Letter from the President
Kirk Walker, Ph.D.
Legislative Roundup

SAIS recently took a look at the hot education issues facing state legislators in 2016. Here is a roundup from the Southeast. 
 
>>Read more. 
The Secret Lives of Teachers 
By Anonymous
Reviewed by Lee Hark, Assistant Head of School & Upper School Director, Durham Academy, Durham, NC

One morning in the spring of 1992, Brad Gioia called me to ask if I'd be interested in applying for a teaching internship at Darlington School, my alma mater. Mere months from graduating from Chapel Hill, I had been accepted into law schools but had little interest in going (my father's dream, not mine; cue the "I don't want your life!" scene from Varsity Blues), and teaching English sounded like a fun way to while away the time as I figured out my next move. I didn't have an idea in my head that hadn't been put there by someone else, and I knew even less about the subject of English (to say nothing of teaching it), but after an interview that could only be described as desultory, Brad nevertheless saw fit to offer me the job. Given my limited role as an intern, I suspect he thought the damage I'd inflict would be minimal - a dangerous assumption with one as earnest as I.  >>Read more.
2016 Accreditation Workshops 
 
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
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
Legislative Roundup
Book Review
Reaccreditation Workshops
Athletic Directors Conference
On-Site Board Workshops
WANTED: Your School's Logo
Tweets of Note
QUICK LINKS
Blogs of Note
 
Tweets of Note
 
New Year's resolutions, more recess time and two Tampa coaches win big. 
 

Just Say Cheese: 
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