Schedule
8:00 - 8:50 am
There will be eight concurrent sessions during this time.
(Cohort Meetup) Advancement Committee Roundtable
Current and prospective Advancement Committee members are invited to participate in a live, interactive roundtable Zoom session about trends, issues, and questions regarding independent school governance and advancement.
This Zoom meeting will not be recorded.
(Cohort Meetup) Board Chair Roundtable
Board Chairs and Chairs Elect are invited to participate in a live, interactive roundtable discussion about trends, issues, and questions regarding independent school governance and Board leadership.
This session is restricted to Board Chairs and Chairs Elect.
This Zoom meeting will not be recorded.
(Cohort Meetup) Buildings & Grounds Committee
Current and prospective Buildings and Grounds Committee members are invited to participate in a live, interactive roundtable Zoom session about independent school governance in this vital area of our schools.
This Zoom meeting will not be recorded.
(Cohort Meetup) DEIJ Committee Roundtable
Current and prospective Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee members are invited to participate in a live, interactive discussion about independent school governance and DEI. If your school does not have a DEI Committee or Task Force, you are still welcome to join us. Noted governance and DEIJ experts will moderate this session.
This Zoom meeting will not be recorded.
(Cohort Meetup) Executive Committee Roundtable
Current and prospective Executive Committee members are invited to participate in a live, interactive cohort discussion.
This Zoom meeting will not be recorded.
(Cohort Meetup) Finance Committee Roundtable
Current and prospective Finance Committee members are invited to participate in a live, interactive cohort discussion.
This Zoom meeting will not be recorded.
(Cohort Meetup) Governance Committee (COT) Roundtable
Current and prospective Governance Committee members are invited to participate in a live, interactive, and moderated discussion.
This Zoom meeting will not be recorded.
(Cohort Meetup) Heads of School Roundtable
Current Heads of Schools and Heads Elect are invited to this open forum for informal conversation with head colleagues that will focus upon whatever considerations the participants want to explore. This session is restricted to Heads of Schools and Heads Elect.
This Zoom meeting will not be recorded.
9:00 - 10:05 am
There will be a Welcome Address, Opening Remarks, a Keynote Presentation, and Keynote Closing Remarks during this time.
Sponsored by
Welcome Address & Opening Remarks
Keynote Presentation: Courage of our Convictions: A Roadmap to Antiracism
This multimedia presentation will unveil findings from the CAIS Antiracism Audit. The audit will guide the development and implementation of the strategic plan that will outline systemic interventions for promoting antiracism. A discussion concerning CAIS’ signature strengths and opportunities for improvement will be a focus of the presentation.
Keynote Closing Remarks
10:15 - 11:00 am
There will be twelve concurrent sessions during this time.
Keynote Follow-Up
In this live Zoom meeting, Dr. Valaida Wise will lead an interactive Q&A about her keynote address.
Annual Legal Update for California Independent Schools, Part I
What a year! The courts, the legislature, and local agencies have not made things any easier. This presentation will review the most important cases, new state laws, and regulations of the past year. We will focus on the implications of these developments for California independent schools and discuss how Heads of School and Board members can be proactive in light of them. Come prepared to ask questions and share experiences! MCLE:
Liebert Cassidy Whitmore is an approved MCLE provider. Participating attorneys are eligible for 0.75 hour of MCLE.
An Unbiased View of the Interim Headship
In this session, two former Heads of School will demystify the interim headship. Participants will learn when and why it’s a good idea, how to tee up for success––both the school and the Interim Head––tips and traps, and more. This workshop will appeal to not only Heads who are nearing retirement, but also to schools that may be facing a planned or unanticipated Head transition.
Crisis 2.0 – From the Basics to the Boardroom
This past year, crises have been more challenging and complex than ever. In this session, participants will review crisis basics, first steps to take, and how to develop the response–often the most difficult step–taking into account the facts, optics, and stakeholder considerations. Presenters will share best practices for school leaders and the Board of Trustees. We will also consider the importance of talking points and messaging for both the Board and leaders.
From Data to Equity-Minded Action: Strategies to Analyze, Interpret and Act on Data through an Equity Lens
This workshop will provide tools and strategies to use data disaggregated by demographic groups, to improve student outcomes with an equity-minded lens. Participants will learn and apply a framework to help understand the importance of disaggregating data by demographics, how to facilitate equity-minded dialogue to engage with the data, and how to take action on the data to further student success. Workshop leaders will present a case study from National Louis University, where data was used to surface and address inequitable student outcomes both in college wide and department team settings. After the case study, participants will engage in a discussion to explore how the model may be applied in different teams and contexts. Finally, participants will reflect and begin to plan how they can apply components of the model at their own institution.
