Eliza McLaren Named Associate Head of School
Indian Creek School is pleased to announce that Ms. Eliza McLaren has been hired to join the administration as Associate Head of School, to begin on July 1, 2020. An educator who is well-versed in communicating the benefits of independent school education, has demonstrated fluency in school operations, and has led academic initiatives from a Pre-K – 12 perspective, Ms. McLaren is uniquely qualified for this leadership role at ICS.
Ms. McLaren comes to Indian Creek from Rye Country Day School (RCDS), a Pre-K through twelfth grade college-preparatory school in Rye, New York, where she currently serves as Director of Strategic Initiatives and Marketing and the Director of the Institute for Innovative Teaching and Learning. At RCDS, she partners closely with the marketing, admissions, and advancement teams in articulating the school’s mission and values to both internal and external audiences. Ms. McLaren founded and continues to direct the RCDS Institute for Innovative Teaching and Learning, which encourages and empowers teachers to lead, collaborate, and innovate. Ms. McLaren supports many strategic initiatives at RCDS, including working with the faculty committee responsible for Pre-K – Grade 12 curriculum mapping, leading faculty “Curricular Conversations” – meetings which provide opportunities for cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional collaboration – and chairing the school-wide committee that developed the RCDS Portrait of a Graduate statement. In addition to her work at RCDS, Ms. McLaren also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Klingenstein Center, Teachers College at Columbia University, in New York, NY. Her course, entitled “Mission & Market: Strategic Innovation for Independent Schools” covers admissions, marketing, fundraising, strategic planning, and team building, among other aspects of independent school administration.
Ms. McLaren comes to Indian Creek from Rye Country Day School (RCDS), a Pre-K through twelfth grade college-preparatory school in Rye, New York, where she currently serves as Director of Strategic Initiatives and Marketing and the Director of the Institute for Innovative Teaching and Learning. At RCDS, she partners closely with the marketing, admissions, and advancement teams in articulating the school’s mission and values to both internal and external audiences. Ms. McLaren founded and continues to direct the RCDS Institute for Innovative Teaching and Learning, which encourages and empowers teachers to lead, collaborate, and innovate. Ms. McLaren supports many strategic initiatives at RCDS, including working with the faculty committee responsible for Pre-K – Grade 12 curriculum mapping, leading faculty “Curricular Conversations” – meetings which provide opportunities for cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional collaboration – and chairing the school-wide committee that developed the RCDS Portrait of a Graduate statement. In addition to her work at RCDS, Ms. McLaren also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Klingenstein Center, Teachers College at Columbia University, in New York, NY. Her course, entitled “Mission & Market: Strategic Innovation for Independent Schools” covers admissions, marketing, fundraising, strategic planning, and team building, among other aspects of independent school administration.
A graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University, Ms. McLaren also earned her Master of Arts in the Teaching of Social Studies from Teachers College at Columbia. She also holds a Master of Education degree in Independent School Leadership from the Klingenstein Center, Teachers College. She has presented at national education conferences, most recently including a session on “An Innovation Incubator Empowering Teachers to Lead Strategic Initiatives” at this year’s National Association of Independent Schools annual conference. Outside of school, Ms. McLaren serves on the Board of Directors for both the Rye Nature Center and the Maryland Book Bank.
As Associate Head of School, Ms. McLaren will role will focus on leading the work of our teaching faculty and the academic program from Pre-K3 through Grade 12. Ms. McLaren will serve as the de facto Head of School in the absence of Mr. Kyle.
Eliza is thrilled to join the ICS community, sharing, “When I look at Indian Creek School, I can tell it is a place in which engaged and passionate students and teachers thrive.” We are thrilled to welcome Eliza, as well as her husband Dominic Albanese and their children Grae and Julian to Indian Creek.
As Associate Head of School, Ms. McLaren will role will focus on leading the work of our teaching faculty and the academic program from Pre-K3 through Grade 12. Ms. McLaren will serve as the de facto Head of School in the absence of Mr. Kyle.
Eliza is thrilled to join the ICS community, sharing, “When I look at Indian Creek School, I can tell it is a place in which engaged and passionate students and teachers thrive.” We are thrilled to welcome Eliza, as well as her husband Dominic Albanese and their children Grae and Julian to Indian Creek.
Indian Creek School
Indian Creek school is a co-educational, college preparatory independent school, located in Crownsville, Maryland. Students in Pre-K3 through grade 12 receive a vibrant educational experience based on excellent academics steeped in strong student-teacher connections.
