A MESSAGE FROM NICOLE FURLONGE Executive Director, Klingenstein Center
We are thrilled to share this Annual Report with you. In it, you’ll learn about some of the ways we have extended the work of the Klingenstein Center. A vital part of that work is you and your engagement with the Center and each other. Our network amplifies what Robin Wall Kimmerer in Braiding Sweetgrass describes as cultures of gratitude and reciprocity. Thank you for your support of our collective work. The efforts highlighted in this report resonate with the Klingenstein Center’s charge. Since its founding, the Center has championed independent school education and educators, a purpose sustained in the mutual flourishing of our diverse global community.
This Annual Report showcases a new visual identity for the Center. Our new logo mark represents the vibrant energy with which we move forward toward the future of teaching and leading. Jessica May, associate director of strategic marketing and communications, led the design project in concert with me, the Center team, and design partners at Teachers College. As symbols do, this logo mark holds much meaning. Reminiscent of a forward button on a Walkman, VCR, or streaming platform, the logo mark is a nearly universal symbol for forward motion. Here, the two arrows represent not a speeding forward, but a network, moving forward boldly with purpose. The logo suggests openness and focus, divergent and convergent thinking, creativity and boldness, a commitment to facing challenges and possibilities head-on, and the need for purposeful direction.
The new logo visualizes the robust connections between the individual and cohort, between and within the many cohorts that comprise our dynamic network. The linked elements in the logo demonstrate teaching and leading as joining, flexing, and diversifying. Cohort learning is the heart of each and every Klingenstein Center program. By design, cohort is both noun and verb; our commitment to collective learning for action recognizes that the whole is greater than merely the sum of its parts. With each cohort, we convene a deeply diverse and engaged professional learning community of educators who learn and act for themselves, each other, their communities, and the educational ecosystem of which we are a part. The design, too, reminds me of flocking, the way murmurations of starlings swirl, shift direction, and move swiftly across the sky in a collective show of necessary friction, responsiveness, agility, and trust. Leadership is not a solo and isolated endeavor. What might be possible if we choose to amplify the collaborative and highly communal practices of teaching and leading? How might we grow our resilience as we do so?
Resilience is one of the core strengths of the Klingenstein Center network. Rather than a trait, resilience is learned, cultivated, and practiced – by individuals and institutions alike. It is enacted in the ways we tune and respond to conflict, and how we enable those around us to participate and persist in doing so as well. Resilience is reflected in our willingness to lean into our growth edges. Resilience emphasizes the importance of reflective practice. It emerges in the questions we are willing to ask, and the problems with which we are willing to grapple. As we considered logo designs, we thought about your questions, shared in focus groups and KlingChat conversations during the past year: What no longer serves us? How do we not go backward? How do we avoid dysfunctional momentum? What world are we building? What communities are we building to enable that world? How might we develop skills to deal more
effectively with conflict and intergenerational tensions? How do we build trust? These important and mission-compelling questions point to current needs for strategies, skills, tools, and thought partnerships to navigate the complexity of leading in schools today, mindful of an emerging future. They inform our logo mark and, importantly, our curriculum, research agenda, professional learning offerings, and the Center’s developing framework for leading and learning.
Resilience allows for renewal and a reimagination of what it means in this current moment to embody and align with the mission of its university home, Teachers College—to empower committed learners and leaders to build a smarter, healthier, more just and equitable world—by creating transformative learning experiences. Given the increasing complexity of education, our ability to form, grow, and work within resilient networks and communities has never been more essential.
The Klingenstein Center’s unique national and global perspective on education remains as valuable today as it was in its beginnings almost 50 years ago. Then and today, teaching and leading excellence intertwine the science of teaching, learning, and leading; diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; and social-emotional learning. In all of our programs, we highlight the importance of developing perspective of self, other, and system; reflective, informed, data-curious, and collaborative practice; inquiry into the dynamics of power, efficacy, and influence; and an awareness and agility of purpose as core to building teaching and leadership excellence that creates the conditions for flourishing.
