Headmaster Chad B. Small, Ed. D. announced that he will conclude his term of service at the end of the 2013-14 academic year after 25 years at the helm of The Rumson Country Day School.
During his remarkable run as Headmaster, The Rumson Country Day School has grown from a small school of 285 to one of 450 students today, with a superior course of study, an outstanding athletic program and numerous extra-curricular programs. As the school’s sixth Headmaster, Dr. Small has seen thousands of students pass successfully through the RCDS halls, with many having been at RCDS since age three. “Aside from strong academics, creating an environment where boys and girls are encouraged to become well-rounded, confident, and kind is the cornerstone of what we do here at RCDS,” shared Dr. Small.
When you look back over the years to see what Chad Small’s leadership has brought to RCDS, the list is long. But if you ask him which programs are dearest to his heart, he quickly answers School Within a School (a specialized program to assist students with learning differences), RCDS Horizons (a national program with an affiliate begun at RCDS in 1996 that provides a summer school experience for children of limited economic means), creating a new Pre-school program and a new and improved student-centered schedule. Take note that only the initiatives directly impacting students come to his mind. However, a closer look at some of The Rumson Country Day School’s other accomplishments under Chad’s term of service yields an impressive record. The school expanded its arts and world language programs, and built a strong technology program including the hallmark 1:1 Student iPad program. As a school specializing in educating children from ages three to fourteen, each grade level was treated individually as media and technology was integrated into the curriculum. “We wanted to make sure that the new technology would, above all, enhance the classroom environment and not take precedence over the invaluable relationship between teacher and student,” explained Dr. Small.
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Other significant improvements during his term of service include: increased student diversity and financial aid, and a vast increase in endowment from one hundred thousand dollars to eight million dollars. Regarding school facilities, much of the school buildings and grounds have been renovated including significant athletic field renovations. Dr. Small’s most visible and striking accomplishments are the construction of William I. Riker Academic Center (affectionately known as Riker Hall) with new spaces for visual arts, technology and the sciences including state-of-the art science laboratories, a Mac lab and stunning library. At its center, the Skirkanich Commons has become the heart of the school; it is a very comfortable space for people to gather and provides an open area where students can perform in small groups.
Aside from the brick and mortar and capital improvements, Dr. Small has left his mark on the unique culture and environment, a judicious blend of scholarship, character and kindness that epitomizes an RCDS education. “As we look back on his career, much can be said about the construction of new buildings, athletic field renovations, increased enrollment and numerous capital improvements. However, it is the deep commitment to his staff and RCDS families that will serve as his greatest legacy,” stated Shawn Reynolds, President of the RCDS Board of Trustees.
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“He is a true advocate for children,” stated Francis “Skip” Branin, Jr., past President of the RCDS Board of Trustees who, in 1999, accompanied Dr. Small to Washington, D.C. to receive national recognition as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. RCDS was one of only eight independent schools to be chosen that year. “One of the best parts of my job was working with Chad Small. He has a pure heart as an educator,” he said.
Mr. Reynolds commented that Dr. Small has been a vital part of the school’s 86 year history because he has profoundly affected the lives of our children by creating a dynamic place of learning and caring, with emphasis on academic rigor and personal responsibility, all in a highly supportive environment. “He is an educator who makes decisions, always with the children in mind. Working closely with him these past years, what I have learned from Dr. Small is the importance of the RCDS mission promise, a powerful blend of scholarship and discipline with kindness, honesty, responsibility and respect that underscores Chad’s own value system,” he added.
Dr. Small can be found each morning at the front door of The Rumson Country Day School, personally meeting and greeting every student and his warm welcome has become an RCDS tradition. Later in the supremely busy – and often highly unpredictable -- day of an independent school Head, you can find Dr. Small all over the school, in classrooms, attending performances and at athletic events, but one thing remains certain, he will always be in front of RCDS between 7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
“Chad has an amazing ability to remember every student who attended RCDS. He also closely follows our graduates’ progress through high school, college, and career - taking special pride in the alumni who return to RCDS with children of their own,” remarked Suzy Post, a past RCDS Board member and former RCDS Director of Admissions who had worked with Dr. Small since 1989.
