In contemplating retirement or a transition to another school, many heads take timing into close consideration, hoping their exit will cause the least amount of disruption to the school.  One head shared the philosophy behind the timing of his departure.  His school operates on a five-year strategic cycle. He purposefully chose the second year in that cycle as his last.  He anticipated that a new head would assume control in the third year, which he identified as the smoothest in terms of pursuing the strategic plan and the goals outlined in the accreditation process . . . Another head reiterated the importance of timing both in the life of the school and in her own capacity to continue to lead energetically and enthusiastically . . . she also recognized that the school's next initiative to develop a 21st century curriculum and instructional model would require at least a five-year commitment.  She didn't want to take on that next step, knowing that the next head might not agree with the initiative's direction and could possibly dismantle it.  Most importantly, she knew the limits of her energy and enthusiasm; she knew she didn't want to "live bone tired" and felt that "all the tricks in her bag had been played."  Possessing a keen sense of her own timing, she chose to retire when she felt it would serve both her and the school's needs.

This is Part 1 of the five-part series on "Transitions and Succession Planning," which was a project undertaken by SAIS to capture the thoughts and insights of novice, experienced, retiring, retired, and interim heads. The focus of Part 1 is on timing, creating freedom, remaining focused on the integrity of the mission, leaders as servants, the role of the outgoing head, and effective planning to enjoy retirement. Note that the project will be released in its entirety at the 2013 SAIS Annual Conference, October 27-29.

Read the full story HERE.

"The sustainable family is a family that has created a fabric of connectivity that is strong and many layered . . . it can deal with a crisis with elasticity, without unraveling. It is flexible, not brittle, and has high tensile strength forged by spending time together."  In 2013, the awe and draw of technology are an ever-present aspect of modern life. Smart phones, tablets, laptops, the Internet, online communities, social media - these technologies have reshaped and are reshaping our world and how we live and operate in it.  Parents and educators alike are fully aware of this shift as they grapple with its impact - positive and negative - on child development. They are eager to embrace the benefits of technology, but anxious to manage its liabilities. In The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age, author and child psychologist Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair weighs in.  Read the full story HERE.

Dr. Michael Thompson has been a mainstay in many SAIS schools for years.  He has teamed up with four other eminent scholars, clinicians, writers, and facilitators to provide a remarkable opportunity to parents and educators in the southeast.  We were able to catch up with him and ask about his presentation "Eight Things Parents Cannot Do for Their Children (But Wish They Could)."  Read the full story HERE.

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2013 SAIS Benchmarking

Benchmarking Survey 

is now OPEN! 

For the second year, SAIS is teaming up with MISBO to produce a benchmarking survey.  It is incredibly valuable -- check out these tip-of-the-iceberg of facts and figures available to you.  YOU MUST PARTICIPATE TO HAVE FULL ACCESS.  Heads of School and Business Managers were emailed access to the survey last week.  

Please check your inbox or spam filters for a message from "idpsupport".  Contact Damian Kavanagh if you have questions or need assistance - [email protected] or (404) 918-8850.