About
Leadership

Head of School

Head of School
Matt Sigrist
Matt Sigrist was named Renbrook School’s eleventh Head of School on March 25, 2019, and he officially joined the Renbrook Community on campus on July 1, 2019. His positive influence has brought together the entire Renbrook community. Matt's path to Renbrook has traversed excellent schools, formative coaching roles, and prized teaching experiences. He was born in St. Louis, MO, and he spent his childhood in Rochester, New York.  
Matt earned a BA in Economics from Williams College where he was the captain of the football and baseball teams. He earned a master's degree in Education Leadership from Columbia University Teacher’s College. Previous positions included roles in the front office for the New York Yankees, football and baseball coaching positions at Williams College and Bowdoin College, and his most formative professional years in the classroom teaching AP Economics and Math. This rich variety of experiences deepened his understanding of school culture, provided excellent role models, and helped him develop his own vision for school leadership that inspired his foray into independent school administration.  
Serving and rallying teams - whether in sports, music, or in educational pursuits - fires me with enthusiasm," says Matt. "Renbrook is a place of propulsive energy where I feel honored to work every day.” Before landing at Renbrook, Matt served as Middle School Dean at Delbarton School and as Middle School Director at Peck School, both in New Jersey. His last stop was as Director of the Middle School at Norfolk Academy in Virginia. During his time at Norfolk Academy, Matt worked passionately on a relationship-based Advisory Program and other projects focusing on faculty growth, technology integration, and curriculum development.  

Matt’s easygoing demeanor, compassionate understanding of children and families, and inspiring leadership style have made a lasting impression on our school community. He is often seen around campus actively participating in all areas of our school. You will find him walking the halls, greeting families at carpool each morning and afternoon, playing the trumpet with the band, coaching on Renbrook's fields, or racing up the hill to the Beginning School with some of our youngest students, always with a smile, a kind word, and a calming presence. “As Head, I am the chief servant of the mission of the school. I support our faculty and staff, provide them resources to thrive, and rally around this most important purpose –-to light the fire of curiosity in our students," says Matt. "We do this best through strong relationships and in partnership with families to help our students realize their best selves.” 
Family Life

Matt's commitment to Renbrook goes beyond his passion for the school's mission and his dedication to its students. His four daughters - Katie (14), Anna (12), Ginny (9), and Emma (6) - attend the school, providing him a unique perspective into the student experience at Renbrook. His dedication to independent education is shared by his wife, Kathleen, former Director of Admission at Newark Academy (NJ) and part-time coach at Renbrook.

“We are grateful our children are part of such an incredible school community. To go to work each day at a place that my whole family is invested in and loves, is a gift." 
 
More About Matt

If you could spend a day with anyone from history, who would it be and why?  
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a great hero of mine. Few people did as much for our country to help us realize our highest ideals as a nation. The source of his power was love and nonviolence, and his gift to inspire others was amazing.

What is your favorite part of your job? 
I love connecting with people. Whether students, faculty and staff, parents, or alumni, I enjoy striking to the core of our commonalities. We are all engaged in extremely meaningful work serving children. This, and building dynamic teams with clarity of purpose, are my favorite parts of my job.

Why did you and your family choose Renbrook?
We chose Renbrook because of the warmth and strength of the community. This is a group of people with strong shared values, a commitment to loving and supporting children in their formative years, a dedication to building these most important academic skills, a love of learning, and an appreciation for diversity in all its forms as an essential element of excellence in education.

Renbrook School is a co-ed private day school serving students in Preschool - Grade 8 in West Hartford, CT.
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