We remain firm in our purpose to build the capacity of teachers and leaders, to listen for challenges and opportunities of the moment, and, with hope, to imagine and shape the emergent future of education. As author Octavia Butler notes about her fiction, “the one thing that I and my main characters never do when contemplating the future is give up hope. In fact, the very act of trying to look ahead to discern possibilities and offer warnings is in itself an act of hope.” Perhaps teaching and leading are ultimately persistent practices of hope.
Today’s Klingenstein Center holds the incredible institutional history in which we are rooted. Simultaneously, we move intentionally towards the shaping of bold, inspiring, ethical educational futures — through partnership with you. As we move forward together, what can we imagine for our students, ourselves and our colleagues, our schools, our countries, and our world? What ideas might we explore? What actions might we take? Through research and discovery, how can we unearth new understandings and opportunities, build on existing knowledge, release or reimagine what no longer serves us, and renew commitments to ethical and inclusive education? A hopeful movement forward. Together.
All the best,
Nicole Brittingham Furlonge, PhD
I’m energized by the challenge of integrating innovation, especially in how digital consumption and AI are reshaping education. I believe preparing educators and students to navigate these changes is key for the future.”
MERCEDES DELSO SEGOVIA Named the 2024-2025
James & Landis Best Scholar
The James and Landis Best Scholarship, established by Jim Best, a member of the Klingenstein Center Advisory Board, and his wife, Landis, supports the development of leadership skills in educators and administrators. Best Scholars are selected for their dedication to equity in independent schools and pursuit of creative solutions to challenges schools face. This year, the honor is awarded to Mercedes Delso Segovia, an educator passionate about innovation, emotional intelligence, and student well-being.
Mercedes brings a diverse background in teaching and leadership. Her journey began with a degree in education with psychology from the University of Bath and has taken her through roles at the Telefónica Foundation and the Council of International Schools (CIS), where she worked to enhance student well-being and mental health. Most recently, she worked in early childhood education at SEK Education Group.
Reflecting on her recognition as the 2025 Best Scholar, Mercedes shared, “I’m incredibly grateful for the James and Landis Best Scholar recognition. It’s an honor to be acknowledged for my work and dedication to education, and it motivates me to continue making a meaningful impact in the field.”
Mercedes’ decision to join the PSL ‘25 cohort at the Klingenstein Center was driven by her desire to enhance her leadership abilities. “I was drawn to the Klingenstein Center for its focus on practical leadership and management in education, as well as its cohort model. The program offered me the chance to develop strategies for today’s educational challenges while collaborating with a diverse group of peers,” she explains.
Mercedes notes that the most meaningful aspect of her experience at the Klingenstein Center has been the opportunity for reflection and growth alongside her peers. “The discussions are helping me sharpen my strategic thinking and prepare for what’s next in my leadership journey,” she reflects.
Mercedes exemplifies the dedication, creativity, and innovative spirit that the James and Landis Best Scholarship seeks to recognize. One key challenge that excites Mercedes is the integration of digital technology and AI in the classroom. She looks forward to applying her leadership skills to make a positive impact in education.
CALLIE BOND Named the 2024-2025 Pearl Rock Kane Scholar
The 2024-2025 Kane Scholar is Callie Bond, a dedicated educator who brings both passion and experience to her work in independent schools. Callie taught humanities to 7th, 9th, and 10th graders at Newark Academy in Livingston, NJ, where she also served as a grade dean, equity and inclusion coordinator, and advisor to the Black Student Union and Student of Color Affinity Group. She designed and taught a year-long course for 9th graders focused on cultivating a sense of belonging and cultural competency within the school community.
The Pearl Rock Kane Endowed Scholarship honors its namesake, the first director of the Klingenstein Center. Pearl led the Center for nearly 40 years, expanding it into the leading destination for leadership development in independent schools. Each year, the Kane Scholar is chosen for their commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and continuous reflective learning—qualities that Pearl championed throughout her career. Callie’s passion for equity and inclusion, coupled with her dedication to creating joyful and meaningful
educational experiences, make her an exemplary recipient of the Pearl Rock Kane Scholarship.
Reflecting on her selection, Callie said, “I am honored to be selected as the Kane Scholar. Pearl Rock Kane was an inspiration to so many Klingenstein students, and I will endeavor to honor her legacy.”