Qualities like this caused school spirit to soar. When Chad Small arrived, our nation was in a recession following the Stock Market Crash of 1987. RCDS, too, was feeling the effects. Chad Small hit the ground running and within three years, he turned things around and put RCDS in the black. With an innate understanding of what our families wanted and needed, he streamlined school operations, established new programs including after-school care, energized the school’s community service programs, equalized the sports program by adding girls’ soccer and softball and boosted overall school spirit. His creative energy, open and upbeat personality, and genuine love of children permeated the entire school community.
As spirits rose, parent volunteerism increased. Enrollment had swelled by 67% during that same ten-year period and has held close to those numbers every year since. “Dr. Small is beloved by the entire RCDS community, and he truly will be missed by all. As a current parent and alumna, I am grateful for his legacy of inspiring young minds to excel in a close knit family environment where the tenants of kindness, responsibility, respect and honesty are paramount," said Parent Council President Jen Steiner Crowell ’88.
Dr. Small reflected on his time at RCDS since his appointment in July 1989 and on his decision to begin a new chapter with his wife, Susan. “I am so honored to have served the RCDS community for the past 25 years. I have met many wonderful people who have enriched my life, and I have raised my family here. My time at RCDS has given me a tremendous fulfillment.”
“Chad is an outstanding role model who has shaped the school into what it is today. As a parent of three RCDS “lifer” students, I appreciated Chad’s well-grounded perspective on educating children in an increasingly complex world. As a Board member, I was most impressed by his relaxed, approachable leadership, energetic personality and ability to attract and retain talented faculty. Chad’s commitment and passion has inspired all of us, and we will be forever indebted to him,” said Joseph A. Torcivia, past President of the RCDS Board of Trustees.
Dr. Small’s efforts in secondary school placement have ensured that our graduates enjoy great success with admission to their schools of choice. In addition to his Headmaster duties, he teaches an undergraduate and graduate course in education at Monmouth University and has also spoken at the regional and national levels, most recently at the NAIS national conference in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Small is also a founding member of INDEX (formerly Elementary School Research Collaborative), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing data, analysis and research to a nationwide consortium of leading independent schools.
After graduating from the Millbrook School, Dr. Small received his bachelor’s degree from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1976, a master’s degree in education from the University of Virginia in 1979 and earned his doctorate in 2001 from Seton Hall University.
Chad Small’s first job in education was right out of college. He taught first, second and third grade in a two-room schoolhouse in Brownton, West Virginia, deep in the heart or hollers of Appalachia. The next year, he and his wife Susan moved to Virginia where he taught fifth and sixth grade at Forest Elementary School in Forest, Virginia. After four years, he became principal at Schuyler Elementary School in Schuyler, Virginia, an area was made famous by the iconic 70s TV show The Waltons. In fact, Chad was an extra on A Walton’s Thanksgiving television special: “If you blink, you’ll miss my TV appearance. It was that quick!”
Dr. Small became the Head of the Lower School at St. Francis School, a K-8 independent school in Louisville, Kentucky and later became Headmaster of St. Richard’s School in Indianapolis, Indiana. During his four years there, St. Richard’s added three new grades; raised five million dollars in capital funds and doubled the size of its campus. In 1989, he learned of the opening at The Rumson Country Day School and never looked back.
Twenty-five years later, Chad Small still lives and breathes elementary and middle school education and has not lost one bit of his passion for independent education. He is a gentleman and his true legacy at RCDS will be much more than a specific building or program; rather, it will be in the nature and spirit of our school. His warmth and civility, respect for tradition, loyalty, creative energy, and his genuine caring for all members of The Rumson Country Day School community – these are the personal qualities that will carry his memory forward to future generations.
“Working with Chad has been an exhilarating opportunity - his wisdom, leadership, and high energy - have enriched my professional life. The four cornerstones of character development at RCDS – honesty, kindness, respect, and responsibility– are a direct result of Chad’s attention to the education of the whole child and his desire to instill these qualities in all students,” said Jayne Carmody, Head of the Lower School.
The faces and facilities of The Rumson Country Day School may have changed over the past 86 years, but the original essence of the school remains the same. Chad Small describes it best: “At RCDS, we provide rigorous academics with a hug, and this helps children to fulfill the promise of their own potential.” Under Chad Small’s leadership, the school has remained true to its mission, as a loving and caring institution of learning. When asked about his distinguished career, Dr. Small shared, “I originally thought that I would teach for a couple of years and then to some graduate program.” Suffice it to say, there are a myriad of children and parents who are awfully glad he didn’t.
