New Lower School Head Announcement

February 21, 2025

Dear IDEAL Community:

I am deeply grateful to the students, families, faculty and staff members, and trustees who interviewed and shared feedback on our four candidates. I am pleased to inform you that Daniel Sussman has accepted the role of Lower School Head at IDEAL and will begin on July 1, 2025. 

Mr. Sussman is a dynamic and highly experienced independent school educator and administrator who has experience working with a wide range of students in various settings. He began his career in Baltimore County Public Schools in 1993, serving as a classroom teacher in Grades 2 and 4 and as a Curriculum Specialist/Resource Teacher for a K-5 community. Since 2004, Mr. Sussman has served as an assistant principal, principal, or division head in schools including Orange County Public Schools, San Diego Jewish Academy, Mirman School, Far Hills Country Day School, Stevens Cooperative School, and, most recently, Lake Highland Preparatory School. Mr. Sussman holds a BA in Political Science from McDaniel College in Westminster, MD, and an MA in Educational Leadership and Instructional Design from Notre Dame of Maryland University, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Kappa Honor Society. Mr. Sussman was born in Summit and raised in Berkeley Heights, NJ. 

Throughout the interview process, Mr. Sussman distinguished himself through his ability to establish immediate connections with our students and his deeply respectful and collaborative approach to leadership, supervision, and the parent-school partnership. In his conversations, Mr. Sussman demonstrated a genuine commitment to connecting with every individual and learning about every facet of our community. In a pool of talented candidates, Mr. Sussman uniquely demonstrated the empathy, optimism, and vision needed to lead our Lower School forward while honoring our extraordinary mission and celebrating each individual – child or adult – who makes our complex and diverse community IDEAL. 

Along with his wife and two sons, Mr. Sussman looks forward to getting to know you and joining the IDEAL family. We have already begun planning the transition and visit dates. 

Thank you,
Janet Wolfe
Head of School
The IDEAL School of Manhattan