Taking the Sting Out of Re-enrollment 
By Christina Mimms, SAIS
 
In the spring semester, while many at schools focus on current activities, the admission office busily works on the upcoming new school year. Not only are they reviewing applications and evaluating prospective families, they also are completing re-enrollment of current families. In recent years, some schools have modified this arduous task, streamlining their re-enrollment process for greater efficiency all-around.    >>Read more.  
The End of Average 
By Todd Rose
Reviewed by Tiffany Bridgewater,  head of lower school at Louisville Collegiate School, Louisville, KY
 
Todd Rose's The End of Average: How We Succeed in a World that Values Sameness examines the invention of the average and how we, as a society, got to a place where all of our institutions placed such high value in the idea of the average person. Rose's study of what it means to be average is a personal one that began for him as a child who experienced a number of struggles in school. Rose utilizes his journey from high school dropout to co-founder of the Center for Individual Opportunity at Harvard University. He highlights how typing and ranking allowed the people in his life to make judgements about him within the context of averages instead of looking at him as an individual. More importantly, Rose uses his struggles to create a framework to help leaders in business and education recognize and honor the principles of individuality.  >>Read more.
SAIS Needs You!
By Christina Mimms, SAIS
 
The people behind an accreditation review perform highly valuable work for SAIS member schools. While the visiting team might make everyone on campus a little bit nervous, they also can commend a school for its many accomplishments, provide valuable insight and advice, and help a school to get on a path for future growth. People visiting from outside the school community offer a fresh perspective that schools undergoing accreditation truly enjoy and appreciate. The team members also gain ideas and typically enjoy the experience so much that they are eager to serve again. So how do you join an accreditation team?  >>Read more.    
SAIS Announces Annual Conference Keynote Speakers

SAIS is pleased to announce that Alan November and Dr. Johnetta B. Cole will serve as the keynote speakers at the 2017 SAIS Annual Conference, October 22-24, in Atlanta. 

Alan November is an international leader in education technology. He began his career as an oceanography teacher and dorm counselor at an island reform school for boys in Boston Harbor. He has been director of an alternative high school, computer coordinator, technology consultant, and university lecturer. He has helped schools, governments, and industry leaders improve the quality of education through technology. His areas of expertise include planning across curriculum, staff development, new school design, community building, and leadership development.  His writing includes numerous articles and best-selling books. Alan's most recent book Who Owns the Learning? is on the New York Times education best sellers list for 2013. Alan was co-founder of the Stanford Institute for Educational Leadership Through Technology and was selected as one of the original five national Christa McAuliffe Educators.
 
Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole  has had a long and distinguished career as an educator and humanitarian. Through her work as a college president, university professor, and through her published works, speeches, community service and consultations with corporations and not-for-profit organizations, she consistently addresses racial, gender, and all other forms of inequality.  She was the first African American woman to serve as president of Spelman College. Then, during her presidency at Bennett College for Women, an art gallery was opened and programs were initiated in women's studies and global studies. She is also professor emerita of Emory University, from which she retired as presidential distinguished professor of anthropology, women's studies and African American studies.  Dr. Cole has been awarded 63 honorary degrees and she is the recipient of numerous awards.
Stephen P. Robinson Collaboration Grant Report: Galloway School 
   
In the upcoming issues of SAIS HeadLines, reports from the 2016 Stephen P. Robinson SAIS Collaboration Grant recipients will be published. These reports detail the programs funded by the grants.
 
By Suzanna Jemsby, Head of School
Of the approximately 1,700 independent schools in the United States, currently fewer than 4% are led by an educator of color; only 1.3% are led by women of color. Despite that, around 20% of students in independent schools identify as being of color. Many of the leadership positions in independent schools stand to turn over in the next decade, and the BOLD summit was created to ready educators of color to assume those positions. >>Read more. 
SAIS Wants YOUR Session Proposal by March 31

Proposals are currently being accepted for  breakout sessions for the  2017 SAIS Annual Conference   October 22-24 in Atlanta.  The deadline is March 31. Please submit your proposal  using  this form . 