The intentional planning of the Klingenstein program—from the connections between courses to the building of the cohort— creates a unique learning community. Everyone brings different expertise, experiences, perspectives, and interests. Every conversation is different and engaging. I’m excited to spend time thinking about the kind of teacher, leader, and colleague I can be, and to bring what I’ve learned back to my school community.”
Callie earned her Bachelor of Arts in history from Trinity College in Connecticut, where she also studied abroad in Vienna, Austria. Before transitioning to education, she worked as a legal assistant at Sullivan and Cromwell LLC in New York City. She then began her teaching career and soon after attended the Klingenstein Summer Institute (KSI),
an experience that inspired her to pursue the master’s program at the Klingenstein Center.
“KSI was an incredible experience, filled with excitement, energy, and a dedication to continuous learning. I knew then that I wanted to come back for the master’s degree program,” Callie explained.
Klingenstein Center Research Initiatives: Supporting Inquiry in Independent and International Education
The Klingenstein Center is not a traditional research center within Teachers College, but alumni will recognize that research and datainformed practices are at the core of everything we do. For many years, our master’s degree students have conducted research in partner schools through the Practicum program, producing extensive literature reviews and engaging in action research addressing problems of practice in schools around the world. Students at the Klingenstein Summer Institute (KSI) and in Dr. Kevin Mattingly’s classes have explored research on learning processes and the influence of non-cognitive factors on academic success, enriching their teaching and leadership approaches. More recently, FORGE participants have examined how equitable, data-informed practices can drive meaningful change. Our program designs are deeply rooted in research on how adults learn best.
Recognizing that independent schools have historically been underrepresented in educational research, the Klingenstein Center has taken steps to formalize our
Learn more about the Teachers College Record Journal Issue: klingensteincenter.org/ tcrecord-v125
research program. Our first post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Clare Sisisky, completed her fellowship this spring, focusing on climate action education and intercultural dialogue. She presented her work at the NAIS Annual Conference and the 2024 Global Climate Education Summit, a joint venture of the Center and the Global Education Benchmark Group, which hosted 160 educators at Teachers College last January.
Last year, we also collaborated with Teachers College Record to produce a special issue titled Minding the Gap in Education Discourse: Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in Independent and International Schools, featuring 22 articles by practitioners and scholars.
This is only the beginning of our commitment to supporting timely, actionable inquiry that can inform independent and international schools. We’re pleased to introduce new initiatives and research partners for 2024-2025.
Klingenstein Center Announces Inaugural Dissertation Fellows
The Klingenstein Center is proud to announce the inaugural recipients of the Dissertation Fellowship, a newly established initiative aimed at supporting emerging research in independent & international education. The 2024-2025 Dissertation Fellows are Sarah Vázquez and Abu Abdelbagi.
Sarah G. Vázquez, a Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology and Education at Teachers College and lower school teacher, is a trained anthropologist and seasoned educator with broad experience in educational technology, early childhood and elementary education, and nonprofit administration. Her dissertation, titled Civic Media Worlds: How Multilingual Children Use Digital Technologies to Express Civic Intentionality, explores how multilingual children in Northern New Jersey use digital technologies to express civic intentionality across language communities.
Reflecting on her selection, Sarah said, “Being selected as a Dissertation Fellow represents the synergy of my academic research agenda as well as my career as a professional teacher and educator. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to broaden my impact not only in the field of education research widely, but in supporting multilingual and multicultural children in the independent school setting domestically and internationally. It is a pleasure and an honor to be in fellowship with the Klingenstein Center!”
Abu Abdelbagi is a doctoral candidate in communication and education, and a Ben D. Wood Fellowship recipient at Teachers College. His research explores the intersection of civic engagement and media literacy of young people living in or originating from the regions of South West Asia and North Africa. His dissertation examines how Sudanese young people displaced by the conflict that began in April of last year are navigating issues of belonging, identity, and the development of civic self in transnational spaces.
“I’m truly honored to have been awarded the Klingenstein Center Dissertation Inaugural Fellowship for my research on young people’s development of civic self and media literacy in transnational spaces,” said Abu regarding his selection. “I’m grateful to have the recognition and support of The Klingenstein Center and I appreciate their true commitment to the under-researched area of independent and international schools. I look forward to using the resources and support afforded through the Center and its network to advance my research and its impact.”
