State Conference Brings Top NJ Educators to Ranney

On Monday, October 15, Ranney School, a 52-year-old college preparatory day school located in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, welcomed more than 1,100 educators, presenters, CFOs, Trustees, school heads, and administrators to its 60-acre campus for the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS) Biennial Professional Development Conference.

Head of School, Dr. Lawrence S. Sykoff, introduced Ranney’s “field of dreams” to the states’ top educators and administrators and explained, “This field was built with a common vision, imagination, ingenuity and collaboration—the same values that make our schools so unique.” Currently in his 20th and final year as Head of School, Dr. Sykoff has transformed the 52-year old independent school into an exceptional educational institution known for its mission-promise; every child will be known and valued. While discussing the fitting theme for this year’s Conference under an expansive tent located on Karagianakis Field, Dr. Sykoff commented, “The theme Mission: Possible is not only an elegant slogan but, more importantly, a bold and inspirational charge.  Mission: Possible is a rally cry to think strategically about how schools can continue to thrive amidst a backdrop of global change, economic uncertainly, and transformative technologies in teaching and learning. “

Dr. Sykoff introduced the Ranney School Chorus and Newark Boys Chorus who joined together to sing “The Impossible Dream” as well as individual songs. The beautiful voices of these talented young artists flooded the campus as the students stood with pride amongst some of the finest educators in the state of New Jersey, including members of the Ranney community, including faculty members, administrators and Trustees.

Following the opening songs, Don Austin, President of the NJAIS Board of Trustees and Head of School at Newark Academy spoke about the impact New Jersey has on society—from its celebrities and prestigious locations to the well-known leaders that come from the Garden State.  “New Jersey produces energetic and original leaders,” stated Austin.  “We must focus on tomorrow’s leaders as independent educators and continue to join together for professional development and collegiate exchange.”

Executive Director of NJAIS, Carole J. Everett highlighted the day’s speakers, which included: Dr. Michael J. Bell, an experienced school district and state-level administrator and past research editor for several education periodicals; Dr. Yong Zhao, author of over 100 articles and 20 books including Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization and World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students; and keynote speaker, Tricia Tunstall.  Tunstall is the author of Changing Lives: Gustavo Dudamel, El Sistema, and the Transformative Power of Music and a long-time educator, musician, and fiction and freelance writer.  Before introducing Tricia Tunstall to the audience, Ms. Everett explained the three-fold mission of NJAIS, which assimilates professional development, accreditation, and advocacy, and encouraged the guests to “interact with their peers, have a conversation and make a new friend.”  

Tricia Tunstall passionately addressed the crowd about the importance of education, particularly in the arts.  She addressed the topic:  “Changing Lives: Creating Community, Forging Excellence” and shared experiences from her trip to Venezuela where she witnessed the music education program, El Sistema, and their conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, firsthand.  

Throughout the day, attendees enjoyed 108 workshops presented by educators from top independent schools across New Jersey. Topics included new and innovative teaching strategies such as testing online, iPads in Education and blogging.  Attendees and even those not able to join were able to follow the Conference live on Ranney School’s Twitter account throughout the day @ranneyschool. Photos, videos, and discussions posted to the social media outlet allowed interaction among Ranney and peer schools, including Kent Place School and Peddie School, as well as the local media and followers from across the United States and even Europe.   

In the last session of workshops, Dr. Yong Zhao attracted a significant number of visitors to the tent for his afternoon lecture, “World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students”.  Dr. Zhao won over the audience with his humor and interesting outlook on the economy, education, and the nation’s current unemployment rates.  “How do you define a good education?” he asked the crowd.  The Presidential Chair and Associate Dean for Global Education of the College of Education at the University of Oregon discussed the factors that are changing America and the economy, including overpopulation and the decrease in available jobs due to the use of machinery.  

At the end of the day, Patricia Marshall, Head of the Lower School and Associate Head for Academic Administration discussed the impact this event has on educators and said, “This conference allows independent school teachers across New Jersey time to collaborate on best teaching practices and innovations in the classroom.” Mrs. Marshall worked closely with NJAIS for more than a year to organize the Conference and spearhead the team effort at Ranney, including presentations by faculty and staff from peer schools and Ranney, as well as the school’s Operations, Communications, and Special Events teams.   Ranney School was selected amongst dozens of schools in New Jersey to host this year’s Conference.  The goal of these conferences is to refresh and expand the perspectives of the members of the independent academic world through a full day of interaction with respected academia—locally, statewide, and nationally.  This year’s theme, “Mission: Possible” is appropriate for the 75 mission-driven members of NJAIS who support student-centered purpose, standards of excellence, and core values within their institutions.  

”A 21st century quality for successful schools is the opportunity for students to work together to develop creativity, community and confidence, which leads to inspiration, ingenuity and success. Collaborative partnerships and opportunities for professionals to exchange teaching practices are just as important for success in teaching and professional growth,” she said. “This is the most significant role the NJAIS Biennial Conference plays for our schools and independent School educators—it’s a day to reinforce the purpose of teaching in our schools. “

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