Wyoming Seminary announced the departure of its president Monday.
Martin J. Mooney "stepped down from his role" effective Sunday, a release issued by the school stated.
Sem’s statement did not give a reason for the leadership change. It comes one month after the school alerted families, alumni and other supporters of a “significant financial shortfall” for the 2026–27 school year.
Asked if the school could comment on whether the departure was related to the budget shortfall, a spokesperson responded with a copy of the statement.
The board appointed longtime educator and administrator Randolph I. Granger as interim head of school for the 2026–27 academic year, effective Monday.
"The Wyoming Seminary Board of Trustees is grateful for Mooney’s service to Sem over the past three years and wishes him and his family well," the statement said.
The Luzerne County school enrolls students from 32 countries and 19 states, according to its website.
Financial issues in focus
The school's board in December 2022 unanimously chose Mooney to serve as the 15th head of school in Wyoming Seminary's history. The school was founded in 1844.
According to tax filings for the fiscal year ended June 2025, Mooney's total compensation was $377,094.
Those same tax filings showed that for the fiscal year ending in June 2025, the school reported revenue of $32.5 million and expenses of $33 million, resulting in a shortfall of nearly $551,000.
The prior year, the school saw a shortfall of $1.8 million.
School officials last month announced that they had eliminated the jobs of 22 employees while making plans for financial stability moving forward.
As previously reported, operating expenses increased as enrollment declined by 9% over the last decade, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
The upper and lower schools had 715 students during the last academic year, compared to 779 during the 2015-16 school year.
Other independent schools have also experienced the same trend, Sem officials said last month, and the school also has experienced a “significant reduction” in international boarding enrollment.
Granger: Next steps and background
"The Board of Trustees will work closely with Granger and the school’s leadership team to provide continuity and support throughout the coming year," Monday's statement said. "The Board will communicate plans for the school’s longer-term leadership as those plans are finalized."
Granger has 32 years of experience at Wyoming Seminary, the statement said.
He has served as a teacher of American history, chair of the history department, associate dean of students, director of financial aid, associate director and director of admissions, Advanced Placement coordinator, dean of faculty and academic dean.
Granger also has served as a dormitory parent and coach. His wife, Natalie, previously taught at the Lower School, and their three daughters are Wyoming Seminary graduates.
“He knows our mission, understands the work of our faculty and staff, and is deeply committed to our students," board Chair Tara Mugford Wilson said in the statement. "His experience, sound judgment, and connection to this community make him uniquely prepared to provide steady, student-centered leadership as we begin the new academic year.”
Granger holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Trinity College and a Master of Science in Education from Wilkes University.
Prior to joining Wyoming Seminary, Granger served as history department chair, director of summer school, and a member of the admissions committee at Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah. He previously served as associate director of admissions and a history teacher at Hebron Academy in Hebron, Maine.
“Sem has been central to my professional and personal life for more than three decades, and it is an honor to serve this community as interim head of school,” Granger said in the release.
“My immediate priorities are to listen, support our faculty and staff, welcome our students and families, and work alongside the leadership team to ensure a strong beginning to the school year," he said. "I have great confidence in this community and in what we can accomplish together.”