SAIS @ NAIS 

March 2-3 | Hilton Baltimore | Baltimore, MD
Stop by and say hi at booth #1108!  Also, please join us at the SAIS reception Thursday, March 2, from 6-8 PM at the Hilton Baltimore.   >>RSVP here.
The word Events in cut out magazine letters pinned to a cork notice board. Events may refer to news
2017 Calendar of Events

SAIS offers a variety of affordable, accessible, and relevant professional development programs for independent school leaders.


SAIS @ NAIS  RSVP for the SAIS reception now!
March 2-3 | Baltimore, MD
Heads Leadership Retreat  Registration open! 
April 3-4 | Andaz Savannah | Savannah, GA
Institute for Strategic Leadership  Registration open! 
June 19-21 | Emory Conference Center | Atlanta, GA
June 19-21 | Emory Conference Center | Atlanta, GA
Institute for the Head's Assistant  Registration open! 
June 20-21 | Emory Conference Center | Atlanta, GA
Administrative Leadership Institute  Registration open! 
June 21-23 | Emory Conference Center | Atlanta, GA
Institute for New Heads  Registration open! 
June 21-23 | Emory Conference Center | Atlanta, GA
Institute for Heads  Registration open! 
June 27-30 | Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa | Palm Beach, FL
July | Charlotte, NC | Nashville, TN | Atlanta, GA
July 13-14 | Atlanta, GA
October 22 | Crowne Plaza Ravinia | Atlanta, GA
October 22-24 | Crowne Plaza Ravinia | Atlanta, GA  

See the full SAIS calendar of events at www.sais.org/events. 

On-Site Board Workshops
 
SAIS President Dr. Kirk Walker is 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 anna@sais.org.

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
Retiring in 2017? 

If you are a  head of school who will be retiring at the end of the 2016-17 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 annually. Please complete our  Legacy Club bio form .
 

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Book Review
Join a Visiting Team
Annual Conference Speakers
Collaboration Grant Report
Call for Proposals
SAIS @ NAIS
2017 SAIS Events
Tweets of Note
NEW! SAIS Surveys
QUICK LINKS
SAIS Featured School
Coast Episcopal School

The gifts of joy and wonder are hallmarks of life at Coast Episcopal School. Founded in 1950 by The Reverend Charles Johnson, under spreading live oaks and by the Gulf of Mexico in Bay St. Louis, MS, our mission statement continues to this day. "We exist to develop a life long love of learning." Our commitment to develop each child's intellect, creativity, spirituality and ability in self expression, have long been what we are known for. With more than 200 students from toddlers through 6th grade, our coeducational independent day school, hums with the arts, sciences and religious expression.  >>Read more.

Would you like to be an SAIS Featured School? Contact christina@sais.org. 
    
Blogs of Note
 
Liz Maginnis, middle school teacher at Montgomery School in Chester Springs, PA, writes about the importance of character education. 

Jerry Beckman, associate head of school for academic affairs at The Randolph School in Huntsville, AL, writes about the responsive classroom. 

A Path to Leadership, Teamwork, and Digital Literacy
Patti Weiss, ed tech coordinator at The Fletcher School in Charlotte, NC, shares positive points about a student broadcast program. 
 
Sean Corcoran, head of Brainerd Baptist School in Chattanooga, TN, writes in support of diversity education.   

>>Read more blogs here.
Tweets of Note

Students on trips, artwork, and reaccreditation visits. 
>>Read tweets here.
Need Surveys?

The  SAIS Value Narrative Survey is a school culture and climate survey that helps schools understand the important beliefs of stakeholders and the perceptions of how well the school is delivering on its mission. More than 150 schools have used the survey and more than 100,000 responses have been generated.
 
NEW! SAIS is piloting TWO new surveys: 

The Self-Determination Survey is for faculty and students and helps the school measure and understand the critical relationships between these two groups. 

The Board Governance Survey is aligned with the SAIS Governance Training and measures the board and the head's commitment to the SAIS five domains of governance.

 

Both of these are available in pilot phase and at no cost, for now! Contact Damian Kavanagh at damian@sais.org for more information. Both surveys can be delivered with the Value Narrative Survey or as stand-alones.