Letter from the President
Steve Robinson, Ph.D. 

 

It's hard to believe that spring is right around the corner. The winter of 2015 broke numerous records for snowfall accumulation and low temperatures, a headache for many communities. I enjoyed seeing many of you at winter storm ground zero, otherwise known as Boston, this past week at the NAIS Annual Conference. The future of education continues to be an overarching topic pushing us to re-imagine classrooms, labs, assessments, curricula, and how we work and lead.

 

In this issue, we highlight exceptional global programs by a number of schools. Today, global education is widely accepted as a must for modern schools. Some aspects of how schools structure their programs are similar, while others aspects vary based on a school's mission, budget, or student body. The Global Education Benchmark Group is an incredible resource for schools wanting to develop their global education programs. Moreover, SAIS has partnered with GEBG to allow schools to earn its endorsement during their accreditation visit. This process can align your program with national standards, while providing a differentiator useful in marketing your school. 

 

At SAIS, we are looking forward to the Heads Leadership Retreat in Nashville on April 18-19, and we are also busy planning summer events. SAIS offers professional development for every level of leadership, so whether you are new or experienced, please consider what programs would benefit you and your team members. A full listing is available at www.sais.org/events.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Steve Robinson
Empowering Head Leadership
2015 SAIS Heads Leadership Retreat

 

The 2015 SAIS Heads Leadership Retreat will take place at the Union Station Hotel on April 19-20 in Nashville, TN. This annual event offers heads a chance to reflect on improving their leadership style and culture while networking with colleagues from around the region. This retreat is designed primarily for heads of school, but the audience for this year has been widened. Each head attending may bring one additional person - an assistant/associate head or a division head.  >>Read more.   >>Register.   >>Event details. 

Building a Global School 


Global programs have become a staple at many independent schools; however, what those programs look like and include varies and is evolving. The resources available for connecting students to the world have exploded due to both technology and the efforts of educators to collaborate on standards for global programs. Moreover, more schools have sought to integrate global competencies throughout a student's career; setting foundations in the early years, and building toward greater service-learning and exchange trips. >>Read more

Registration Now Open! 
2015 SAIS Institute for Heads 

 

The 2015 SAIS Institute for Heads will take place at Airlie on June 24-26 in Warrenton, VA, less than an hour from Dulles airport. This unique program combines two experienced independent school consultants, Michael Thompson and Rob Evans. Designed specifically for independent school heads and spouses, this institute offers an opportunity for thoughtful dialogue and engagement with colleagues on key issues facing school heads. Many participants attend year after year to enjoy the combination of learning and laughter, plus time for reflection, relaxation, and recreation - a perfect way to refresh for the year ahead.  >>Register.  >>Event details. 

Serve to Be Great: Leadership Lessons from a Prison, a Monastery, and a Boardroom  
by Matt Tenney
Reviewed by Lee Hark, Upper School Director, Durham Academy, Durham, NC 

I have a confession to make: I don't like business leadership books. All the nodding sententiously about "getting the right people on the bus." The anecdotes. The dull platitudes. The inevitable unveiling of a new leadership model. It all leaves me cold. Matt Tenney loves business leadership books. In Serve to Be Great: Leadership Lessons from a Prison, a Monastery, and a Boardroom, he doesn't resist that worn-out template so much as celebrate it. Instead, this book is about a reorientation toward service leadership, which, while not especially radical advice for educational leaders, is certainly an important principal to remember. Ultimately, Serve to Be Great contains some wisdom, but it takes some serious mining to uncover it. >>Read more. 
SAIS Partners with GEBG on Global Endorsement 
 
Independent schools have a new resource to assess and improve their global education programs. The Global Education Benchmark Group has created an endorsement for schools whose global education programs meet its criteria. Moreover, SAIS has partnered with GEBG, giving schools the option of completing their endorsement in conjunction with their accreditation. The first school to gain the endorsement was Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC.  >>Read more.   >>More information about GEBG.  
The word Events in cut out magazine letters pinned to a cork notice board. Events may refer to news
2015 Calendar of Events
SAIS offers a variety of affordable, accessible, and relevant professional development programs for independent school leaders.

See the full calendar of events at www.sais.org/events.

Benchmarking Data Collection

Benchmark reports and statistical tables with 2014-15 data are now available from NAIS DASL. Additionally, NAIS members can update dashboard charts to include new data. Didn't get your data in? No problem. You can use the "Update Past Survey" tool to enter data you missed and/or to correct data incorrectly entered. Once you enter the data, you can run reports in those data categories. Also, check out a webinar on how to use the data reporting tools in DASL, which continue to grow and develop based on user input.
Please visit http://dasl.nais.org.
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Just Say Cheese: Your Photos Wanted!
Got any great photos of your campus, students, or a special occasion at your school?  Would you be willing to let SAIS use them on our website, in marketing materials, and in publications such as this?  If so, please send high-resolution files to [email protected].
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Heads Leadership Retreat
Building A Global School
Insitute for Heads
Book Review
GEBG Global Endorsement
2015 Calendar of Events
Research Corner
QUICK LINKS
Blogs of Note

Derrick Willard, Assistant Head for Academic Affairs at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC, reflects on the recent NAIS conference and the important role of leadership in the future of schools.


Connecting Through Content

Kelly LaBoe, Director of Enrollment Management Services at Ian Symmonds & Associates in Portland, OR, discusses the power of content marketing in the independent school market.

 

Brett Jacobsen, Head of Mount Vernon Presbyterian School in Atlanta, GA, shares a podcast from Rory Vaden, author of Procrastinate on Purpose: 5 Permissions to Multiply Your Time.

Eduardo Xavier Garcia, Director of Communications & Marketing at Colegio Americano in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, shares how a recent visit from a prominent biologist inspired fourth graders.

 


Tweets of Note

Research Corner: Articles We've Been Reading

Staying informed
of the latest research in education is critical for today's leader. Innovations in science constantly change what researchers can measure and study. Here are some articles we've been reading lately; we'd love your submissions as well!  >>Read more. 
SAIS Survey Center
Visit www.sais.org/surveys to see the stakeholder surveys available to your school community. SAIS has created a series of highly reliable and valid stakeholder surveys for use either in conjunction with a strategic visioning process or just to take the pulse of your community. Be sure to check out the video, sample questions, timelines, and sample reports.