A Message from Head of School, Jess Rooney

Hello! My name is Jess Rooney, and I’m Buxton’s new Interim Head of School. As I write, I’m looking out of my office window at a green wall of trees, ferns, and wild berries. Buxton is breathtaking in the summer and I feel so lucky to begin my tenure this time of year.

While my title is new, I’ve been working alongside many Buxton staff and Board members since December 2025. This generous runway benefits my transition and our organizational momentum.  With our strategic plan as a roadmap for the next several years, I’m collaborating daily with staff and faculty to bolster and fortify our academic, residential, and operational capacity.

The 26-27 school year marks my 22nd year in education. After cutting my teeth at a new, small design high school in New York City, I spent two years in leadership fellowships, each preparing me for the challenges of new school design and the many facets of school leadership. After founding and directing a successful small high school in Newark, NJ, for ten years, my family moved back to New England. Since then, I’ve spent five years coaching school leaders and their teams across the state of Massachusetts.

In 2028, Buxton celebrates its Centennial. My charge is to ensure the roadmap to this important milestone is clear and to lay the groundwork for our next 100 years. In collaboration with Buxton staff, faculty, students, caregivers, Board members, and alumni we’ll build on everything that makes Buxton extraordinary while strengthening the school’s future. That means continuing to provide the deeply personal, transformative education that has defined Buxton for generations, while welcoming new students and families, expanding our community of supporters, and sharing the Buxton story with more people who will value and champion this remarkable place.

Thank you all for welcoming me, my wife, and our children into the community and entrusting me with this beautiful and unique place.

More soon from Buxton’s green acres.

Gratefully, 

Jess Rooney

Interim Head of Buxton School