 Letter from the President Kirk Walker, Ph.D.
In this issue we recognize and congratulate the recipients of this year's Stephen P. Robinson Collaboration Grants. As was the case last year, the review committee faced a difficult challenge selecting from a host of impressive applications.
When the SAIS Board of Trustees created the grants two years ago, they wanted to emphasize the important role that collaboration needs to play in independent schools. It is widely understood that the ability to collaborate is an essential skill that today's students need to possess. And effective collaborations can also involve many other critical skills: communication, creative thinking, flexibility, teamwork, etc.
Progress is being made. Schools are finding ways to provide more opportunities for student collaboration in their classrooms and are developing strategies for evaluating student progress in this area.
Ironically, while schools may feel that the skill is vitally important for their students, those same institutions find it is often a challenge to develop their own abilities to collaborate with other institutions ... particularly other schools that may be primarily perceived as competitors. Independent schools, by their nature, are "independent" with their own unique missions and visions. They often prefer to "go it alone;" and though they may encourage students to "play well with others," their own efforts resemble "parallel play" at best. Like countries and political parties, schools may have difficulty working together. But in a world of limited resources and marketing challenges, collaborations may be the most cost-efficient ways to introduce new programs or to expand existing ones. Working with another school or with a local agency can potentially reap exponentially greater benefits than what a single school can achieve on its own.
At times, it makes sense for independent schools to be interdependent as well.
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 Congratulations to the 2016 Stephen P. Robinson Collaboration Grant Recipients
SAIS is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2016 Stephen P. Robinson Collaboration Grants:
Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, LA, will collaborate with public schools and other community organizations to hold a college fair, bringing colleges to students who may have difficulty traveling to college campuses. A small fair was held in March 2015, and the school plans to expand the fair to include more students, families, schools, and colleges.
Second Baptist School, Houston, TX, will collaborate with Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, Atlanta, GA, to produce a prototype of a sanitation device to be used outside of shelters or organizations that serve populations in need. The purpose is to quickly and easily sanitize hands of citizens who cannot receive necessary hygienic procedures from staying in the shelter. This project presents a challenging problem for students across grade levels to work to create a viable solution in collaboration with one another.
The Dunham School, Baton Rouge, LA, will partner with Louisiana State University (LSU) to complete learning games using Breakout EDU boxes. In this project, LSU preservice teachers will learn effective strategies for teaching critical thinking and implementing technology into a middle school setting. Both LSU preservice teachers and The Dunham School students will be active participants in critical thinking activities that require problem solving and promote teamwork.
The Galloway School, Atlanta, GA, is hosting the BOLD Summit in July 2016. It is a four-day professional development opportunity for educators of color who are looking to further their careers and are actively seeking out leadership opportunities. Through large and small group instructional sessions, lecture, and individual instruction, participants will explore who they are as leaders, leadership styles, areas of personal growth, and how to best present themselves. Through deep dialogue, and evidence-based best practices, educators will leave the BOLD Summit with better understandings of themselves and leadership as an educator of color in independent school settings.
Canterbury School, Greensboro, NC, will hold the Canterbury Summer Science Academy (CSSA), which provides a unique opportunity free of charge to disadvantaged and underrepresented Guilford County public high school students who show a passion for and academic potential in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math subjects and careers. It is a collaborative effort between Canterbury School and NCA&T/UNCG's Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN). Students work closely with both the Canterbury School lead science teacher and the professors and graduate students of the JSNN, participating in hands-on inquiry-based science, conducting authentic research, and communicating their results in a community forum at the end of their weeklong experience.
At the SAIS Annual Conference in Atlanta in October 2016, the recipients will share reports of their collaboration projects during a breakout session. All recipients also will deliver a paper outlining the results of their projects, to be published by SAIS. Grant applications for 2017 will open in October and will be due by December 31, 2016. Recipients of grants will be notified during the first week of February 2017. >>Read more.
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 Gone Baby Gone: When School Videos Go Viral By Christina Mimms, SAIS
The month of January is famous for the New Year's resolutions, NFL playoffs, snowfall, and, for better or worse, school delays and closings. With that comes an almost absurd dependence on weather predictions, stress, and hassles for parents who have to reshuffle their schedules often on short notice. It's a good opportunity to try to relieve some anxiety and make people smile, perhaps in the form of a video. >>Read more.
