Letter from the President
Steve Robinson, Ph.D.
The 2014-15 school year is almost behind us. As we move into May, I know how busy your campus becomes with impending final exams, graduation events, and the energy that culminates at the end of the year. With all the rush, make sure to take time and honor those preparing our children for the future, your teachers.
National Teachers Day is May 5, and in this issue we highlight the journey and manifesto of one teacher, Jose Luis Vilson, and his commitment to his profession. The author addresses the "broader conversation about race, equity, and the future of public schooling [and describes the] joys and burdens of teaching." I have often said that teaching is the noblest profession of all. The remarkable sacrifices teachers make are to be honored and revered in our society.
SAIS would also love to partner with you in training your new teachers this summer. Join us at one of our Institute for New Teachers held in Atlanta, GA, Charlotte, NC, and Memphis, TN. Other events on the horizon are the Institute for Heads, the Institute for New Heads, and our first Institute for the Head's Assistant, which has proven very popular and will provide meaningful training and support to this crucial team member in our schools.
Sincerely,
Dr. Steve Robinson
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SAIS Welcomes New Member Schools in 2015
SAIS is thrilled to welcome 14 new members to our independent school network in 2015! Please take a moment to become familiar with these new member schools and connect with them at future events. >>Read more.
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The Independent School Teacher
by Dr. Jeffrey Mitchell
Head of School, Currey Ingram Academy, Brentwood, TN
This FastStats focuses on four market measures for teachers working in independent schools. The trends for salary, benefits, professional development, and teaching load are assessed over a period of 20 years. Moreover, the measures are analyzed after being adjusted for inflation (where applicable). >>Read more. |
This is Not a Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education
by Jose Luis Vilson
Ernest Hemingway said, "There's nothing to writing, you just sit at a typewriter and bleed." Benjamin Franklin advised the wise soul to, "Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." Jose Luis Vilson seems to capture a piece of each of these in his latest book, This is Not a Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education, a memoir and autobiography of his life. Vilson is a well-known education blogger, speaker, and math teacher in New York City. His book tells the story of his life growing up poor in the inner city, pursing an education, and eventually becoming a teacher. He is passionate about teachers finding their voice in talks about education reform.
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SAIS Board of Trustees: Call for Nominations
The board is responsible for the supervision, control, and direction of the association. According to the bylaws, trustees must be heads of SAIS member schools. The board seeks to represent geographic diversity as well as diversity of school mission and a variety of other factors. Review the current board of trustees here. The SAIS Committee on Trustees will process the nominations and review the nominees. The slate will be presented for approval by the membership at the SAIS annual business meeting, which takes place at the SAIS Annual Conference, October 17-19 in Atlanta. New trustees will begin their terms on January 1, 2016. Submit a nomination for the SAIS Board of Trustees here.
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2015 SAIS Annual Conference Breakout Session Proposals
Breakout session proposals for the 2015 SAIS Annual Conference are being accepted through May 15. The conference will take place October 17-19 at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Atlanta.
>>Event Details. >>Submit proposals here.
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Retiring in 2015?
If you are a head of school who will be retiring at the end of the 2014-15 school year, please let us know so we can induct you into the SAIS Legacy Club, a group of retired heads of school who gather twice a year. Please complete our Legacy Club bio form.
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Virtual Tribute to SAIS President Steve Robinson
Help us send SAIS President Steve Robinson off to Honduras with great memories of his tenure at SAIS! Leave him a note on a special bon voyage blog. The blog will remain open through June 30. >>Visit the blog and leave your message.
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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 . Also, plan ahead for 2016 at www.sais.org/2016.
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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.
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SAIS's Booklet Collaboration is Available Online
This booklet highlights some of the many collaborations taking place in and among SAIS schools. Strategic collaborations will be a game changer for schools in the coming years. Understanding what your school has to offer, and seeking like-minded organizations, schools, or businesses as partners, can help your school expand its reach and impact. What existing and new collaborations might benefit your school and your community? >>Read more.
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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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Blogs of Note
Fort Bend Christian Academy, in Houston, TX, shares an article from a former student with advice on how to help and support students suffering from eating disorders.
The Price of Cheating
Donna Siebenthaler, AP History Teacher at UMS-Wright Preparatory School in Mobile, AL, discusses the high price of cheating and how teachers can deal with it in the classroom.
Glyn Cowlishaw, Head of Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC, encourages students and parents to take a realistic and healthy approach to the college admissions process.
Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville, SC, shares the creative way its eighth grade students studied the American Civil Rights Movement.
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Tweets of Note
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Earth Day, SAIS Heads Leadership Retreat, & Creative Schools
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Catch up on education topics in the news! Here are some articles that have been circulating in the independent school world.
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Administrative Leadership Institute
Emory Conference Center & Hotel | Atlanta, GA
June 17-19, 2015
Register
Event Details
Earlybird registration deadline is May 25.
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Please send us your school's logo for use in our online member directory. Email [email protected].
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