Nicole Furlonge, executive director, added, “The Klingenstein Center is proud to support Sarah and Abu as emerging scholars. Their research holds great promise for understanding diverse experiences of young people and for supporting digital literacy, belonging, engagement, and equity.”
New Post-Doctoral Fellow EMILY BAILIN WELLS Leads the Archival History Toolkit Project
Dr. Emily Bailin Wells is the second post-doctoral research fellow at the Klingenstein Center. Emily is an independent scholar, adjunct professor, and the co-founder of Co-Lab Education Group, an equityfocused educational consulting and professional development organization. She is a qualitative researcher with training in ethnographic, case study, and multimodal research methodologies. Her work is situated at the intersections of critical identity studies, youth literacy/ies practices, and multimodal composition. She earned a master’s degree in education, culture, and society from the University of Pennsylvania and a doctorate in communication and education from Teachers College.
Emily’s research with the Klingenstein Center will focus on the Archival History Toolkit Project, helping independent schools to explore and engage their histories to better inform current and future diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts. Emily will partner with Dr. Michelle Purdy, associate professor of education at Washington University and author of the awardwinning book Transforming the Elite: Black Students and the Desegregation of Private Schools, and Lisa Johnson, on behalf of Private School Village, a non-profit she founded and leads that is dedicated to providing community connection and resources for families of color in private schools.
The toolkit will provide independent schools with a framework to conduct archival and oral history research in partnership with students, teachers, administrators, parents, and alumni. The framework will also help schools to organize and share their findings, engage their communities in dialogue, and incorporate new understandings into their school cultures and traditions. The toolkit will be developed during the 2024-2025 school year and piloted during the 2025-2026 school year with a small group of schools.
...Emily brings a dynamic commitment to multimodal research and a deep commitment to engaging students in the story telling and storylistening we do...
– NICOLE FURLONGE
Nicole Furlonge shared her excitement about Emily joining the team, stating, “I am thrilled to welcome Emily to the Center as our new post-doc fellow.
Emily brings a dynamic commitment to multimodal research and a deep commitment to engaging students in the story telling and storylistening we do, so that more complex and robust stories of our schools might emerge. I’m excited for all we will learn from Emily’s work over the next two years.”
Emily has already begun her work, diving into current literature and convening an advisory panel for the project. She writes, “This post-doc position is unique in the emphasis placed on time–time to sit with questions, time to do research, time to write–I am so excited to learn from and contribute to the Center for the next two years.”
Learn more about research at the Klingenstein Center: klingensteincenter.org/research
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thanks to all who joined us for alumni gatherings in conjunction with the SAIS conference in Charlotte, NC & NAIS PoCC in Denver, CO this fall.
KLINGENSTEIN CENTER LEADERSHIP SUMMIT: DEIB X MBE
Save the Date: Saturday, February 1, 2025 | New York, NY
Join us for a summit exploring the nexus between Belonging (DEIB) and Mind, Brain, and Education science (MBE). Participants will explore the vital relationship between DEIB and MBE that sits at the core of learning—the central business of school—and leave the summit with tools to make the case for DEIB and MBE in their schools.
GLOBAL SUMMIT ON CLIMATE EDUCATION
February 7-8, 2025 | Drew School, San Francisco, CA
An exploration of education in the era of climate change for schools that seek to develop and empower students as active and engaged global citizens in the classroom and beyond, the summit is a partnership between the Klingenstein Center and the Global Education Benchmark Group. Visit klingensteincenter.org/climate-summit-2025
THRIVE 2025, THE NAIS ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Klingenstein Seminar
Wednesday, February 26, 2025 | 1:00-4:00 pm CT
Join Nicole for the seminar Getting to Awe—Sensing and Shaping School Leadership, a dynamic pre-conference workshop exploring the political aspects of leadership. Visit klingensteincenter.org/events/nais-seminar-2025
Klingenstein Network Reception
Save the Date: Thursday, February 27, 2025 | 7:00-9:00 pm CT
For an up-to-date list of Klingchats, information sessions and other events, visit klingensteincenter.org/events
CENTER PROGRAMS: What does it mean to learn with the Klingenstein Center?
