91, a prominent historian, educator, and urbanist (@worldprofessor). Ranney is incredibly fortunate to have Dr. Greason’s deep expertise in social justice guide and inspire our efforts to effect systemic change within Ranney—from our hiring practices and student recruitment efforts to making meaningful chances to our academic and student life programs. We have approximately 20 student, parent, alumni, faculty and administrative leaders on our Board Diversity Committee.
  • DEIB Programs

    Ranney engages speakers and develops programs to address issues of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.  The school has plans to expand our DEIB programming (speakers series, workshops, conferences etc.) going forward and have established a budget for this purpose.
  • Student Diversity Leadership Board

    We have established a Student Diversity Leadership Board (SDLB) to coordinate student diversity clubs and initiatives. The SDLB includes representatives from clubs including Same Hate, Different Time, Under the Surface, Women’s Studies, and the Gay-Straight Alliance.
  • NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference

    The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades 9-12) from across the U.S. and abroad. SDLC focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community. Led by a diverse team of trained adult and peer facilitators, participating students develop cross-cultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice practice through dialogue and the arts, and learn the foundations of allyship and networking principles. In addition to large group sessions, SDLC "family groups" and "home groups" allow for dialogue and sharing in smaller units. Each year, Ranney sends a group of Ranney students to attend the SDLC.
  • Faculty-Led Diversity Committee

    The Faculty-Led Diversity Committee is spearheaded by our Director of DEI. The committee works to advance the curricular and student life aspects of diversity, equity and inclusion. The committee also focuses on ensuring our students feel valued and affirmed.
  • NAIS People of Color Conference (for Faculty)

    The People of Color Conference (PoCC) is the flagship of the National Association of Independent Schools' (NAIS) commitment to equity and justice in teaching and learning. The mission of the conference is to provide a safe space for leadership and professional development and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools. PoCC equips educators at every level, from teachers to trustees, with knowledge, skills, and experiences to improve and enhance the interracial, interethnic, and intercultural climate in their schools, as well as the attending academic, social-emotional, and workplace performance outcomes for students and adults alike. Each year, Ranney sends a group of Ranney faculty to attend the PoCC.
  • NAIS Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism

    In February 2020, Ranney conducted a community survey (National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism) to inform strategic initiatives on diversity, equity, and inclusion. For more than 10 years, the NAIS Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism (AIM) has provided schools with a deep understanding of the climate of inclusion on their campuses, from current and past students to teachers, administrators, and trustees.
  • Panther Opportunities Fund

    Ranney has established a Panther Opportunities Fund to ensure that all students have access to everything entailed in the Ranney experience including books, tickets to events (like Prom), and opportunities to travel for Maymester.
  • Ranney Scholars

    Ranney Scholars is an academic merit scholarship program that recognizes rising 9th grade students of all backgrounds for their academic achievement with awards, applied to their tuition at Ranney, ranging from $2,500 up to full merit awards.
  • T. Thomas Fortune Academic Merit Scholarship

    The T. Thomas Fortune Merit Scholarship is a program designed to recognize incoming 9th grade Black students for their outstanding academic achievement with a full, 4-year merit award for Upper School (grades 9 through 12). Students must also demonstrate financial need for a full scholarship. The T. Thomas Fortune Scholarship is inspired by generous and passionate Ranney families who are committed to social justice and systemic change. The scholarship is named in honor of Timothy Thomas Fortune, an American civil rights leader and writer in the late 19th and early 20th Century. Among his many accomplishments, T. Thomas Fortune was the editor of the black newspaper The New York Age and was an adviser to Booker T. Washington. He is a local hero, having spent time living in Red Bank, and is the inspiration for the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center. Learn more here
  • Need-Based Financial Aid

    In addition to academic merit scholarships, Ranney awarded $1.8 million in need-based financial aid to 17% of its students for the 2020-21 school year. Ranney offers a range of need-based financial aid awards, and has made intentional increases in its financial aid budget over the past five years.

Meet our Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

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  • Photo of Ron Crocker

    Ron Crocker 

    Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion,& Belonging

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Ranney School

235 Hope Road
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Tel. 732.542.4777

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.