Edward (Ned) V. Parsons is Rivers’ eighth Head of School. Prior to assuming his position on July 1, 2014, he was the dean of faculty at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut.
Ned joined Loomis Chaffee in 1994 as an English teacher and coach after three years at Salisbury School. He became dean of students in 1999 and transitioned to dean of faculty in 2007. During his tenure he also coached the girls’ varsity ice hockey team for 12 years and served as an admissions associate for three years. He is a thoughtful, creative, and engaging leader who has overseen a number of initiatives including a campus-wide curriculum review, the creation of a teaching and learning center, and the establishment of vibrant interdisciplinary centers.
Ned has a B.A. in political science from Middlebury College (where he was also captain of the hockey team), a M.A. in English from Middlebury’s Bread Loaf School of English, and a Ed.M. in School Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was educated in the New Trier Township public schools north of Chicago, and attended a post-graduate year at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut.
In the course of his career, Ned has acquired a broad range of administrative experience, developed collaborative and productive relationships with faculty, and most importantly, maintained a strong commitment to students. The focus of his career has been on creating the best educational experience for students so they may become whole people who value arts and athletics, intellect and integrity, friendship and fairness.