Ranney School breaks ground for Lower School
BY LINDA DeNICOLA
Staff Writer

TINTON FALLS - Blue skies smiled down on the Ranney School while hundreds of members of the Ranney community and distinguished guests gathered on the lawn behind the Margaret Mahon Building to celebrate a major milestone for the school.

The long-awaited official groundbreaking of the new Lower School and RSPA (Ranney School Parents Association) Panther Hall, a 450-seat auditorium for conferences and performing arts, was held on May 24 at the school on Hope Road.

Daniel Goldberg, president of the Ranney School board of trustees, offered his vision for the future of the school.

"Today is certainly a defining moment in the life of our school," he said.

This is the second capital expansion for Ranney School within 10 years. The first, Foundations for Learning Phase I, which saw the construction and completion of the new Middle and Upper School Complex and adjoining dining hall, began in 1999 and was finished in 2001.

The groundbreaking of the new Lower School signals the beginning of the construction process of Foundations for Learning Phase II.

Lawrence S. Sykoff, head of the school, began his remarks by welcoming various special guests at the ceremony, including former Tinton Falls Mayor Ann McNamara, who was a strong supporter of Ranney School in the early years and supported the school through Foundations for Learning Phase I, as well as Margaret Mahon, former head of Ranney School, who was a part of the Ranney community from 1966 through 1993.

"Each and every child is worthy and capable of success and deserves opportunities to make the most of his or her innate potential," Sykoff said.

He added that those values will be advanced even further when the 16-month-long construction project, which includes the 40,000-square-foot, 25-classroom Lower School building and auditorium, is completed.

Sykoff welcomed two sets of current parents who have been philanthropic anchors in the campus enhancement project: Jeffrey and Suzanne Citron and Peter and Kristen Gerhard.

Top: Children in the Beginners division take part in the groundbreaking May 24. Above: Renderings of the new Lower School and interior of RSPA Panther Hall.

"This is the best investment we could make in our children's future. A partnership like this one is born through years of commitment and effort from all of us here today and all of those who have supported Ranney School over the years," Kristen Gerhard said.

Jeffrey Citron praised Sykoff for his visionary leadership.

"It is easy to have every confidence in a school that clearly has confidence in itself. Dr. Sykoff is the perfect leader at the perfect time," Citron said.

A proclamation was presented by Tinton Falls Administrator W. Bryan Dempsey on behalf of Tinton Falls Mayor Peter Maclearie, proclaiming Tinton Falls' ongoing support of Ranney School.

Rounding out the ceremony were the traditional Senior Farewell celebration and the presentation of a time capsule, where students from the Lower, Middle and Upper schools contributed mementos such as literary magazines, art projects, a field day T-shirt, invitations to special events that took place throughout the year and a 2007 yearbook.

A particularly fitting memento included in the time capsule was the Middle School broadcaster announcement that included the daily quote from May 24, 2007, originally spoken by Eleanor Roosevelt: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

An official presentation of time capsules ensued with three senior teachers presenting the contents from the school. Doreen Fowlkes represented the Lower School, Beverly Sirianni represented the Middle School, and Jennifer Corboy gave the contents for the Upper School.

The Upper School Chorus closed the ceremony with a poignant performance of Audrey Snyder's "A New Beginning," accompanied by flutists Hannah Goldstein, '09, and Christina Henricks, '09.