Associate Head of School Stephanie Lipkowitz was recognized in the Klingenstein Center’s annual report for her three decades of tremendous contributions to the organization.
From the Klingenstein Center’s 2021-22 annual report: As she steps away from her volunteer leadership roles at the Klingenstein Center, we recognize and thank Stephanie Lipkowitz for her remarkable contributions to the Center over the span of nearly 30 years of its 45-year history. Stephanie currently serves as the Associate Head of School at Albuquerque Academy. She first came to the Center as an early-career English teacher participating in the KSI ’89 cohort. She then served as a Summer Institute lead teacher (1992-2003), Advisory Board member (2006-2022), and a Klingbrief editor (2009-2022). Through this work, Stephanie gave of her time and wisdom to help the Center develop remarkable programs that have served generations of independent school educators…. As a careful listener, thoughtful colleague, gifted writer, and insightful editor and curator, Stephanie’s wisdom has helped to shape the Klingenstein Center for the last three decades through the design and delivery of programs, strategic visioning and planning, and shaping the voice of the Center through Klingbrief. (View the Klingenstein Center 2021-22 Annual Report.)
“The center has made it possible, I believe, for educators to envision an authentic and meaningful career path,” Ms. Lipkowitz says, “which I think is not easy for teachers given the lack of respect and remuneration for educators more generally.”
The Klingenstein Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College is the premier professional learning program for independent and international school educator-leaders. “It was initially funded by the Klingenstein family, and their intent was to support educators and leaders in independent schools at all stages of their careers,” she says. “They have programs for heads of schools, early career educators, two master’s programs for those interested in leadership within independent schools, and one of the master’s programs can also be combined with an M.B.A. at Columbia School of Business or a famous French business program. The Klingenstein programs are highly academic and rigorous, and they demand commitment from participants.
“One of the best aspects of the center, however, is the network it provides to all of its alumni across the world.”
The center’s professional development is particularly outstanding, Ms. Lipkowitz adds, in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion and in cognitive science. “It also takes the best of educational research and looks for ways to apply the findings in the classroom or in the larger school community.”
