 Letter from the President Kirk Walker, Ph.D.
A quick review of the various listservs sponsored by SAIS provides an interesting snapshot of the concerns of day-to-day operations. One contributor asks about the appropriate grade for school-sponsored dances. Another wonders about cellphone policies; another about athletic cut policies. Ideas are traded about whether or not to have bells between classes, about whether to initiate a school uniform, and about graduation ceremonies.
I was initially struck by the similarities from school to school and by how positive this exchange of ideas can be. I was also impressed by the attention paid to each phase of operations. I was reminded that decisions made and actions taken in schools have meaning and consequences. Each of them has the power either to support the school's mission or to represent a deviation from it. In the course of a school day, week, or year, everything potentially matters. The schedule makes a statement ... as does the dress code, the traditions, the ceremonies, the curricula, the choice of extracurricular offerings, grading practices, etc.
Conversations about strategic thinking usually revolve around discussions about the future: what will need to be done in five to ten years and what will be needed to accomplish it? But the truth is that educators (whether they are in the classroom or in the conference room) are making decisions every day which carry strategic significance. Today's decisions impact today's students, and those students represent a more powerful future for the school than the generations that have yet to be admitted.
In mission-driven schools, there is no decision (however trivial it may appear) that is not an opportunity to reflect that mission. Freedom to be intentional is both the strength and the daily challenge of independent schools. I applaud your attention to detail.
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 Keeping Up With Bells, Schedules, and Uniforms: A Day in the Life of a School
By Christina Mimms, SAIS
The daily aspects of school life, such as bells, schedules, and uniforms, don't wow people like a shiny new STEM building or a talented artist in residence. They do, however, impact every student every day, and thus impact the actual learning taking place on campus. Many schools have dramatically changed their bell system, their daily academic schedule, and their uniform policies to improve how students and faculty function each day to align better with their goals for learning, as well as with their overall missions. >>Read more.
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 You Have a Brain: A Teen's Guide to T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G. By Dr. Ben Carson
Reviewed by Josh Lutkus, Dean of Students for grades 5-12 at Gaston Day School in Gastonia, NC
I am not a big follower of politics, but I would have had to be living under a rock to have not heard of Ben Carson. This instantly became a case of judging a book by its cover or better yet, judging a book by its author. It reminded me of all the times my upper school students relayed their disdain for reading Shakespeare or Hemingway, again. I, like they, and probably all of us at some point, was making a judgment without even opening the cover of You Have A Brain: A Teen's Guide to T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G. >>Read more.
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 By Christina Mimms, SAIS
Parents of infants and preschoolers typically receive a daily or weekly report from their childcare centers. They know exactly what their children did all day, what they ate, and when they slept. They also have a daily chitchat with the teacher when they drop off and pick up their children. When the children reach Pre-K or Kindergarten, the game changes - there is curbside drop-off and pick-up, and parents don't enter the classroom nearly as often. Children, especially as they near middle school, become less enthusiastic reporters about their own activities. So what is a parent to do to find out about their children's day? Many schools have found social media to be the answer to informing and engaging parents and others about the goings-on during the school day. >>Read more.
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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. >>Register here.
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.
What Are All These Tests?
Thursday, April 21, 2016: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, EST
There are so many tests available - and your school probably gives most or all of them. Join former NAIS head of school and assessment expert Jonathan E. Martin for this fast-paced webinar. We'll tour more than half a dozen of the most interesting, popular, and exciting innovative and alternative assessments of student learning and perceptions of learning.
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 2016 Institute for the Head's Assistant
Featuring Michael Thompson, Rob Evans, and other panelists, this second annual event will focus on the role of supporting the head of school and division heads, as well as the challenges and innovations of this position. Attendees will learn more about the psychology of the relationship between the head and the assistant, and enjoy role-playing and collaboration with peers. "I remember feeling very empowered," said 2015 attendee Lisa Edenfield, executive assistant to the head at Cape Henry Collegiate School in Virginia Beach, VA. "I had the tools and ideas that I knew would help me be successful. I'm definitely coming again this year."
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2016 SAIS Heads Leadership Retreat
Attendees at the 2016 SAIS Heads Leadership Retreat should prepare for a time of collaboration, growth, and getting "Vip'd." Vipul Kapadia (aka Vips) of thinqshift will serve as facilitator at this year's retreat, April 18-19 in Asheville, NC. He is well acquainted with the challenges that school leaders face, and as a leadership coach, advisor, and consultant, he helps executive leaders to work through problems, change behavior patterns, and function with more purpose. Watch a short video about Vips' work with schools here.
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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.
- Monday, March 7, 2016 - Mason Preparatory School | Charleston, SC | 10:00 AM-1:00 PM EST
- Thursday, March 10, 2016 - Notre Dame Academy - Upper School Commons Room | Duluth, GA | 10:00 AM-1:00 PM EST
- Monday, March 14, 2016 - St. Paul's Christian Academy | Nashville, TN | 9:00 AM -12:00 PM CST
- Thursday, April 7, 2016 - Greensboro Day School | Greensboro, NC | 1:00 PM-4:00 PM EST
**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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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 | 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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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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WANTED:
Your School's Logo
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Benchmarking Data
Now is the time to use NAIS DASL data to plan for next year. Do you need benchmark salary information? SAIS can help teach you how to use this powerful tool. Contact Damian Kavanagh at SAIS, (404) 918-8850 or damian@sais.org.
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Hilton Head Preparatory School
Hilton Head Preparatory School is a co-educational college preparatory independent school with approximately 400 students in grades junior kindergarten through 12. >>Read more.
Would you like to be an SAIS Featured School? Contact christina@sais.org.
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Michael Ehrhardt, head of Cary Academy in Cary, NC, encourages continual momentum.
English teacher Leah Slawson at Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery, AL, ponders the power of editing.
Eric Sheninger, a senior fellow with the International Center for Leadership in Education, shares wisdom from mom and dad.
Education blogger Jennifer Hogan offers advice for school administrators.
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NAIS, STEM activities, Barbara Bush at her alma mater, Black History Month and more!
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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 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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