Written by Lori Ferguson and published in the 2026 RCDS Spring Bulletin

Dr. Stacey Sotirhos P’26, P’27, who joined Rye Country Day School in 2021 as Lower School Principal, stepped into the role of Interim Head of School on July 1, 2026. A seasoned educator with a Ph.D. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, she brings deep classroom and leadership experience, along with a strong commitment to student-centered learning. Dr. Sotirhos has long embraced RCDS’s mission of knowing and nurturing each student and looks forward to continuing to serve the community she believes in so deeply.

“The RCDS community possesses a keen sense of identity, is dedicated to strong pedagogy, and hires faculty and staff who are committed to the behaviors of a learner. For me and for Rye Country Day, students are the center of everything and they always come first,” observes Dr. Sotirhos. “From my first day on campus, I knew it was a good fit.”

During her first year under then Head of School Scott Nelson, Dr. Sotirhos experienced the full power of connection and community that delineates RCDS from so many other institutions. “Scott, departing Lower School Principal Barbara Shea, and former Assistant Head of School Dr. Meredith deChabert were all instrumental in my onboarding,” she recalls. “They were supportive, communicative, and deeply committed to my success.”

When Randall Dunn arrived as Head of School in 2022, that spirit of teamwork continued. “Randall allows faculty and administrators autonomy within the framework of the mission, so we forged ahead with the encouragement to do what we do best. It is the people who make this school and shoulder the work with me—I’m confident we’ll continue to collaborate successfully in the coming year.”

Preparing to take over as Interim Head of School, Dr. Sotirhos remains focused on advancing RCDS’s excellence in academics and community alike. “Rye Country Day is in an exciting moment. Randall helped the School fine tune its mission, make meaningful progress on the Master Plan, and launch our Strategy for Excellence. I am committed to maintaining all of that momentum for RCDS,” she shares.

As has been the case throughout her 33 years in education, Dr. Sotirhos will lead from a student-focused perspective. “Student well-being is at the heart of this coming year for me,” she asserts. “I want to collaborate with members of the RCDS community to foster an ecosystem where all constituencies have a strong sense of belonging and a balance between rigor and well-being. I believe these two qualities can coexist, and to that end, I feel it is essential to understand how people feel connected to this place.” A big piece of that puzzle is community engagement. “Strong culture and community exist where people are engaged, where they see themselves as participants, not just recipients,” she explains. “Everyone at Rye Country Day is committed to this vibrant, and rigorous, learning community, and I want to maintain that sense of connection.”

Connection is a link that remains long after students depart campus, she asserts, recalling a recent panel discussion of young alumni now in college. “As they reflected on their RCDS experiences, I was significantly impressed by the depth of the examples; they all spoke movingly of people at the School who had given them a chance to try something new or helped them realize qualities they hadn’t recognized in themselves. The discussion underscored my belief that here at RCDS, we’re not only educators but also mentors who support individual growth in ways that drive belonging and education.”

Dr. Sotirhos is also quick to explain her understanding of what it means to be deeply committed to the pursuit of knowledge. “I love high standards, I believe in them,” she says. “ Excellence is not about perfection. It’s about iteration, growth, joy, reflection, improvement, and learning. It’s about stretching yourself and meeting your potential. This generative excellence is at the heart of RCDS.”

First on the docket for Dr. Sotirhos? Listening, listening, and more listening. “I’m starting my term ready to talk to an array of constituents about their vision for the institution,” she notes. “I plan to ask, ‘What does iterating, growing and pursuing high standards look like for you … as a student, as a teacher, as a parent, as a staff member, as a graduate?"

At its core, Rye Country Day is an intellectual community, confirms Dr. Sotirhos. “If we are cultivating curiosity and wonder in our students, then we’re focused on the right things—the potential is enormous.

“As Interim Head of School, I want to ensure that I’m clear on what’s important to our community,” she continues. “What fundamental work should be preserved and where should innovation be pursued? A strong culture is not static, but we need trust and stability to evolve."

"I am confident that working together, we can continue to foster a community that develops the intellectually curious, life-long learners that define the RCDS experience.”