Interview by Jay Parker, Executive Editor of gcLi’s Leadership Blog
The National Network of Schools in Partnership (NNSP) serves its members by providing implementation support, thought leadership, and advocacy. These services help NNSP network members to achieve a greater degree of impact with their partnerships. The organization believes collaboration and partnerships are central to a strategy for improving equity in educational opportunities. NNSP thrives on the diversity of its members, which include such organizations as 1) public, charter, and private schools 2) educational access and enrichment programs and 3) policy and education reform groups. The 2019 NNSP Annual Conference will be held in Washington, DC on January 27th and 28th. Learn more about the National Network of Schools in Partnership.
How does the National Network of Schools in Partnership differentiate itself from other organizations?
NNSP is the only non-profit of its kind. It was conceived (and holds true to its mission today) as a non-profit that serves public, charter, and independent schools in their quest to develop meaningful, reciprocal, and sustainable community and civic engagement programs. From the very first day, we recognized that we could only have a worthwhile conversation about this work if all educational systems were included in the conversation.
We have evolved, as a result of that mission, from concentrating on in-person professional development opportunities to now having a variety of online opportunities including webinars, online workshops, and podcasts. It is our hope that by expanding the opportunities to meet teachers where they are, we will be a more inclusive and accessible organization.
What inspired you to step into the work of celebrating partnership across the field of education?
I believe strongly in giving back to my community, being an engaged citizen, and advocating for what I believe is fair and just. I have often wondered how much of that passion and commitment stems from my experiences in school. Upon reflecting on my experiences, I see that both my K-12 and college institutions had a strong commitment to “the common good.” It was ingrained in everything we did and was not just an extracurricular activity.
As I approach this work, I find myself inspired by the idea that every student can find this purpose and passion for their community through their experiences in school. It is easy to go to work every day when you think you could be helping a generation of young adults be compassionate, empathetic, thoughtful, humble, and comfortable with those who are different than they are.
How do you see public-private partnerships evolving within independent schools?
The commitment of independent schools to serve their community is not unique. In fact, most schools have that commitment articulated in their mission or vision. What is evolving is the view of that work. Rejecting a notion of noblesse oblige, schools are moving away from straight service and instead creating curricular-based programs that are hands-on, real-life experiences for their students. The idea is that through these experiences, the students will broaden their worldview; will hone critical character skills such as empathy, compassion, listening, and humility; and will find a purpose to their learning that is greater than themselves.
In recent years, I have seen more schools shifting their public purpose from individual programs scattered throughout the grades to those that are institutionally grounded and driven. Centers are cropping up like the Center for Public Purpose at William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia and the Institute for Social Impact at Hockaday School in Dallas. These centers aid teachers in implementing specific programs into their classes while also ensuring that the collective work of the school aligns directly with its mission.
The Latin School of Chicago views its commitment through a different lens. Instead of a thematic approach, theirs is one that is driven by geography. The Uptown Partnership is an institutional commitment to the Uptown neighborhood in Chicago. Each one of Latin’s partnerships or collaborations happens within the boundaries of the neighborhood to ensure a greater collective impact of their work and a true partnership with their neighboring community.
Finally, this work can also be approached in a way similar to that of the Washington International School. Through a partnership with D.C. Public Schools and Project Zero at Harvard University, Washington International School has established the Professional Development Collaborative in Washington, D.C. Focusing on professional development through collaboration, the PDC aims to make all the schools in D.C. a model for innovative teaching and learning.
All of this is to say that there is no one way to approach public purpose; however, consistent in all of these successful examples is an alignment to mission and an implementation of meaningful, reciprocal, and sustainable programs.
How can public purpose inspire leadership development in our students?
The outcomes that we aim to achieve through community and civic engagement programs are all characteristics of a true leader. Through these experiences, students are able to find their voice, learn to advocate for something that is important to them, work with others who are different than they, be comfortable with the uncomfortable, listen with humility, and so much more. By providing our students the opportunity to have these experiences with ample guidance and reflection, we are giving them the best on-the-job leadership training available.
The intersection of community engagement and leadership development is clear, obvious, and inevitable. By providing our students the opportunities of engaging with people in their community who are different than they; exposing them to experiences that challenge them to ask questions; and teaching them the value of collaboration, listening, and humility, we are in fact developing our future leaders.
This is why I am so excited to share the work of gcLi Executive Director Ted Fish and Altamont School’s Director of the Miree Ethical Leadership Center, Katherine Berdy at our annual conference in January. It is work like theirs that clearly demonstrates the clear correlation between community engagement and leadership development.
What lessons have you learned in your role as Executive Director?
I find that these lessons are the same as the lessons I try to impart to our members. Most importantly, there is no substitute for a strong relationship when building out a program. The relationships that we establish with our members permit us the opportunity to improve our programming, reach more educators, and tailor our work to the needs of our schools. With that strength of relationship and patience in our growth, we have truly been able to make remarkable strides in our outreach in the past five years.
What is one piece of advice you have for independent schools seeking to engage the communities around them?
Have patience. The partnerships that work the best do not develop overnight. The PD Collaborative of the Washington International School started as a small group of teachers meeting once a month in each other’s classrooms. Hockaday started with just a couple of students mentoring in the Dallas Independent School District, and Latin School of Chicago spent a year introducing itself to the community leaders of Uptown before ever creating a program. Work hard to establish a rapport, a sense of trust, and a common understanding of the purpose of the partnership. Talk about intended outcomes, potential obstacles, and power dynamics. Be honest with one another. A strong relationship with your community partner provides the cushion you need should something not go as planned (and it will). Relationship building is and always be at the core of this important work to build a better world.
Blake Kohn is the Executive Director of the National Network of Schools in Partnership. A passionate bilingual educator, Blake Kohn started her career as a high-school Spanish teacher. She has held administrative positions at both Ravenscroft and Oldfields School and even started her own Spanish bilingual preschool in Reston, VA. Blake holds a B.A. in Spanish and International Relations from Bowdoin College and an M.Ed. in School Counseling from University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.