Fundraising For The Future: Why it is Critical to Keep your Foot on the Gas and off the Brakes
If one thing is certain, it’s that no one knows what the future holds. For independent schools, being well-resourced can make possible new infrastructure, short-term facilities or staffing needs, or just downright staying power. Some of the lessons learned over the past year are worth remembering and taking to heart when it comes to future planning. Better inform your own planning by hearing from three institutions who’ve experienced considerable success through this pandemic because of leaders committed to forward thinking through crisis.
Governance: Gauging the Effectiveness of the Head of School and Board Chair Partnership
Much has been written about the importance of the Head of School and Board Chair relationship, but assessing the relationship’s effectiveness has been less well studied. This workshop takes a close look at this important partnership and offers a framework for gauging its effectiveness in five key areas—context and commitment, clarity of roles, care for one another, communication, and change management.
Gut Check: Reducing Bias in Leadership Searches
Hiring a new school leader is a high-stakes decision for any board, yet many search committees rely on traditional practices that can lead them to overlook candidates with potential flaws and/or applicants with hidden strengths. Drawing on recent research on bias and decision-making, this session will offer practical advice for Heads and Trustees who want to assess candidates more clearly and make better hiring decisions for their school.
Measuring Your Mission and Vision: Systems of Data Collection and Analysis
How does a school hold itself accountable to the delivery of the mission? What markers should schools track for mission accountability? In this session, we will examine two case studies where systemic data collection and analysis led to the comprehensive measurement of school mission and vision. Presenters will share the questions that contributed to the development and adoption of qualitative and quantitative measures that led to a comprehensive assessment of mission and vision fulfillment. Hear our approach to ensuring that we are living up to the promises we’ve made to ourselves, our students, and our families.
The National Enrollment Action Roundtable (NEAR): Combatting Enrollment Decline Together
Nearly half of NAIS schools face enrollment decline, with many struggling in isolation. The National Enrollment Action Roundtable (NEAR) is a no-cost, grassroots coalition of over 200 schools that have united to fight back. Led by two CAIS Heads of School, NEAR contends we have within our schools the expertise we need; by collaborating, we help one another prevail. We’ll describe how NEAR works, discuss its value-added for CAIS schools, and lead a Q&A.
Protecting Yourself and Your Business – Let’s See What You’re Up Against
This session designed to explain the latest cybersecurity threats and how to identify them before they become cyberattacks.
Adam Alexander
Client Cybersecurity Representative, Information Security
First Republic Bank
Trusteeship 101/102: The Challenge Before Us
In this session, we will review the partnership between Board and Head. Hear a panel of Board Chairs discuss the challenges presented to all Trustees, especially those in their first years. We will turn to scenarios revolving around common questions that Trustees and Heads grapple with: affordability of tuition fees, the conflicts around commitments to anti-racist policies/programs, and the ongoing challenges of COVID-19.
Robert Friedman
Board Chair
Turning Point School
Claudia Lewis
Former Board Chair
The Branson School
Alan Wilson
Board Chair
Harvard-Westlake School
11:15 am - 12:00 pm
There will be twelve concurrent sessions during this time.
Annual Legal Update for California Independent Schools, Part II
Join us for Part II of our Annual Legal Update. MCLE:
Liebert Cassidy Whitmore is an approved MCLE provider. Participating attorneys are eligible for 0.75 hour of MCLE.
Becoming a Children's Defense Fund Freedom School Site
Rooted in the Mississippi Freedom Summer project of 1964, the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools program serves children and youth in grades K-12 in communities where quality academic enrichment programming is limited, too expensive, or nonexistent. Participants will learn about our experience hosting a Freedom School this past summer, the impact it had, the community partnerships and collaborations that developed, and why and how other independent schools might consider becoming a Freedom School site.
Got a Vision for DEI? An Hour to “Dream a Little Before We Think”
The past year has seen significantly more activity for and against DEI commitments in schools. As more people in our communities drive the work forward, inspired by their own ideas about “what we should be doing,” yet others resist the work, worried about “where all of this is heading.” It is increasingly evident that schools need to provide an aspirational vision for DEI. We’ll spend this session “dreaming a little” about DEI: what it could be about, and what it could achieve.
