School of Rock Franchise Information

For over two decades, School of Rock has redefined how students learn music.  Their core mission is to enrich lives through performance-based music education, and the amazing experience they offer to students reflects that focus.  At School of Rock, students learn by participating in both one-on-one music lessons and group rehearsals.  The patented curriculum, The School of Rock Method™^, then culminates with their version of a music "recital"—a live rock show at a real venue!  School of Rock's education approach results in increased student engagement and a very high music proficiency.  AND students gain valuable other skills like teamwork and problem solving. 

This revolutionary music school allows franchisees to do what they love—be involved in a music business, become a pillar in the community, and shape the next generation of young musicians.

School of Rock has over 300 locations across 15 countries worldwide, making it the largest music education franchise in the world.  It recently won the Global Award for Best Franchisor in Children's Services and Education by Global Franchise Magazine and has a history of recognitions from the top business publications such as Entrepreneur and Forbes. If you're looking for a career in entrepreneurship and music education with a growing, esteemed franchise company, School of Rock is the perfect option for you!

School of Rock looks for franchisees that share a passion for music and music education, but it's also important to understand the financial side of running a business. How much a franchise will earn can't be predicted, but past franchise earnings are shared in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). FDD Item 19 will outline earnings, startup costs, and initial investment.  Click here to complete a short form to learn more. 

School of Rock costs for your initial investment for a single location range from $322,500 to $521,100. Click here to see a detailed outline of Item 7 from the latest FDD to see how your initial investment is spent. 

Meet the School of Rock team

ROB PRICE, PRESIDENT & CEO

Rob joined School of Rock as the President & CEO in 2017. Prior to School of Rock, he served as President of Edible Arrangements, which integrated an online business and 1,300 franchised stores worldwide. Before that, Rob was SVP, Chief Marketing Officer at CVS Health. He has also held executive roles at Wawa Food Markets and H-E-B Grocery. Rob earned an MBA with the highest academic honors from Harvard Business School and graduated with a BS in Applied Economics from Cornell University. He was a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and was a Henry Crown Fellow and Richard Braddock Scholar at the Aspen Institute.

TONY PADULO, CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

As School of Rock’s Chief Development Officer, Tony oversees School of Rock’s global franchise sales and real estate efforts, as well as managing our New School Opening efforts, franchise renewals, and resale programs. With over 40 years of experience in Franchise Development, Tony has served in various leadership positions during his 22 years at Dunkin’ Brands, including leading international development for 10 of those years. During that period, Tony launched Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins in excess of 30 new countries. Tony has also served as EVP, Global Development for BrightStar Care, the premier in-home care provider, VP of Franchise Development for Goddard Systems, and Senior VP of Development at AAMCO Transmissions Inc. He has also had senior development roles with BP Oil, and ReMax Realty, one of the leading real estate companies worldwide. A graduate of Loyola College in Montreal, Canada, Tony came to the US in 1987.

STACEY RYAN, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Stacey joined School of Rock as an Independent Consultant in 2015 and worked her way up the ranks, from VP of Operations to Chief Operating Officer, in 2019. Stacey oversees the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of School of Rock worldwide. After graduating from Rutgers University, she began her career in education at Huntington Learning Centers, where she grew her center and region into the top performer in the nation. Stacey then developed and implemented a new department within Operations at Goddard preschools. Here she redefined quality, raised standards and drove results by implementing operations to support and grow the top and bottom locations. Even as a child Stacey was always passionate about music. Her enthusiasm for music and commitment to childhood education drives her success at School of Rock.

ELLIOT BALDINI, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

As School of Rock’s Chief Marketing Officer, Elliot is responsible for School of Rock’s domestic and international B2C and B2B marketing strategies. He oversees a comprehensive brand support system, helps craft local-level marketing support for individual schools, and works with the Franchise Development Team to grow the brand’s footprint. Elliot also leads School of Rock’s GearSelect program, a retail business that sells musical instruments and gear through 200+ school locations. Before joining School of Rock in 2015, Elliot worked in marketing strategy at a variety of companies, including Guitar Center and Sears. His background includes a specialty in eCommerce, performance marketing, marketing analytics, and brand development. Music has been a passion of his since childhood, and he brings that enthusiasm to his role at School of Rock.

SAM DRESSER, CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER

Since joining School of Rock in 2013, Sam has held various roles, from overseeing technology and the help desk team to now ensuring that all of our music programs, curricula, and teaching tools are world-class as our Chief Innovation Officer. Sam plays an integral part in crafting the roadmap to School of Rock’s patented curriculum and leads projects that execute on that vision. While pursuing his music degree in Jazz Studies at DePaul University in Chicago, he began working at Apple retail stores. After completing his degree, Sam spent almost 10 years at Apple focusing on customer experience, management, and training. He grew up in a musical household, has always had a passion for music, and has been able to bring all of his passions together at School of Rock.

MARY CONNOR, CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

Mary joined School of Rock in 2017 and currently serves as the company’s Chief Human Resources Officer. Mary oversees the strategic Human Resources planning for School of Rock, and leads all of the people functions of the organization. Prior to School of Rock, she was a Director of Human Resources at CVS Health. Mary has also worked for Cox Communications, Gap, Inc., and other retailers. She has over 20 years in HR, but has also had hands-on experience managing retail operations, and understands what it’s like being on the front-lines of running a business. Mary has a BA in Psychology and Management, HR Certification, and a MA in Human Resources and Labor Relations from the University of Rhode Island.

JOHN CAPPADONA, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

John is the Chief Financial Officer, and comes to School of Rock with extensive experience building and leading high-performing finance teams in a range of industries. John oversees the financial activities of the organization, directs the preparation of current financial reports and summaries, and creates forecasts predicting future growth. Prior to joining School of Rock, he was the Vice President of Finance at Sentient Jet, a leading private aviation company, where he was responsible for the Accounting and Finance function. Before that, John was the Director of Financial Planning and Analysis at the W.B. Mason Company, where he built the function. He has also held key financial positions at Olympus, Boston Scientific, and several additional established companies. John received his BA in Finance from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and his MBA from the F.W. Olin School of Business at Babson College.