RCDS Welcomes New Faculty Members

RCDS is driven by a mission to nourish academic excellence and to inspire our graduates to become life-long learners. One of the most crucial aspects of upholding this mission is through our talented family of faculty members. This fall, we are thrilled to welcome nine new faculty and staff members to The Rumson Country Day School community.

“I know you join us in welcoming these new faces to The Rumson Country Day School,” says Head of School Jayne Geiger. “Their talent, knowledge and passion are unmatched and will help to ensure the continued academic excellence and long-lasting authentic relationships that are a hallmark of RCDS.”

Get to Know Our New Faculty:

Mr. Mike Bair joins the RCDS Safety and Security team this year. Mr. Bair served with the NJ State Police for 27 years. He trained at FBI headquarters in Quantico before working as a composite artist for ten years. This year marks his seventh year working in a school setting.

Fun Facts about Mr. Bair:
• Enjoys working with children and coaching youth sports
• Feels rewarded by his job when he knows his community feels safe and at ease
• Frequently visits his in-laws in Spain and enjoys brushing up on his Spanish. His wife is a fluent Spanish speaker.

After spending last year at RCDS, first as an Assistant Nursery teacher, then as the Fourth Grade permanent substitute, Ms. Lauren Bowler returns as a sixth-grade mathematics teacher. In addition to her Associates Degree from Brookdale Community College in Elementary, Middle and Secondary education, Lauren earned a B.A. from Stockton University in Education with a concentration in Elementary Ed.

Fun Facts about Ms. Bowler:
• Regularly ties real-life scenarios into her lessons to enhance the subject matter – some of the most popular involve athletics or baking
• Hive-fives from students make her day
• Was introduced to RCDS through The Horizons Program and appreciates the sense of family that both organizations value

A graduate of Keane University, Mrs. Carly Conley double majored in Elementary Education and Psychology. She will be joining the RCDS Early Childhood team as Assistant Nursery teacher this year. She previously taught at RCDS for five years before becoming a proud mother of two and will be returning to teach in the same classroom she taught in five years ago.

Fun Facts about Mrs. Conley:
• Committed to an adaptive teaching style that differentiates instruction for each individual learner
• A favorite tradition at RCDS is the special family-style dining to connect with students
• Loves animals, Pilates, bike rides and the beach

Mrs. Jennifer Cosgrove, who has worked with RCDS for several years, in both short-term and long-term maternity substitute roles will be joining RCDS as a First Grade teacher. She earned two Masters’ degrees, a M.A.T. from Monmouth University, and an M.S.W. from New York University. She has taught in West Long Branch schools for 15 years and held various positions as a social worker in NY and NJ.

Fun Facts about Mrs. Cosgrove:
• Loves turning reluctant readers into avid readers
• Believes you can’t work with children without working with their families too
• Enjoys a good mystery book, traveling to Vermont and spin class

Mr. Louis Ferraro comes to RCDS as Director of Safety and Security. Mr. Ferraro is a graduate of the FBI Academy and the former Chief of Police in Shrewsbury, NJ. He has extensive experience creating security plans for elementary schools, working with school personnel, training employees, developing relationships in the community, and showing leadership during emergency situations.

Fun Facts about Mr. Ferraro:
• Loves his job because it allows him to make genuine connections in the community and feel like part of a family
• Inspired by a child’s sense of awe when they experience or learn something new
• Enjoys outdoor activities like camping and fishing

Ms. Nikki Johnson will be teaching Second Grade. A summa cum laude graduate of West Chester University in Pennsylvania, she double majored in Elementary Education (PK-3) and Special Education (PK-12) and has taught Second Grade in Little Silver and Severna Park, Maryland. 

Fun Facts about Mrs. Johnson:
• Inspired by her second-grade teacher who showed her that learning can be fun
• Values hands-on, collaborative learning and goal-setting
• Her dog Nola was featured on TV in the Puppy Bowl

After last year as a long-term Assistant Pre-K substitute, Mrs. Diana Stumberger will serve as an Assistant Nursery teacher. Mrs. Stumberger earned her B.S. in Elementary Education from Indiana University.

Fun Facts about Mrs. Stumberger:
• Dedicated to making learning fun so students want to come to school every day and be their best selves
• Believes that organized play leads to strong readers and writers
• Enjoys hikes in Huber Woods, a good burger and puts pickles on everything

Mr. Michael White will join the RCDS Art Department this year. Mr. White earned his B.F.A. from Cornell University and specializes in painting and drawing. Mr. White began his teaching career abroad where he refined his fluency in Spanish, Italian, Czech and Japanese.

Fun Facts about Mr. White:
• Regularly ties his love for culture, history, and architecture into his art lessons
• Enjoys teaching the process of watercolors because it requires patience, planning and can be the most rewarding
• An avid music fan, he has a collection of hundreds of albums

Mr. Tristan Young will join the RCDS Science Department and will teach fifth and seventh-grade science. Mr. Young earned both his B.S. in Biological Sciences and his M.A.T. in education at Rutgers University. After teaching algebra-based physics and chemistry in Woolwich Township, NJ, he worked as a science educator for Wondergy, Inc, visiting 250+ schools to present educational science shows to all ages on topics such as lasers, robots, electricity, skateboards, fog, Newtonian physics, light and vision.

Fun Facts about Mr. Young
• Loves to demystify subjects that might appear complex at first glance
• Always sat in the front row as a student
• Hoping to build a solar panel system to conserve energy at his home