HOBOKEN, NJ – April 30, 2018 – Elysian Charter School today announced that it will welcome Susan Grierson, a highly accomplished administrator and educator with over 25 years of experience, as Director of the kindergarten through 8th grade charter school for the 2018-2019 school year. Ms. Grierson will succeed Harry Laub, Ph. D., who after over seven years heading the school, will be retiring.
Ms. Grierson joins Elysian from the South Orange Maplewood School District where she spent the last nine years, most recently as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, and prior to that as Principal of the Jefferson Elementary School. She also has eight years of experience as Principal and Chief School Administrator of the Learning Community Charter School in Jersey City, New Jersey. Ms. Grierson began her career in the New York Department of Education with positions in bilingual and special education and also spent nine years as an assistant principal. She holds a BA in Elementary Education and a MS in Elementary Education – Social Sciences from Brooklyn College and a School District Leader – Administration and Supervision Certificate from the City College of the City University of New York.
“We are pleased to welcome such an experienced school leader to Elysian,” commented Director Harry Laub. “Susan shares our goal to educate and inspire children to become curious, lifelong learners, strong in academic preparation, and who have an appreciation of the arts, diversity and the importance of community. She has a proven track record of creating positive, supportive school cultures as well as facilitating meaningful, results-oriented professional staff development and we believe she will be an excellent fit for our community.”
Ms. Grierson commented, “I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to lead Elysian and build on the traditions and legacy that are the hallmarks of the school.”
Eduardo Gonzalez, Elysian Board Chairman, added, “We are fortunate to be able to attract such an outstanding director candidate to Elysian. While Susan appreciates the value of our progressive style of education and culture, she is also experienced with the challenges of operating a charter school in New Jersey, where budgets have been flat for over ten years and resource allocation and funding decisions from the state are becoming increasingly more critical.”
Elysian Charter School is a kindergarten through 8th grade school located in Hoboken. It was founded by the Mile Square Families group 20 years ago based on the precepts of progressive education. Our goal is to educate and inspire children to become curious, lifelong learners (strong in academic preparation), who have an appreciation of the arts, the diversity of all the peoples of the world, and the importance of community. For more information please contact Elysian Charter School at harry.laub@ecsnj.org.