Longtime MKA Faculty Member Named to New Position

On July 1, Steve Valentine will assume the position of Associate Head of School, a new and dynamic role intended to serve as a deep collaborative partner for the school’s operational leaders. Head of School Nigel D. Furlonge said, “I am delighted to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Steve as he assumes this new leadership role at our school. I am confident that his commitment to and unwavering passion for education will serve as a continued source of inspiration to our students, colleagues, and families.”

Since he began as an Upper School English teacher in 2002, Steve has held the positions of Tri-Campus Director of Academic Leadership, Assistant Head of Upper School, and Director of May Term. He has shown himself to be a thought-leader in all these spaces and has even found time to continue engaging in the classroom as an English teacher! Outside of MKA, Steve is a published author of three books and numerous, widely-read articles, and he is a sought-after presenter who has spoken at events hosted by NAIS, Google, and South by Southwest, to name a few.

As Associate Head of School, Steve will work closely with the Head of School and other school leaders to advance the school’s mission. He will also have responsibility for the school’s Strategic Initiatives, which are designed to cultivate and promote MKA’s academic, intellectual, curricular, and pedagogical excellence. By creating this new role of Associate Head of School and enhancing the administrative structure, MKA positions itself to more intentionally pursue philanthropic initiatives in service of the school’s mission.

Steve believes that his own journey at MKA led him to this moment, and he is very excited to be part of shaping MKA’s future in this new role. He said, “I believe that MKA's mission will make our school increasingly relevant as a site of education that prepares young people for careers and lives we cannot yet imagine, as an organization that provides a compelling destination for the finest teachers and administrators in the world, and as a community that serves to inspire and regenerate its many constituents.”