Across all Klingenstein programs, meaningful learning and capacity building are rooted in:
COHORT LEARNING that builds community and appreciates the unique perspectives of each participant.
DATA-INFORMED LEADERSHIP that guides decisionmaking at all levels of the organization - from using the science of learning to inform pedagogy to employing action research to explore new programs.
REFLECTIVE PRACTICES such as seeking and incorporating feedback, and examining one’s own past experiences, values, skills, and growth areas to develop iterative plans for ongoing learning and improvement.
CENTERING EQUITY through thoughtful examination of the systems of our schools, noticing who has agency, seeking to ensure that everyone is given opportunity and voice, and creating communities where all can belong as their authentic selves.
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS
Summer Institute for
Early-Career Teachers (KSI)
For teachers with 1-5 years of experience who strive to lead nurturing classrooms where all children experience meaningful, enduring, joyful learning.
Heads of Schools Fellowship
For sitting heads who seek inspiration, to renew their vision, creatively recharge their leadership, and build a professional network for sustained learning and support.
DEGREE PROGRAMS
Full-Year Master’s Degree (PSL)
For current and aspiring independent school leaders who want an immersive, place-based graduate learning experience at Teachers College in New York City to cultivate skills, knowledge, and practices that are foundational to successful leadership.
Two-Summers Master’s Degree (LA)
For current and emerging leaders who seek to leverage and build upon their current independent school role, exploring school operations, organizational change, and leadership practice.
MA/MBA Dual Degree
For master’s program students interested in learning and applying principles of business, finance, and entrepreneurship to independent and international school leadership.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
FORGE
For anyone planning or guiding an initiative in their school who craves the time, tools, and thought-partnership to build their capacity as successful agents of meaningful, sustained change.
Klingbrief
For busy, lifelong learners wondering what to read next, Klingbrief is a curated monthly list of insightful books, podcasts, articles, or resources recommended by peer educators.
KlingChats
For everyone! From our Gather ‘Round a Text Series, to affinity sessions for educators in specific roles, to discussions centered on timely questions and issues, KlingChats provide community connection and learning opportunities.
Honoring Nancy Klingenstein Simpkins for 35 Years of Service to the Klingenstein Center
Nancy Klingenstein Simpkins has been a champion of the Klingenstein Center and an integral part of its development. This year, as Nancy steps down from the Klingenstein Center advisory board after a remarkable 35 years of service, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for her dedication to education and her invaluable contributions to the Center. Among her many contributions, she has visited programs, offered thought partnership, and guided special events,
including serving as the master of ceremonies at the 40th Anniversary Gala honoring Pearl Rock Kane—an event she was instrumental in planning.
“Nancy is a deeply committed advocate for excellent education” Nicole Furlonge reflects. “In her authentic commitment to the Klingenstein Center and independent school education more broadly, she models how to seed, grow, and nurture strategic, purposeful, discerning action towards a greater good. While I will miss her presence on the advisory board, I know her impact will endure.”
Beyond her role at the Klingenstein Center, Nancy has served as a trustee of Teachers College, the Chair of the Board of Miss Porter’s School, and a founding Trustee and Board Chair of The Wild Center, a natural history museum in the Adirondacks. She also serves as vice president of the Klingenstein Philanthropies, which encompasses three foundations that together focus on health, well-being, and education.
As Nancy reflects on her time as a key partner for the Center, she shares, “In the 35 years that I have been on the Advisory Board of the Klingenstein Center, I have seen the expansion of program offerings, an expansion of reach from local to national and then international, and, of course, a change in leadership. Through it all, the Center has stayed focused on building independent school leadership while maintaining the highest standards
and expectations. I have never met a Klingenstein Fellow who didn’t feel that participating in one of the programs changed their teaching or career for the better. I am proud to have been associated with the Center for so long.”
Nancy’s many years of dedicated service, alongside her parents and siblings, have encouraged and amplified the Center’s thriving. On behalf of the faculty, staff, alumni, students, and friends of the Center, thank you, Nancy!
...Nancy models how to seed, grow, and nurture strategic, purposeful, discerning action towards a greater good....