How Does a Board Respond When Everything’s on Fire? Preparing for and Managing through COVID
What do you do when a crisis hits, and what do you wish you’d already done? In this session, participants will learn how long-term Board governance and administration partnership prepared one school to be as ready for 2020 as possible. Hear about their focus on nimble process, strategic planning, Board training, hypothetical “doomsday” scenario preparation, Board education, and fundraising during one of the most challenging periods for independent schools on record.
Mission Possible: The Mission Statement as Phase 0 of Strategic Planning
The development of a strategic plan often requires mapping priorities to the school’s Mission Statement. This presentation will showcase the collaboration between a school and strategic planning consultants to add an additional component to the strategic planning process, “Phase 0,” which would occur before the traditional first phase of research and discovery. In “Phase 0,” a school looks critically at its current Mission Statement, and possibly even revises or rewrites it, so that it can serve as a guide in the subsequent phases of the strategic planning process.
New Directions in Effective Head Support and Evaluation
New approaches to Head Support and Evaluation can foster a climate of trust and clarity of purpose that strengthen the Head-Board relationship and improve the performance of both the Head and Trustees. In this session, participants will hear an experienced Head of School and Board leaders describe their process and positive results achieved in establishing a committee that provides authentic and meaningful support for the Head and for next-level governance.
Operating in a COVID World
Schools are still dealing with COVID! This presentation will provide a wide-ranging overview of current laws, updated regulations, and best practices. It will address responding to COVID exposures and outbreaks, compliance with privacy laws, managing employee leaves, addressing accommodation requests, COVID testing and vaccinations, and more. We will discuss the issues you should be thinking about now for next year.
MCLE: Liebert Cassidy Whitmore is an approved MCLE provider. Participating attorneys are eligible for 0.75 hour of MCLE.
Recruiting for a Diverse Board
To be effective, boards need engaged, strategic, collaborative, and diverse members. Yet many boards do not follow a clear process to identify needed characteristics of Board candidates and struggle to recruit members who bring a diversity of perspective. In this workshop Board members will learn a process they can implement immediately to enhance their recruitment practices and expand the diversity of their Board.
Small School, Big Campaign
Learn how a 260-student elementary school built a culture of philanthropy that allowed the school to raise the $5.1 million necessary to fund a state-of-the-art new facility in 2021 amid the pandemic. The successful campaign required a multifaceted and well planned strategy that included a strong foundation of broad support for the annual fund and well-articulated high expectations for leadership gifts. The Head of School and a Trustee will describe how these elements came together in a symbiotic way at the school.
Striving for Continuous Improvement: An Exploration of Trends Revealed through the CAIS Accreditation Process
In this session, presenters will provide an analysis of Major Recommendations given by Accreditation Visiting Committees to more than 200 schools over the span of six years. Participants will hear about the most prevalent recommendations and learn how the challenges schools currently face fit within the larger social and educational landscape. Attendees will gain insight into how schools may address current challenges and transform them into areas of strength.
Three Secrets of the Entrepreneurial School
Entrepreneurial schools supercharge innovative thinking with market data and an expansion mindset. Learn why school expansion, market research, and collaboration/acquisition should be on the agenda for every school looking to build a stronger market position and improved financial sustainability.
Understanding and Supporting Female Leaders and Leaders of Color at Independent Schools
Independent school leaders in general have borne the brunt of many overlapping crises over the past year, resulting in significant emotional and psychological strain. What has been the experience of female heads and heads of color during this period? This session will explore national trends in leadership, key needs of today’s heads, vulnerabilities in the role, and some strategies for both self-care and Board-Head support systems.
Amada Torres
Vice President for Studies, Insights, and Research
National Association of Independent Schools
12:15 - 1:00 pm
There will be a Keynote Presentation (including an Introduction) during this time.
Sponsored by
Keynote Introduction
Keynote Presentation: Board and Head: Post-Pandemic Collaboration
The relationship between Board and Head has always been vital to an independent school’s health. Two years into Covid and a national racial reckoning, it is increasingly under pressure. Trustees and Heads see the need to get moving—whether to reinvigorate the strategic plan and the capital campaign or to accelerate DEI efforts. But Heads are exhausted and whipsawed: every important decision is now too much or too little for some group. In this two-part program Featured Presenters Rob Evans and Michael Thompson will offer concrete ways for a Board and Head to strengthen their partnership and best serve the school.
1:15 - 2:00 pm
There will be eleven concurrent sessions during this time.
Board and Head: Post-Pandemic Collaboration Live Zoom Follow-Up Session
Join Featured Presenters Rob Evans and Michael Thompson for Part II of their presentation via live Zoom.
