Cleveland's University School Appoints Benjamin Rein as its Next Headmaster
Hunting Valley, Ohio (PRWEB) March 06, 2015 -- Brent D. Ballard, President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees at University School, has announced that Benjamin I. Rein, Head of the Upper School at the Collegiate School, Richmond, VA., has been named University School’s next headmaster.
Rein, 43, will assume the position on July 1, succeeding Stephen Murray who will become Head Master of The Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, N.J., at the start of the 2015-2016 school year.
Rein will be the eighth headmaster in the school’s 125-year history. University School is an independent day school for boys in grades kindergarten through 12. The current enrollment is 880 students.
“The search committee was struck by the way Ben’s values so closely align with the school’s mission,” said Ballard, who also served as Chairman of the Headmaster Search Committee. “Ben remembers every teacher from his own independent school experience and understands that above all else the quality of the student-teacher relationship is at the heart of an outstanding education. He comes to US as a product of an all-boys’ education and has served independent schools his entire career as teacher, coach, and leader.”
Rein’s appointment is the culmination of a seven-month nationwide search by the school’s Headmaster Search Committee and SpencerStuart, a search firm specializing in independent school head placements and CEOs. The process involved trustees, alumni, faculty and staff, and current and former parents, representing a diverse range of viewpoints and experiences within the US community.
Commenting on his appointment, Rein said, “I could not be more appreciative and grateful to the members of the Search Committee and the Board of Trustees who have asked me to serve in the role as the eighth Headmaster and I cannot wait for our work together to begin. I am energized by the depth of thought evidenced in US’s rigorous academic curriculum and educational programs that are tailored for the needs of boys.”
In 2010, Rein joined Collegiate, a co-educational, K-12 independent school serving 1600 students. As Head of the Upper School, he developed a professional growth and evaluation system for the faculty; restructured the curriculum and schedule to improve offerings for students and enable them to accelerate to advanced course work; created opportunities for faculty to incorporate technology into the curriculum; and teamed up on construction projects to help accommodate a growing program.
Rein previously worked at the all-boys’ Haverford School in Philadelphia where he spent 14 years teaching AP US history, economics, and world history, eventually becoming Upper School Dean and later the Assistant Head of the Upper School. He coached the varsity tennis team to a record of 117 – 23 and led the team as they won five Inter-Academic Athletic League Championships.
Rein grew up in the Washington, DC, area where he attended St. Albans, an all-boys’ independent school. From there, he went to Amherst College where he was a member of the varsity basketball team, and eventually served as captain his senior year. He received his master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006.
Over the course of his career, Rein has written and spoken on such topics as the role of technology in education, sports specialization, parenting accomplished children, and the value of independent education.
He and his wife, Claudia, have two sons, and plan to reside in the vicinity of the school’s Shaker Campus.
Fiona Reilly, University School, +1 216-780-1348, [email protected]
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