CELEBRATESLONG-STANDINGCONNECTIONTOTHE

In year-long and summer courses, the Klingenstein Center works at the intersection of education, equity, and change leadership and is dedicated to building the capacity of educators so that they can better teach, lead, and make change for the kinds of schools all students deserve and need to flourish. Assistant Head of School for Diversity, Inclusion, and Antiracism Paris McLean shared, “At Klingenstein, I walked away with a deep understanding of how independent schools function, honed my leadership practice, and developed my skills in listening and providing clear communication that can reach my communities.” The Center improves the quality of independent and international schools by developing and strengthening the leadership skills of teachers and administrators at every stage of their careers.

The relationships formed between attendees from different schools, with different perspectives, is a lasting and impactful outcome at the Klingenstein Center as Assistant Head of Middle School Catherine Gaynor emphasized: “The experience allowed me to connect with educators around the country and around the world and have ongoing conversations about best practices in teaching and learning.” The Klingenstein Center is dedicated to cultivating creative, confident, growth-minded, informed, nimble, and inclusive leadership, so school leaders can lead in a time when rapid change is constant and the commitment to socially just and socially-emotionallyinformed leadership is most urgent. We are so proud and honored that so many members of our faculty and administration have been a part of this program, have chosen careers at MKA, and make a difference in the lives of our students every day. >>

Klingenstein Center Alumni: Carlaina Bell, Ed.D., Head of Middle School

Cort Bosc, Director of Global Experiences

Bre Conley, Pre-K Teacher (currently in the Private School Leadership Program)

David C. Flocco, Ed.D., Head of Upper School and Assistant Head of School for Strategic Initiatives

Nigel D. Furlonge, Head of School

Catharine Gaynor, Assistant Head of Middle School

David Hessler, Upper School History Teacher

Paris McLean, Assistant Head of School for Diversity, Inclusion, and Antiracism

Kyle Salkin, Upper School History Teacher

Maria Shepard, Academic Dean

Donna Starke, Middle School Mathematics Department Chair

Amy Mai Tierney, Middle School History Teacher

Steve Valentine, Assistant Head of Upper School and Director of Academic Leadership

Embracing Agile Mindset In Education

Montclair Kimberley Academy hosted the Klingenstein Center Head Fellows for a professional learning session on Agile. Developed from a dynamic approach to project management in the software development field, Agile is now an approach to collaboration, teaming, and innovation in the face of uncertainty that is being applied to and transformed in a variety of fields, including education. Participants in the workshop included Heads of School from around the country who are Fellows of the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. The Klingenstein Center, founded in 1977, is the premier professional learning program for independent and international school educator-leaders. Dr. Nicole Brittingham Furlonge is Professor and Director of the Center. Joining the Klingenstein Fellows for the Agile workshop were members of Montclair Kimberley Academy’s Administrative Leadership Team. The group of more than 40 participants engaged in a fourhour hands-on, minds-on workshop designed to demonstrate Agile in action by using over 10,000 Lego bricks to simulate a team project. During the workshop, participants used teamwork and collaboration to apply Agile principles to their Legobuilding tasks. Through activity, discussion, and reflection, insight was gained for how Agile might foster innovation in schools. The workshop was facilitated by Mike Palladino who is the director of the Agile Center of Excellence at Bristol Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals and a professor at Villanova University.

Current Teacher And Alum Awarded Prestigious Scholarship

Breanna Conley ’08, an MKA Pre-K teacher who is currently on leave to complete a master’s degree in the Private School Leadership Program from Klingenstein recently received the prestigious Pearl Rock Kane scholarship from the Center. The Pearl Rock Kane Endowed Scholarship was established in recognition of the late Professor Kane's vision and leadership as the Director of the Klingenstein Center and the Klingenstein Family Professor for the Advancement of Independent School Education. The recipients of this award go on to make a difference in the lives of young people as teachers, administrators, leaders, and founders of schools and educational organizations around the world.