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235 Hope Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 / 732.542.4777
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List of 10 news stories.
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Inaugural Panther Tank Grant Winners Announced
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Ranney Students Awarded Honors at Jersey Shore Science Fair
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Ranveer Virdi '28 Qualifies for Stevens Trading Challenge Final Finals
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Nick Magnone '26 to Compete in New Balance Indoor Track & Field National and Adidas Indoor Track & Field National
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Ranney FBLA Chapter Earns Top Ten Placements
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Panther Innovation Award Finalists Announced
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Highlighting Ranney Student-Athletes in Collegiate Competition
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Jeremy Li '26 Accepted to Present at Human Brain Mapping Conference in France
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Ranney Speech and Debate Has Impressive Performances
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Ranney Students Advocate for Financial Literacy Legislation in Trenton
Two Lower Schoolers Take Charge as Heads of School for the Day
On June 6, Lower School sisters Caitlyn ’25 and Lara ’21 of Colts Neck had the “best Friday ever,” they exclaimed, as they finished out their experience as Heads of School for a Day. A Ranney tradition, the girls spent their day acting as charges of the school, with Dr. John W. Griffith as their guide. The girls’ parents, Dr. Tim Chu and Mrs. Arzu Chu, were the lucky winners in the Headmaster-for-A-Day raffle, held at the 2014 RSPA Panther Ball in May.
The girls started off their morning with Dr. Griffith picking them up from their classrooms—Mrs. Fowlkes’ fifth-grade class for Caitlyn and Mrs. Petrantris’ first-grade class for Lara. Their peers cheered on and waved goodbye to their new leaders, thanking the sisters for their first declaration – a dress-down day for the Lower School.
Caitlyn and Lara then accompanied Dr. Griffith to the Middle and Upper School Academic Complex for a first-hand look inside the Head of School Office. There, they received a few Ranney gear gifts from Dr. Griffith, including a jacket, cooler, tote bag, mug and a plaque acknowledging their special day. The girls had fun making a call from the Head of School’s desk to Ranney CFO Mr. Chuck Zalewski.
Next on the agenda was a tour of the campus to meet and greet teachers and staff with stops in the offices of the Upper, Middle and Lower Schools, College Guidance, Athletics and Administration. Along the way, they observed a gym glass, got a first-hand look at the blueprints for Ranney School’s new Lower School playground, said hello to their Beginner friends, signed a check in the business office and even got a ride on one of the Ranney Operations golf carts on their way to lunch.
At lunch, Lower School students were excited about the young Head of Schools’ customized menu, which consisted of grilled cheese, tomato soup, flank steak, pretzels and watermelon. The sisters said they collaborated to select the special meal. After returning to their classrooms for afternoon lessons, the sisters were reunited with their parents and Dr. Griffith back at his office, where they recapped the day and also had fun signing a faux proclamation with Upper School Head Mr. Paul Zanowski declaring that their older brother, Victor ’17, had to do more homework than his classmates over the weekend.
Their favorite part of the day? “Opening the presents and riding the Ranney golf cart,” said Caitlyn, and “seeing the playground designs,” said Lara. When asked what they think the most difficult part of being a Head of School is, both girls said “remembering everything, including everyone’s names.”
The sisters agreed that Dr. Griffith is doing a great job as Head of School and said they enjoy coming to school at Ranney, where science is Lara’s favorite subject and art is Caitlyn’s favorite subject. In fact, Caitlyn declared she already knows where she would like to attend college—Brown University, where both her parents matriculated. Lara will be spending part of her summer at a music camp with Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia. She currently plays first-chair violin in Ranney’s Lower School Orchestra.
On June 9, the girls will conclude their Heads of School leadership celebration after school with a class pizza party and movie.
Back
The girls started off their morning with Dr. Griffith picking them up from their classrooms—Mrs. Fowlkes’ fifth-grade class for Caitlyn and Mrs. Petrantris’ first-grade class for Lara. Their peers cheered on and waved goodbye to their new leaders, thanking the sisters for their first declaration – a dress-down day for the Lower School.
Caitlyn and Lara then accompanied Dr. Griffith to the Middle and Upper School Academic Complex for a first-hand look inside the Head of School Office. There, they received a few Ranney gear gifts from Dr. Griffith, including a jacket, cooler, tote bag, mug and a plaque acknowledging their special day. The girls had fun making a call from the Head of School’s desk to Ranney CFO Mr. Chuck Zalewski.
Next on the agenda was a tour of the campus to meet and greet teachers and staff with stops in the offices of the Upper, Middle and Lower Schools, College Guidance, Athletics and Administration. Along the way, they observed a gym glass, got a first-hand look at the blueprints for Ranney School’s new Lower School playground, said hello to their Beginner friends, signed a check in the business office and even got a ride on one of the Ranney Operations golf carts on their way to lunch.
At lunch, Lower School students were excited about the young Head of Schools’ customized menu, which consisted of grilled cheese, tomato soup, flank steak, pretzels and watermelon. The sisters said they collaborated to select the special meal. After returning to their classrooms for afternoon lessons, the sisters were reunited with their parents and Dr. Griffith back at his office, where they recapped the day and also had fun signing a faux proclamation with Upper School Head Mr. Paul Zanowski declaring that their older brother, Victor ’17, had to do more homework than his classmates over the weekend.
Their favorite part of the day? “Opening the presents and riding the Ranney golf cart,” said Caitlyn, and “seeing the playground designs,” said Lara. When asked what they think the most difficult part of being a Head of School is, both girls said “remembering everything, including everyone’s names.”
The sisters agreed that Dr. Griffith is doing a great job as Head of School and said they enjoy coming to school at Ranney, where science is Lara’s favorite subject and art is Caitlyn’s favorite subject. In fact, Caitlyn declared she already knows where she would like to attend college—Brown University, where both her parents matriculated. Lara will be spending part of her summer at a music camp with Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia. She currently plays first-chair violin in Ranney’s Lower School Orchestra.
On June 9, the girls will conclude their Heads of School leadership celebration after school with a class pizza party and movie.
Ranney School
235 Hope RoadTinton 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.
We envision Ranney School as a nurturing learning community, in which families, faculty, alumni, and all of Ranney’s constituents collaborate to know and value every child, foster individual talents, sustain powerful connections between children and adults, and graduate resilient, globally-minded citizens.
We envision Ranney School as a nurturing learning community, in which families, faculty, alumni, and all of Ranney’s constituents collaborate to know and value every child, foster individual talents, sustain powerful connections between children and adults, and graduate resilient, globally-minded citizens.
