FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

Contact:  Susan Brown, 212-854-2391 or smb2119@columbia.edu
 
New York, March 27, 2006 - Columbia University announced today that Annette Raphel, a Boston-based educator and school principal, has been appointed the next Head of the Columbia K-8 School for Children. Ms. Raphel is currently the Principal of the Lower School at Milton Academy in Massachusetts. 
 
Ms. Raphel brings with her a combination of educational experience and management skills ideally suited to leading the Columbia K-8 School for Children as it continues its pathbreaking educational work with young children.

As Principal of the Lower School at Milton Academy, Ms. Raphel manages a relatively autonomous division while simultaneously participating on the senior management team of the broader institution. Prior to taking this position at Milton Academy, she served as Division Head of the Lower School at Shady Hill School in Cambridge, Massachusetts and before that as Curriculum Coordinator at Milton Academy. She also directed the Saturday Course at Milton Academy, a weekend program that serves over 500 public and parochial students from over 100 schools in the Boston metropolitan area.
 
Ms. Raphel holds a Certificate of Advanced Study from Harvard University (1981), a master’s degree from Bridgewater (1977) and bachelor’s degree from Northeastern (1972). Deeply knowledgeable about lower and middle school curriculum, she is a well-known math educator who has given courses and workshops for teachers across the nation. She herself was a classroom teacher for over 20 years in both public and independent schools and won the 1995 Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics.
 
“The School is an important part of Columbia’s commitment to excellence in education. We are thrilled to have Annette join us and look forward to having her lead the School during its next phase of development,” said Columbia University Provost Alan Brinkley.

“I am excited by the opportunity to work with such skilled and talented teachers and with the diverse families and children of a pioneering school that is part of a world class University. The original vision for the School and its progress over the past year under Anne Burns provide a firm foundation for achieving the University’s aspirations in the years ahead. I look forward to being  a part of that journey,” said Ms. Raphel.

Ms. Raphel’s appointment is the result of a comprehensive search by a committee that included parents and teachers in the School, members of the Columbia faculty, and a member of the broader New York independent school community.

The Columbia K-8 School for Children is a co-educational school located on Manhattan's West Side. The School opened its doors in September 2003 and is in its third year of operation. At the core of the School's mission is the belief that, with genuine educational opportunities, students will foster personal resourcefulness and integrity, a sense of social responsibility and a life-long appreciation of learning. These opportunities come through interaction with an innovative integrated curriculum based on established practice and emerging research. For more information, visit www.theschool.columbia.edu.

About Columbia University
Founded in 1754 as King’s College, Columbia University in the City of New York is the fifth oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and today is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions. Columbia has more than 3,000 faculty members and enrolls nearly 24,000 students, including more than 5,000 international students. The University spans three undergraduate schools, 13 graduate and professional schools, a school of continuing education, four affiliated institutions, a world-class medical center, 22 libraries, and more than 100 research centers and institutes. For more information about Columbia University, visit www.columbia.edu.