Ammenti Wins Klingenstein Fellowship

Redwood Day School’s Jennifer Ammenti Awarded Prestigious Klingenstein Summer Fellowship (Oakland, CA) – Redwood Day School teacher Jennifer Ammenti has been awarded a prestigious Klingentstein Summer Fellowship through the highly-regarded Klingenstein Center for Independent School Leadership in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. For two weeks each summer, seventy-five hand-selected teachers from across the nation gather under the Klingenstein Center’s auspices for intensive study with master teachers and prominent leaders in education. They read and discuss seminal articles, listen to prominent educational leaders, explore teaching styles, and work with colleagues and mentors on projects that relate directly to their own teaching. Ms. Ammenti applied to the two-week Summer Institute for its intensive professional growth opportunities. “I love the idea of gathering with other independent school teachers, sharing experiences, strategies for teaching and problem-solving, and getting a better understanding of common trends and challenges in independent schools,” said Ms. Ammenti. Ms. Ammenti joined Redwood Day School in 2006 as a fourth grade teacher. She began her teaching career in public elementary school and then moved on to a public charter school, KIPP Summit Academy, in San Lorenzo. At KIPP, Ms. Ammenti spent two years teaching reading to fifth-grade students, seventy-five percent of whom were far below reading level. Ms. Ammenti was featured in the 2004-05 “Who’s-Who of Teaching”. “It’s a great honor to receive a Klingenstein Summer Fellowship and it’s also a huge amount of work,” said Head of School Dr. Michael Riera. “Attending this program is akin to an intensive graduate program in a specific area of teaching and learning. It is a rarefied environment in which educators make transformational leaps in their profession, and Jen is at the perfect moment in her career for this program. We’re all very excited and proud.” “My daughter has grown in ways we never knew possible,” says one Redwood Day School parent whose child is currently in Ms. Ammenti’s class. “She holds the bar high for each student and is consistent in her approach. The students know exactly what is expected of them academically and socially, and they rise to meet the challenges.” Fully grant-supported, the Klingenstein Summer Institute award covers tuition and room and board for all those selected to attend. The Summer Institute provides important tools for educational leadership and lays the groundwork for becoming a master teacher. Since 1982, the almost 1500 independent school teachers who have participated in this highly selective program have raved about its long-lasting effects. Teachers with two to five years of full-time teaching experience in independent schools are eligible to apply. Up to seventy-five participants are chosen each year from an extremely competitive pool of applicants. The award committee considers a candidate's teaching promise, ability to work collaboratively, and leadership potential. Primarily funded by the Klingenstein Family Fund, the Center operates under the auspices of the Education Leadership Program of the Department of Organization and Leadership at Teachers College. Teachers College is one of the thirteen graduate and professional schools of Columbia University. As one of the most respected graduate schools of education in the country, Teachers College is committed to preparing the next generation of school leaders.