STAB Learning Village Head accepted into Klingenstein

Head of St. Anne’s-Belfield School’s Learning Village Shannon Montague has been accepted into a program for administrative leadership with the Klingenstein Center of Teachers College, Columbia University.

The online coaching program is in its fifth year, and is open to Klingenstein alumni of color who have demonstrated the potential, character, and drive to advance as administrative leaders in independent school education. Montague was one of only eight alumni chosen to comprise this year’s cohort.

“The theme of my application essay focused on the things you don’t learn about in a leadership master’s degree program but you instead have to learn on the job,” said Montague. “I wrote about how important it is to take a moment after an event or decision, to really take that moment and go back and reflect on your leadership style and how you might change or grow as a leader from every experience, good or bad.”

Funded through the Altman Foundation, the program provides participants with a process to identify professional strengths, challenges, and goals.

Montague was a 2010 graduate of Teacher’s College where she earned her M.A. in educational leadership. She previously taught at The Bullis School, St. Albans School, and The Bryn Mawr School, and received faculty excellence awards while at Bullis and Bryn Mawr. She was named a National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) 2013 – 2014 Teacher of the Future and later served as program faculty. In addition, she formerly served as the Board Co-Chair of the Edcamp Foundation and currently serves as a board member for Live Arts in Charlottesville.

“What I hope to gain from the program is the opportunity to reflect upon questions that will challenge me to dig deeply and perhaps seek feedback from the people around me,” Montague shared. “I want to learn more about how people see me as a leader. I want to learn more about myself as a leader, and how I make decisions. As an educator, I’m always looking for opportunities for learning and growth and this opportunity provides me the chance to perhaps gain a new perspective, a new point of view.”