New Canaan Country School Announces Next Head Of School

NEW CANAAN, CT — From New Canaan Country School: Experienced independent school leader Aaron Cooper has been selected as New Canaan Country School’s next Head of School, effective July 1.

“Aaron brings to our community an exceptional track record of leadership and a passion for educating students during the key foundational years of childhood. His educational philosophy and values truly match the mission of our school, and I am so excited about what lies ahead for New Canaan Country School with Aaron as our leader, as we move into our second century,” said NCCS Board President Randy Salvatore.

Mr. Cooper, who is currently Head of Elisabeth Morrow School in Englewood, N.J., brings to Country School an impressive record of experience and achievement as an educator, leader, administrator and visionary for early childhood education.

“From the first moment we stepped foot on campus, we were taken by the warm and welcoming nature of the community and the energy and spirit of the students. NCCS is unquestionably one of the premier Beginners-9 th grade schools in the country, and it possesses intentionality and direction in the child-centered journey it provides students supporting their academic, creative, moral, and physical development,” wrote Mr. Cooper in a letter to the Country School community.

During his six years as Head of Elisabeth Morrow School, he has been recognized by faculty, staff and the administrative team for both his pedagogical knowledge and his collaborative style.

Mr. Cooper guided the school through a successful capital campaign and long-range campus master plan, and the development of a sustainable financial model. He also developed and implemented a comprehensive, integrated STEAM program, a renowned instrumental music initiative, and an interconnected diversity and inclusivity program.

Mr. Cooper is a strong believer in the foundational merits of the Early Childhood through Grades 8/9 independent school model, which he highlighted, in a recent letter:

“It is in childhood that individuals construct their orientation to the world and form the foundation for lifelong interests, for self-knowledge, for empathy, for character, and for how one thinks. Schools that start with students one step out of toddlerhood and graduate them as they are becoming young adults have the unique ability to nurture each child’s intellectual, emotional, and social growth in ways that schools serving older students cannot.”

Prior to becoming Head of Elisabeth Morrow School, Mr. Cooper served as Assistant Head, Dean of Students, and he coached and taught math, Latin, ethics and public speaking, and led middle school advisory groups. He was also actively involved in the school’s reaccreditation process and an initiative to expand the school to include grades seven and eight.

Mr. Cooper earned an Ed.M. in Private School Leadership and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University; he received his B.A. in the Growth and Structure of Cities from Haverford College, and a diploma from Groton School. He serves on the board of The Community Chest of Englewood, has served on five re-accreditation visiting committees and is a member of the Elementary School Heads Association.

This announcement is the culmination of a comprehensive effort led by the Head of School Search Committee and consultants at Carney, Sandoe & Associates over the past seven months.

The search committee was led by Co-Chairs Lynne Byrne and John Lancaster and included Yolanda Coffield, Marisa DiBiasio, Gary Engle, Bart Fredo, Sarah Irwin, Barbara van der Kieft Latimer ’85, Randy Salvatore and Gretchen Tapscott.

Founded in 1916, New Canaan Country School is a co-ed, independent, day school for students in Pre-K (ages 3 & 4) through Grade 9. Located on a 75-acre campus in New Canaan, the school serves families living in Fairfield, CT and Westchester, NY Counties. For more information, please visit: www.countryschool.net.

Photo: Aaron Cooper will become the next Head of New Canaan Country School. Photo credit: New Canaan Country School