Our New Head of School

The Board of Trustees is thrilled to announce that it has unanimously voted to appoint Deanna Bocchetti as The Co-op School’s next Head of School, effective as of July 1, 2020.

Deanna will succeed Meredith Gray, who completes her 16th year as our Founder and Executive Director in June, and whose legacy sets a strong foundation from which Deanna will continue to build upon with the support of the entire Co-op School community.

Deanna was appointed after a nationwide search, which drew a diverse body of over 40 candidates interested in this role. Simply put, Deanna stood out. She is an energetic and hands-on leader with an exceptional record of driving performance, creating innovative programs and fostering collaborations amongst the various constituencies within the school communities for which she has served. With extensive experience in teaching, curriculum development, enrollment/financial aid and administrative leadership, Deanna demonstrates an unwavering passion for Preschool-8th grade education, as well as her desire to create environments in which all community members are excited to collaborate and innovate to best meet the developmental needs of each child. It is this dedication which positions her as the ideal choice to lead The Co-op School into the next chapter of its future.

The Board and Search Committee are impressed with Deanna’s devotion to upholding The Co-op School’s core values and mission while celebrating the students, faculty, and families with humor, joy and a commitment to all whom she will serve.

“I feel privileged and grateful to join The Co-op School in July,” said Deanna. “While our world seems upside down right now and change is inevitable, I am heartened to know that I will join a school that puts the relational experience at the core of its work. I look forward to working closely with The Co-op School’s families, students, and faculty and to nurturing a community of support and inclusivity, the necessary ingredients for academic, social, and emotional success!”

Deanna continued, “During my visit to The Co-op School, I felt that I had come home. Whether discussing educational practices, diversity, and inclusion, or the opportunities for continued school growth, I was motivated by the palpable energy and commitment to continue to move the school forward while staying true to what has made The Co-op School successful. I am honored that the Search Committee and board have put their faith in me to build on the legacy of Meredith Gray’s vision and hard work, and I look forward to meeting each of you and building relationships that will be at the heart of our work together.”

Deanna joins us from The Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware, a PreK to grade 12 school where she currently serves in dual roles, as Head of the Lower School and Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid. Over the past six years, the school has benefited greatly from Deanna’s leadership. In her Head of Lower School role, she has worked to lead, inspire, and empower her faculty and students. She redesigned curriculum by incorporating project and problem-based learning opportunities has changed approaches for meeting the needs of diverse learners and has improved technology integration to impact teaching and learning practices. She also created a program that provides opportunities for students to practice leadership and the personal skills necessary for middle school success. In her role as Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid, Deanna has been instrumental in establishing retention and recruitment action teams and has improved communication and outreach to their potential applicant and internal families.

After graduating from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, Deanna began her career in education at Collegiate School in New York, where she spent 16 years in Head Teacher roles for both first grade and fourth grade, as well as taking on the teaching of technology. During her time at Collegiate, she subsequently earned a master’s degree in Education from City College of New York. Deanna also spent four years at The Mandell School, where she held positions as the Director of Curriculum and the Assistant Head of the Elementary School. Currently, she is pursuing her certification in school management and leadership—a joint program between Harvard University’s School of Education and Harvard Business School.

Our new Head of School is taking over at a pivotal time in our school’s evolution. Deanna and her family are long-time residents of Bedford Stuyvesant, having lived in the neighborhood for over 14 years before heading to Delaware. With her deep understanding of community and culture, Deanna is eager to introduce our school to the Bedford Stuyvesant community and surrounding neighborhoods as a strong and affordable independent school option for families. To that end, it’s no understatement that she is excited to be coming back to Brooklyn!

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are thankful for the work, support, confidence, and engagement of the Search Committee throughout this journey to find our next Head of School, as well as to our search consultants from Carney Sandoe & Associates who guided us throughout the search process. The Committee reviewed numerous candidate profiles, conducted virtual interviews and worked endless evenings and weekends to do this purposeful work.

The Board is also grateful for the strength and power of this community, for showing up and lending your time to each finalist visit and providing valuable feedback within each candidate survey. Throughout this process, I have been moved by the compassion, warmth, and enthusiasm that so many of you have shown and expressed.

With that said, please join me in welcoming Deanna Bocchetti to The Co-op School Community!

Sincerely,
Lynne Davis Adeyemi
President, Board of Trustees