Ms. Schurdak has been working as an administrator with this age group for over 20 years and is excited to join Pingry, having been struck “by the commitment of the Middle School faculty to educating middle schoolers… They are both serious and joyful about their work.”
Pingry at a Glance
Basic School & Enrollment Info
Pingry is a K-12, co-ed, independent day school with campuses in Short Hills, Basking Ridge, and Pottersville, with over 1,100 students enrolled, all guided by its historic Honor Code.
Campuses & Divisions
Pingry is one school on three campuses!
Short Hills: 28 acres, with a completely renovated, modernized home for ~325 students in Grades K-5
Basking Ridge: 192 acres, hosting our Middle School of ~270 students in Grades 6-8, and Upper School of ~570 students in Grades 9-12
Pottersville: 83 acres, offering a host of additional educational resources, athletic fields, and boarding opportunities for 100+
Class Size
Our average class size is:
18 students in each of our warm, inviting Lower School classrooms
15 students in each of our energized, curious Middle School classrooms
14 students in each of our lively, engaged Upper School classrooms
Diverse Community
96 different communities in New Jersey and New York are currently represented at Pingry.
Our student body includes 50% students of color, K-12.
Faculty with Advanced Degrees
78% of Pingry faculty members have earned a master’s degree or higher, and 26 of our teachers have earned doctorates.
Faculty Tenure
15 current faculty members have taught at Pingry for 25 years or more, a special distinction we call "Magistri Maxime Laudandi."
Tuition Assistance
Pingry offers tuition assistance (need-based aid and employee remission), with more than $6.3 million awarded in 2019-20 to 18% of the student body.
Endowment & Giving
The size of Pingry’s endowment is approximately $120 million.
One way the community shows its support is through our annual fund, The Pingry Fund, which reached $3 million in gifts from approximately 1,600 donors last year.
Key Facilities—Short Hills Campus
Pingry is full of neat spaces! For example, our Short Hills Campus features:
a fully remodeled building that includes grade-specific collaboration spaces, a STEAM neighborhood, Makerspace, dedicated instructional spaces for studio art, drama, and music, full-sized gym, state-of-the-art playground, outdoor athletics fields, and a campus garden. Come see for yourself, or take our virtual tour!
Key Facilities—Basking Ridge Campus
Pingry is full of neat spaces! For example, our Basking Ridge Campus features:
Student and faculty collaboration spaces, state-of-the-art science labs, an arts center including a 240-seat theater, a 45,000 square foot multi-sport athletics center, pool, and on-campus nature trail and campsite. Come see for yourself, or take our virtual tour!
Key Facilities—Pottersville Campus
Pingry is full of neat spaces! For example, our Pottersville Campus features:
83 acres of experiential education opportunities, including athletic fields, and boarding for 100+, located right next to Hacklebarney State Park. The Pottersville Campus also offers a host of facilities, such as a theater, art center, science center, athletics center, library, cafeteria, ropes course, a garden and apiary, a pond, and lots more to explore. Take a virtual tour!
National Merit Scholars
In the last 5 years, Pingry has averaged 3 winners, 9 finalists, 10 semifinalists, and 32 commended students in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
School Mascot. . . and Pet!
Big Blue, a navy blue bear, is the official Pingry mascot.
The Basking Ridge Campus claims one four-legged employee: Finn, the dog. Finn is a Border Collie trained to chase geese off of Pingry's athletics fields. When he is not working, he bonds (and lives) with members of the faculty and staff.
The Pingry Brand
We're not just a school - we're a brand! The Pingry School's trademark registrations include: "PINGRY," the "MAXIMA REVERENTIA PUERIS DEBETUR" seal, "EXCELLENCE AND HONOR," and "BIG BLUE SUMMER." Non permitted use of Pingry’s name or any likeness of Pingry’s name, seal or logo in production of a good or service, or to describe any event, outing, club, sports team, group or other activity is forbidden.