Ranney Parents Celebrate Grand Opening in Style

The new Lower School Academic Complex was transformed into a gala showplace Friday evening, as hundreds of Ranney School parents, faculty, and community leaders gathered to celebrate the Grand Opening of the new $14 million facility. Guests sampled elegantly prepared appetizers while strolling through the halls of the 36,000 square-foot building, peeking inside classrooms and laboratories, and viewing the variety of student sculpture and art exhibited in the two Blue and White galleries. The sounds of a live jazz orchestra carried through Panther Hall, adding a festive touch to an evening that was set aside to honor the Ranney community for its tremendous contributions to the project through Foundations for Learning Phase Two, the most successful fundraising endeavor in the school’s history.

Head of School Dr. Lawrence Sykoff joined members of the Board of Trustees and the Ranney School Parents Association on stage in Panther Hall to offer remarks. Dr. Sykoff praised Dr. Daniel Goldberg, President of the Board, for guiding the school through two major expansion projects in less than ten years. “I always found Dr. Goldberg to make important decisions by following this one guiding principle: if it’s right for our school and the students, then it’s the right direction to take.” He also thanked the “dream team” of architects, engineers and builders that finished the building “on time and under budget,” but reserved the biggest thanks of the evening for the parents. “All of you are our children’s heroes this evening,” Dr. Sykoff said. “The investments we continue to make in our children are yielding dividends that remain priceless.”

The Ranney School Parents Association presented the school with a check for $459,000 as part of their pledge toward the completion of Panther Hall. Following the ceremony, guests were invited to tour the school “neighborhoods” with their many special features.

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