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Several years ago when Noble Academy hosted a conference led by consultant/author Grant Lichtman at its Greensboro, NC, campus, a group of their teachers started brainstorming about new programs. "They wanted to do something different and out-of-the-box," said Jennifer Aceves, head of the high school. The product of their plans became known as "Flexuary," i.e., "flexible January," a program to allow students to suspend their usual coursework and take unique courses over a three-week period. These interterms, as they are known at many schools, immerse students in new classes, provide them with travel opportunities, and otherwise shake up the regular school schedule for new adventures. >>Read more.
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 The Gift of Failure By Jessica Lahey
Reviewed by Sarah Barton Thomas, Middle School Director, The Montgomery Academy, Montgomery, AL
In her new book, The Gift of Failure, middle school educator, author, and parent, Jessica Lahey weaves her tale of learning the value of failure. Her first paragraph lays out the clear, if alarming, thesis of the book: "Today's overprotective, failure-avoidant parenting style has undermined the competence, independence, and academic potential of an entire generation." She then goes on to share her own story of being an overprotective, failure-avoidant, parent and teacher and how she grew into one who models and embraces failure and struggle for her children and students. Along the way, she shares her research base, including Edward Deci's Self Determination Theory (a favorite of mine) and provides practical applications, such as how she was transparent with her kids about making the change to be less "do for" and more of a guide for "do it yourself." >>Read more.
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2016 SAIS Heads Leadership Retreat
Leading starts from within - in the way you think. If everyone is different, how can you lead and communicate only one way? The 2016 SAIS Heads Leadership Retreat will explore individual and group dynamics of leadership with a look inside the inner workings of the brain. Using whole brain thinking and an interactive self-assessment tool, Vips Kapadia of thinqshift will lead you and your team through a series of activities that will challenge your assumptions about your own leadership and the leadership of those around you. This year we are excited to welcome heads, assistant/associate heads, and division heads to participate as a team in this unique leadership opportunity. Please invite your colleagues to join you in Asheville!
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SAIS Lunch and Learn Webinars
Join SAIS over your lunch break for a virtual seminar. You provide the lunch and we'll provide the webinar. Registration is free.
SAIS Lunch and Learn: Heads, Boards and Strategic Thinking
Friday, February 19, 2016: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, EST
Is your board strategically effective? How do you know? This is a presentation of ground breaking new research on organizational effectiveness of boards of trustees in independent schools.
SAIS Lunch and Learn: The CWRA and You
Friday, March 18, 2016: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, EST
Are you using data and information to improve teaching and learning? This is a look at one data source, the CWRA, and how three schools are using the results to help departments, teachers, and ultimately students improve critical thinking, reading, and writing.
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2016 Accreditation Workshops
SAIS accreditation workshops are designed for the school's team responsible for administering the process onsite. This could include the accreditation coordinator, steering committee, and other administrative personnel. The workshop includes a review of the Guidebook and logistics of the process, and offers participants the opportunity to ask questions in an informal setting. The workshop fee is $75 per person.
**If you would prefer to have the workshop on campus at your school, relax and we will come to you! This is a great option if you want to focus on the specifics of your school's process and have your entire team hear the same thing at the same time. The workshop fee is a flat rate of $500. Click here to schedule an on-site Accreditation Workshop.
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SAIS offers a variety of affordable, accessible, and relevant professional development programs for independent school leaders.
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February 24-26 | San Francisco, CA
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April 18-19 | Hyatt Place | Asheville, NC
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June 13-15 | Emory Conference Center | Atlanta, GA
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June 14-15 | Emory Conference Center | Atlanta, GA
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June 15-17 | Emory Conference Center | Atlanta, GA
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June 15-17 | Emory Conference Center | Atlanta, GA
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June 15-17 | Emory Conference Center | Atlanta, GA
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June 21-24 | Omni Amelia Island Plantation | Amelia Island, FL
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July & August | Charlotte, NC | Nashville, TN | Atlanta, GA
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October 22 | Crowne Plaza Ravinia | Atlanta, GA
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October 22-24 | Crowne Plaza Ravinia | Atlanta, GA
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Salisbury Academy
Salisbury Academy is an independent, co-educational school serving students in junior kindergarten through 8th grade in Salisbury, NC. Our experiential learning environment attracts students from diverse backgrounds and nurtures curiosity, community, and character while teaching children to love the learning process. >>Read more.
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Peggy Hendrix, director of admission at the Schenck School, Atlanta, writes about the social and emotional qualities of dyslexic students.
Blogger Zach Brown writes about daring to be different.
Experts weigh in on the role of schools in parent engagement.
A list of helpful blogs for educators.
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Visits to SAIS schools, a perfect score on the Latin AP exam, and the 100th Day of School.
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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 christina@sais.org.
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Retiring in 2016?
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.
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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.
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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
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