Stevens Cooperative School, a leader in progressive education with two campuses in Hoboken and Jersey City, has hired Sergio Alati, Ed. D, to become its Head of School.
The Board of Trustees selected Dr. Alati from a strong pool of qualified candidates based on his depth of knowledge of progressive education at all grade levels, coupled with his experience of having been both a faculty member and an administrator and his understanding and respect of Stevens’ unique culture and needs.
A native New Yorker, he succeeds Interim Head David Penberg, PhD, who replaced Zoë Hauser, Head of School from 1995-2011.
“Sergio clearly has the qualities we sought in a leader of our school: drive and enthusiasm, a dedication to life-long learning, and a passion for progressive education,” said Jan Abernathy, board chair. “The board looks forward to warmly welcoming him into our community and working with him on writing the next exciting chapter in Stevens’ history.”
“I am honored and humbled to be joining the Stevens community as the next Head of School,” Dr. Alati said. “Stevens Cooperative School has a unique culture and rich history of traditions that provide its students with an outstanding, student-centric education. I look forward to working with all of the school’s stakeholders to build from this robust foundation. Stevens stands at the forefront in equipping students with the lifelong learning tools they will need to create, question, evaluate, problem-solve, and communicate as 21st century global citizens.”
Dr. Alati has spent this school year as director of studies at Kent Place School, overseeing the evaluation of instruction programs, curricular development and innovation for that N-12 independent school in Summit. He worked with department chairs and division directors across the entire school to assure a logical and fluid scope and sequence in all subject areas and grade levels. Before that, Dr. Alati was the school’s director of the Primary School and academic dean.
Prior to joining Kent Place four years ago, he was founding head of the Lower School at Claremont Preparatory School. In addition to his EdD in curriculum and teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University, Dr. Alati received a master of science in elementary education from Hunter College. He holds a BA in psychology, with a minor in Spanish, from Binghamton University. He is bilingual in Spanish and English. He grew up in an independent school environment, starting Trinity School in Manhattan as a 1st grader.
He and his wife, Jennifer, a reading specialist in a New York City public school, live in Rutherford, and have two children, Julia and James.
“Zoe Hauser had a very successful 16 year tenure which set the bar very high for finding our school’s next leader,” said Kim Lew, chair of the Head of School Search Committee. “The Search Committee understood this and took great care both with selecting David Penberg as the interim Head of School and now Sergio as the next Head of School. Sergio is dynamic and visionary but with a clear grasp of details which is crucial for leading our unique and complex school. We are excited for what the future holds.”