Letter from the President
Kirk Walker, Ph.D.

When I was young (I was once ... really), there was a toy store in town that had a big sign announcing how many shopping days until Christmas. In those days, many businesses were closed on Sundays ("blue laws"), so it required some calculation on my part to determine how many days were truly left until Christmas. In any case, I remember the sense of anticipation, the feeling that every day that passed brought me closer to that event. My energies were focused on the future, not on the present. 
 
The big day would arrive and quickly pass; and within a week, the sign at the toy store would start the countdown all over again. School calendars are a lot like that. We anticipate the beginning of school. We then mark the days until the first play or game or holiday, until the second semester, until the next play or game or holiday, until summer ...  And without thinking much about it, the days, months, and years pass quickly. By the time we reach one event, we are already looking toward the next. The "countdown" keeps resetting.
 
This time of year, the calendar is crammed with both professional and personal activities ... a long list that we are "checking twice." It is so easy to focus on getting to the end of that list and on meeting all of our upcoming responsibilities that we forget to appreciate the joy and excitement surrounding us.   
 
So in a mindful spirit, let's pause, take a deep breath ... or two ... or three if needed. Let's enjoy the gift of the present and celebrate the blessings of our calling.
 
Peace be with you in this special season.
All I Want for Christmas is ... A College Rec Letter
By Christina Mimms, SAIS
For many teachers, the holiday season will be filled with the usual activities of grading exams, enjoying staff parties, and one extra endeavor -  college applications. 'Tis the season for writing the time-consuming recommendation letters, but there are many ways to manage the process to avoid overwhelming teachers who are already juggling busy schedules at a naturally hectic time of year. >>Read more. 
Congratulations, Lori!
SAIS Executive Vice President Lori K. Spear was honored by the Georgia Society of Association Executives with the Clifford M. Clarke Award on Dec. 9. This is GSAE's highest recognition, bestowed upon a Georgia association executive who has demonstrated exemplary personal leadership, service, and outstanding accomplishments in association management. 
  
She has been recognized in the past with the Sharon Hunt Emerging Leader and Alan R. Johnson Awards, Affiniscape's Most Valuable Partner Award, and two design awards from ASAE. She was named one of GSAE's 90 Movers & Shakers in 2007, served on the board of directors and then as president of the association in 2009, and served on multiple committees. "She is a mentor to so many in the industry," wrote an association member. "She leads by example and seems to live with a philosophy of 'let's find a way.'" 
Holiday Reading Roundup 

Got some down time over the holiday break? Curl up with a good book - here are five suggested readings. >>Read more. 
FastStats: Annual Funds

The annual fund is a cornerstone of most, if not all, independent school giving programs. For most schools, the annual fund bridges the gap between hard income (tuition, fees, and endowment draw) and operating expenses. For some schools, the annual fund is not needed to bridge the gap and is used more productively, e.g., capital projects, endowment, financial aid. Offering about 5% of total income for most schools, the annual fund is a very welcome contributor, regardless of function. >>Read more. 
 
2016 SAIS Athletic Directors Conference
 
SAIS is hosting an Athletic Directors Conference, January 14-15, 2016, in Atlanta. Topics will include strategic leadership, marketing and social media, legal issues, and operational excellence in the athletic offerings at the school. >>More information.  >>Register here.   
The word Events in cut out magazine letters pinned to a cork notice board. Events may refer to news
2016 Calendar of Events
SAIS offers a variety of affordable, accessible, and relevant professional development programs for independent school leaders. 
See the full SAIS calendar of events at www.sais.org/events.
See events hosted by others at www.sais.org/otherevents.  
The Stephen P. Robinson Collaboration Grants 
 
The Stephen P. Robinson Collaboration Grants were created to encourage independent schools to form new partnerships with other schools, institutions of higher education, businesses, and/or nonprofits. SAIS will annually divide a total of $25,000 among two to five member schools. Those applying must demonstrate a vision and capacity to pursue and carry out meaningful collaborations. Successful examples have demonstrated efforts that benefit the greater community or region in unique ways. SAIS will accept proposals for the 2016 Collaboration Grants until December 31, 2015. >>Read more. 
On-Site Board Workshops
 
SAIS President Dr. Kirk Walker and Vice President Damian Kavanagh are available to visit your campus and conduct on-site governance workshops.
  • Trusteeship for Independent Schools
  • New Trustee Orientation
  • Becoming an Outstanding Board
  • The Changing Landscape of Independent School Governance 
WANTED:
Your School's Logo 
 
Does your school's logo appear in the SAIS Online Member Directory?  If not, please send your school's logo to [email protected].
Retiring in 2016?A blue nametag sticker with the words Hello I Am Retired to illustrate that you are done with your career and are living off a pension or 401k or other retirement savings
 
If you are a head of school who will be retiring at the end of the 2015-16 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.
Benchmarking Data Collection
 
It's time to enter your data into DASL by NAIS. We are not collecting this important statistical information and encourage all schools, regardless of NAIS membership to enter data. When you need a benchmark on salary or student ratios or operational expenditures, you will need it. Don't delay - data entry has already started. Visit http://dasl.nais.org for more information and to get started. 
 
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
All I Want for Christmas is...
Congratulations, Lori!
Holiday Reading Roundup
FastStats
Athletic Directors Conference
Stephen P. Robinson Collaboration Grants
On-Site Board Workshops
WANTED: Your School's Logo
Tweets of Note
QUICK LINKS
Blogs of Note
 
Justin Cahill, PE teacher at Trinity School in Atlanta, finds new ways to inspire kids and keep kids in motion.  

Mike Zavada, middle and upper school principal at Trinity Presbyterian in Montgomery, AL, offers survival tips for the season.

NAIS and Independent School magazine share some recent research on this subject. 

Should science notebooks and lab reports be graded for grammar and spelling? The National Science Teachers Association weighs in. 

>>Read more blogs here.
Tweets of Note
 
The Hour of Code, highlights from NAIS PoCC, and holiday service projects and celebrations. 
 

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].