The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

New family engages at Lab

The 2021–2022 school year is a big moment in the academic careers of first-grade twins Mika and Alex Kleinmuntz: For the first time, they will not be in the same classroom. However, their parents, Catherine Kleinmuntz, AB’79, AM’81, PhD’84, MBA’89, and Don Kleinmuntz, AB’78, MBA’80, PhD’82, are feeling enthusiastic about the transition.

“At first, the twins were concerned about being separated,” Catherine says. “But their kindergarten teachers, Christina Hayward, Janice Cincotta, and Kimberly Redman, handled the situation beautifully. That support helped Mika and Alex move forward with resilience.”

This is just one example of the care their children have experienced at Lab.

“Lab provides our children an experience that excites their curiosity and drives their desire to explore and create,” says Catherine who has served Lab in several volunteer roles related to the Parents Fund and Dewey Dance.

“What I really love is that Lab has strong academics as well as a great culture. The student body is diverse in every way—so that when Lab teaches diversity, equality, and inclusion, the children live it. Sending our kids to Lab is an incredible gift that will benefit them in so many ways.

“Making sure that students come from different walks of life is vital to making Lab a special place. We are so happy to be able to help sustain that mission at Lab.”

To that end, Catherine and Don made a three-year commitment to support financial aid at Lab.

“Most of my career I’ve been involved with either public or private universities,” Don says. “I’m aware of the life-changing potential of a top-notch education, and I want to help make it as widely available as possible to all students.”

Catherine credits two “warm and welcoming” classroom parents, Neda Laiteerapong and Sonia Bobra, with sparking her interest in volunteering at Lab, which led her to join the Parents Fund Committee and the Parent Development Committee. “Connecting with Lab parents is part of the fun. And it helped me to expand the group of Lab parents that I could interact with.

“We love the people at Lab, and we feel so lucky to be a part of this amazing experience.”