Ailene Altman Mitchell

Cahn Fellow 2012

Principal, The Park Slope Education Complex at Middle School 88

Brooklyn, New York

Ailene Altman Mitchell was a member of the tenth Cahn Fellows cohort in 2012 as Principal of The Park Slope Education Complex at Middle School 88 in Brooklyn, NY where she has served since 2005. Ailene’s core belief is that students learn best in an intimate setting with personalized, blended learning attuned to their needs and strengths. Her passion for educating all students transformed M.S. 88 from one of the most challenged New York City Public Schools into one of the most prominent middle schools in the United States. As a foundational member of Chancellor Carmen Fariña’s signature instructional initiative, Learning Partners Program, Ailene’s school was spotlighted as an innovator host model school. M.S. 88’s innovative practices have attracted prominent visitors such as Bill Gates, Hadi Partovi, Fred Wilson, and education ministers from countries as far as Denmark and Turkey. In recognition of her work Ailene was named Master Principal from 2015 to 2017, serving as a mentor to NYC public school principals. As a definitive voice on personalized learning to raise student achievement, she has presented at Discovery Education’s Future Now Conference, ASCD conference, International Conference on Education, Discovery Education Leadership Summit, ISTE Conference on Blended Learning, and the NYC DOE Chancellor’s Conferences. Ailene has been serving as an alumni advisor to the Cahn Fellows Program for Distinguished Principals since 2017. She previously served on the advisory board of Columbia University’s Center for Environmental Research and Conservation Graduate Program from 2008-2015, and is a member of the Leaders on Innovation’s Digital Promise League of Schools. Ailene attributes M.S. 88’s success to her investment in professional learning, both personally and professionally. Her participation in the Institute for Learning at University of Pittsburgh has been an integral part of her learning journey. In 2022 Ailene was recognized with the Distinguished Principal Award from the Middle School Principals Association.