2016 SAIS EVENT REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! Visit www.sais.org/events
Letter from the President
Kirk Walker, Ph.D.
Graduation: A Time to Give Back
Gratitude  
By Oliver Sacks
Reviewed by Lee Hark, Associate Head of School and Upper School Director, Durham Academy, Durham, NC

When I was a kid, my uncle Bob (Darlington School class of '66) was my coolest relative. He drove an Alpha Romeo convertible; he had long, wavy hair; he rode horses; and he did all these things while living in California (Fresno, actually, but I didn't know any better; I assumed the entire state of California was sunshine and palm trees). Whenever Bob would catch a red-eye home for Christmas, we weren't to disturb him until he awoke around midday (even his jetlag seemed cool). >>Read more.
FastStats: College Graduation Trends for Independent School Students

Perhaps the primary outcome of an independent school education is to be prepared for and graduate from college. For this FastStats, I will analyze the 50-year trends for college graduation among independent school graduates. Specifically, I will use undergraduate completion, whether students are graduating in four years, the percentage of students who have transferred out of a college program, and first-year GPA as measures of preparedness for college. >>Read more.
Stephen P. Robinson Collaboration Grant Recipient Report: The Lovett School and The Westminster Schools

In the upcoming issues of SAIS HeadLines, reports from the 2015 Stephen P. Robinson Collaboration Grant recipients will be published. These reports detail the programs funded by the grant program.
 
The Lovett School (GA) and The Westminster Schools (GA) are rivals on the sports fields but collaborators when it comes to the classroom. In 2013, the two schools joined to create a summer course to encourage students at both schools to take an active role in improving the quality of life in the city of Atlanta. Atlanta 2.0 (ATL 2.0), a course taught jointly by a teacher from Lovett and a teacher from Westminster, was born, allowing students to engage with civic leaders, tour a broad spectrum of Atlanta neighborhoods, and examine an array of current literature about contemporary urban life. Students worked to identify problems in the city, research potential solutions to those problems, and ultimately propose said solutions to a panel of Atlanta's leaders in government, business, education, law, medicine, and the arts. 
 >>Read more. 
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2016 SAIS Institute for New Teachers

The SAIS Institute for New Teachers is a must-attend workshop for the teacher new to teaching or just new to the world of the independent school. In addition to the educational component, there is also an experiential one - each participant presents a videotaped lesson that is critiqued by peers and the experienced faculty. Past participants have rated this as one of their best learning and growing experiences. "I loved being in small groups and getting immediate feedback on my lessons," said Cassidy Britt, a new 9th grade English teacher at the Webb School of Knoxville in Knoxville, TN. "It was a good challenge, all about sharing and learning."

"Getting feedback from each other and seeing ourselves videotaped was extremely helpful," said Jan Michael, 8th grade history teacher at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Jackson, MS.
 
The Institutes will be held in three cities this summer:
  • July 12-14 | St. Martin's Episcopal School | Atlanta, GA
  • July 19-21 | Providence Day School | Charlotte, NC
  • July 26-28 | Brentwood Academy | Nashville, TN
>>More information. 
Call for SAIS Board of Trustee Nominations

Nominations for the SAIS Board of Trustees are now being accepted. To nominate yourself or someone else, please review this information about board service. Please submit your nomination by May 17 here.

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 22-24, 2016, in Atlanta. New trustees will begin their terms on January 1, 2017. Submit a nomination for the SAIS Board of Trustees here.
SAIS Membership Dues 2016-17
 
Just a reminder that your SAIS membership dues invoice for the 2016-17 school year will be sent electronically the week of May 9. Dues are calculated based on information your school provided via our annual spring survey. The payment deadline is August 1.  

There are three ways to pay dues: ACH transfer, credit card, or check.
 
If you are paying by check please note our new mailing address:  6050 Peachtree Pkwy, Suite 240-199, Norcross, GA 30092. 

As a member of SAIS you can take advantage of member pricing for all of our professional development offerings listed at www.sais.org/events.

Thank you for being a member of SAIS. If any of our staff can be of service to you or your school, please do not hesitate to call upon us. Our staff list can be found at www.sais.org/contact
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 
Technical Assistance Services:
Benchmarking and Bylaws

Now is the time to use NAIS DASL data to plan for next year. Do you need benchmark salary information? SAIS can help and can teach you how to use this powerful tool. 
Do your bylaws need a refresh? We have read quite a number and are happy to read yours and will provide suggestions on aligning your bylaws with your aspirations of being and remaining a strategically effective board. Contact Damian Kavanagh at SAIS, (404) 918-8850 or [email protected].
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].
 

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Graduation: A Time to Give Back
Book Review
FastStats
Collaboration Grant Report
Institute for New Teachers
SAIS Trustee Nominations
SAIS Membership Dues
Calendar of Events
WANTED: Your School's Logo
Tweets of Note
QUICK LINKS
 
SAIS Featured School
 Hammond School

The fact that Hammond is the largest independent school in the Columbia, SC area comes as no surprise. First and foremost, we take academics seriously, and our track record proves it. But that's only half of the story. Our athletic department, art department, experiential learning programs, and commitment to community service help round out the Hammond experience to develop the whole child. Field studies and overnight trips find our students exploring new environments, local and abroad, in addition to the ample opportunities that exist on our 200-acre plus campus. We believe in five imperatives that form the basis of the Hammond experience. >>Read more.
 
Would you like to be an SAIS Featured School? Contact [email protected]
    
Blogs of Note
 
Tweets of Note
 
Olympic events, Earth Day, SAIS school visits, and more!
 

Just Say Cheese: 
Your Photos Wanted!

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.

SAIS | www.sais.org | 6050 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 240-199 | Norcross | GA | 30092