Volunteer Spotlight:
Alumni Class Agents and
Annual Fund Parent Grade Representatives
SAMANTHA KLEIER FORBES ’90, P ’24, ’29
SABRINA KLEIER MORGENSTERN ’94, P ’27, ’32
Samantha Kleier Forbes ’90 and Sabrina Kleier Morgenstern ’94 view Horace Mann School as an extension of their family, having attended Nursery through Twelfth Grade. Now, Samantha and her husband JP Forbes, parents to Chase ’24 and Caroline ’29, and Sabrina and her spouse Robert Morgenstern, parents to Cooper ’27 and Cate ’32, are thrilled to see the next generation attend HM.
Sabrina and Samantha have a long history as donors and volunteers at Horace Mann. Both have served as Alumni Class Agents and as members of the Alumni Council since 2003 and as Annual Fund Parent Grade Representatives since 2015. They also assist with school events including Homecoming, Parents Association Book Fairs, and serve as New Family Welcome Ambassadors.
Sabrina and Samantha feel that their time at HM prepared them well for college and helped foster a strong sense of character. A few fond memories from when they were students include attending the Lower Division Carnival, dressing up for Senior Absurdity Day and cheering on the lions at the Buzzell Game. They are pleased to see core aspects of the HM experience endure including an exceptional faculty that encourage students to think critically and to learn to advocate for themselves. Samantha recalls that the teachers made a deep impression upon her. “Having English with Dr. David Schiller inspired Sabrina and I, both, to major in English in college,” says Samantha. After graduating from Horace Mann School, Samantha and Sabrina both attended the University of Pennsylvania. They are now Executive Vice Presidents at Kleier Residential, a real estate brokerage firm started by their parents more than thirty years ago. The sisters, along with their mother Michele, costarred in HGTV’s reality series Selling New York and authored the book, Hot Property, A Novel.
Although many facets of the HM student experience remain universal across generations, much in our world and at HM has changed over the past year. Sabrina remarks on how well students and teachers have adapted modifications and new technology, “The school and all of the faculty and staff have done such a wonderful job helping to keep students safe for in-person learning and connected to each other during remote instruction — all while nurturing a positive environment and tending to students’ well-being.”
One newer tradition that keeps the family connected to HM’s past and present is bestowing the annual Jonathan Kleier ’01 Leadership Endowment Award on Class Day. The Kleier family established the honor after the sudden passing of their brother, alumnus Jonathan Kleier ’01, in 2009. As a student, Jonathan was an avid sports competitor and team leader. The award recognizes an athlete who best exemplifies Jonathan’s nature as a passionate student, a loyal teammate, and a caring friend. “Seeing our bother’s legacy live on through the personality and actions of current student athletes is so meaningful and rewarding,” Samantha comments.
The sisters have “an immense sense of gratitude for HM and are pleased to be able to give back and assist the school in any way possible.” One piece of valuable advice the pair offer to others is to get involved in the life of the school in any way your schedule allows—from meeting other families and checking in with classmates to attending school functions with faculty, staff, administrators and volunteering or making donations. “It’s worth your time to be engaged and informed” the pair enthusiastically attest.