JobfitMatters and the Board of Westminster Academy in Memphis are pleased to announce that Mr. Ralph Janikowsky will become Westminster Academy’s next Headmaster beginning in the 2016-2017 school year. Mr. Janikowsky has spent the last ten years as the Upper School Principal of Rockbridge Academy, a classical Christian school of 348 students in Millersville, Maryland.
Ralph Janikowsky is a long-time leader in classical Christian education. At Rockbridge Academy, Mr. Janikowsky has been instrumental as a teacher, coach, and an administrator. His list of accomplishments at Rockbridge are extensive, including tripling the size of the upper school. Rockbridge has the highest average SAT score of all ACCS (Association of Classical Christian Schools) schools. In the past six years, Rockbridge has had six National Merit Finalists and 27 commended students. Ralph has served on ACCS accreditation committees and spoken at national ACCS conferences. Ralph is a graduate (with distinction) of the Naval Academy. He holds a Masters of Arts in Strategic Studies from the National War College, graduating as the top naval officer in his class. Ralph has commanded a Spruance class destroyer and an Aegis cruiser, having been chosen as one of only twelve from a pool of over a thousand candidates. In that role, Ralph was responsible for over 400 sailors and a $1 billion ship. Ralph finished his naval career as a Captain (O-6) and Director of Navy Program Analysis and Budgeting in the Pentagon. Eventually, Ralph chose to leave the Navy to go to work for Rockbridge, where his daughters attended and wife Linda worked as a teacher. He chose this path out of a deep passion for mentoring young people in the advancement of God’s kingdom. Ralph has been an Elder at Reformed Presbyterian Church of Bowie, MD, for 18 years.
Ralph’s wife Linda has not only been a tremendous support for Ralph throughout his career, but is quite accomplished in her own right. Linda has a passion for classical Christian education, having worked at Rockbridge for 13 years teaching upper school math and coordinating academic support. Ralph and Linda have two daughters, Kristen who is a student at Auburn University and Leslie who is an RUF intern at Rhodes College.
Laura Coverstone and Ed Poff of JobfitMatters Executive search assisted with the search process.