Riverdale Review: Why was it important to you to keep teaching in addition to serving in administrative roles? What was your favorite class to teach and why?
Dr. Kelley Nicholson-Flynn: Teaching is the best part of every day, so being directly connected to that has always been important to me. The class that I’ve taught the most— and that I love the most—is Bioethics, an interdisciplinary class which looks at ethical dilemmas through both a scientific and a philosophical lens. This class is my favorite because it appeals to all kinds of students. It also allows me to highlight important think- ing skills: trying to sort out what you think and communicating what you think.
RR: What has been your biggest challenge during your time at Riverdale?
KNF: I think the nut that we have tried to crack a thousand different ways is about student mental health and well-being. And despite the changes we have made, which are all really positive and include changing up programs and hiring additional staff, it feels like the problem is just as hard as it was when we started working on it. Another challenge was the Covid-19 pandemic. My role as Assistant Head of School for Operations was underway before the pandemic started. My science background helped in that I was able to read and ask questions and learn so that we could come up with policies and protocols that worked; for example, putting in the testing program. I feel very happy and grateful that I was in the right role at the right time to help the school.
RR: What do you feel were your biggest accomplishments or contributions at Riverdale?
KNF: There has been some real growth in programs throughout my time at Riverdale. I was in the right spot to help them grow. Our Computer Science and Robotics pro- grams have grown a lot, and our Experiential Education program—Global Studies, Outdoor Programs, domestic travel—has grown a lot as well. Also, Bioethics and an expansion of some of the interdisciplinary programs that already existed. I also built a risk management program with a team, and worked on a leadership development program. The Statement on Campus Discourse was also something I was involved in launching. Lastly, during my first year, some students contacted me and asked for all-gender bathrooms. So now we have all-gender bathrooms in every building, including the multi-stall one in Mow, and I’m really happy with that.
RR: What are your favorite memories from your time at Riverdale?
KNF: I love watching kids try really hard. Just this weekend, I was watching Newsies, the Middle School musical, and I just weep at the end when I’m clapping be- cause they look so exhausted and so proud. Their parents are so proud, the faculty are so proud, and it just overwhelms me with joy. The same thing happens with sports. I love the pride of watching one of our teams face a probably unbeatable opponent and then play really well. My other favorite Riverdale experiences are celebratory. I love the diversity banquets, and when I was Head of Upper School, I loved the senior dinner.
RR: How do you hope your students at Riverdale remember you?
KNF: I hope that they know they were always in the center of my thinking and my feeling. We are a school because we have students. They matter and they’re important, and I take their ideas seriously. I also hope that, even in times when I had to share with kids that they were wrong about something, that they felt that I believed in them.
RR: What will you miss most about Riverdale?
KNF: The single word that comes to mind is ‘excellence.’ This is a school that is willing to try to improve and make things better. That forward-looking, hopeful, how-do-we-change-the-world-for-the-good spirit is definitely something I have appreciated here. I will also miss the independence of kids who live in and around New York City—it’s really incredibly impressive.
RR: What excites you about becoming the Head of School at Princeton Day School?
KNF: I just want to start by thanking Dominic Randolph and all of the other administrators that I’ve worked with here at Riverdale. I have learned so much from them about what good leadership looks like and what excellence in a school looks like, so I’m most excited about transferring that to a new place and working in the same spirit to think: how can we get to the next level of good? There are some really interesting programs at Princeton Day School. For example, it’s well known for programs in sustainability. It’s also a place that is very kind and very welcoming, so I’m excited to think about how those characteristics can be used to achieve excellence in different domains such as academics or athletics but also diversity, inclusion, and belonging. I’m very excited about my next opportunity and have not yet grappled with the fact that I’m leaving here. It’s been the opportunity of a lifetime and I love this place.