Evidence-Based Accountability Plans: Measuring Progress Toward Strategic Goals and Accreditation Recommendations
Leaders and Trustees want their school to be rooted in mission-driven, data-informed decision making, yet many schools struggle to turn strategic plans, visionary initiatives, and accreditation recommendations into action and effectively communicate progress to the Board. In this session, participants will learn about research-based processes for building robust accountability plans. Presenters will explore how to align success metrics to strategic goals and accreditation recommendations, share strategies on how to measure subjective goals such as joyful learners or engaged students, and share examples of effective strategic plan dashboards.
Evolving the Committee on Trustees (CoT): Infusing Intention to Ensure Impact
Is your Committee on Trustees on “rinse and repeat” mode? During this interactive session, learn how a group of Trustees infused intention and innovation in order to evolve the CoT into one of the school’s most impactful Board committees. Participants will reflect on their own CoT and identify ways to infuse a data-driven approach, intentional recruitment and onboarding, and ongoing training into their CoT practices right away.
Governance by Design: An Intentional and Strategic Approach to Improving School Governance
Independent schools often emphasize the need for continuous improvement in teaching, learning, and operations. This is what we do in educational settings; constantly strive to improve and get better at what we do. But why do we not always apply this same ethos to school governance? Why do we not hold ourselves accountable for continuous improvement at the Board level as well? This session directly addresses the importance and potential of applying effective, research-based governance practices in schools so that a Board’s impact on the community can be maximized.
An Inspiring Strategic Plan That is Student Focused Rather Than Operations Driven
Strategic planning, though essential, can also be a long, tedious process filled with meetings that don’t yield truly fresh thinking. Learn a new framework that makes student learning outcomes, not school operations, the focal point. We’ll share an exciting case study that can act as your blueprint and lead to your next strategic plan being truly extraordinary, with all stakeholders inspired and aligned.
Navigating a Challenging and Turbulent Insurance Market for Independent Schools
The availability and affordability of business insurance for educational institutions has changed dramatically in the last 12 months. Coverage limits are down, pricing has increased, and new coverage restrictions are being added that impact how your policy may respond in the event of a claim. Learn how these changes are impacting fiduciary oversight by the board and strategies for navigating a rapidly changing marketplace.
Risk-Free Donations and Faultless Fundraising
This session will focus on California and federal laws relating to fundraising, gifts and donations, endowments, and acknowledgments. We will explore best practices to avoid risk and liability associated with fundraising events, including how to spot issues at the planning stages.
MCLE: Liebert Cassidy Whitmore is an approved MCLE provider. Participating attorneys are eligible for 0.75 hour of MCLE.
Safety & Security: Navigating Physical Security, Cyber Security, and Health during the Pandemic
In 2019, our Board of Trustees established a Safety & Security Committee, comprised of administrators and Trustees, to focus on physical safety and cyber security. Little did anyone know, a short time later, a global pandemic would impact every community around the world and create new challenges for independent schools. Hear how this committee quickly reoriented itself to the many challenges imposed by the pandemic without losing sight of its original intent. We will explore learnings from the past which can help to inform the future for any school contemplating how to manage through change.
Omar Dueñas
Director of Technology
The Center for Early Education
Eric Esrailian
Trustee
The Center for Early Education
Erika Johnson
Assistant Head of School for Operations
The Center for Early Education
David Messinger
Board President
The Center for Early Education
Top Ten Risk Management Topics For Heads of Schools and Board Chairs In 2022
In this session, participants will hear from an experienced education and employment lawyer who will facilitate a conversation about 2022’s top legal issues facing independent Heads of School and Board Chairs.
Trends and Issues in School Affordability through COVID-19
The impact of COVID-19 on all aspects of school operations is deep and complex, including financial aid and enrollment demand. Based on key trends and issues explored in the NAIS 2021-2022 Trendbook, this session will explore the dynamics driving schools’ responses to the affordability pressures impacting families. While each school’s situation and solutions may be unique, there are questions and considerations school boards should be addressing to weather any continued economic effects of the ongoing challenge.
What Research Suggests on Why Heads Leave and Why Heads Stay
This session will share results from a recent NAIS supported research study of 312 Heads from independent schools across the country which sought to identify potential factors that motivate Heads to stay or go, including relationships between Heads and Board Chairs, and investigate to what extent these factors influence the Heads’ job satisfaction and their decisions to remain in their current positions. Outcomes will include: 1) a deeper understanding of the key aspects of the Head and Board Chair partnership which influence, at least to to some degree, a head’s decision to remain at their school; and 2) the case for a deeper investment in the Head-Board Chair partnership and an understanding of the preferred manner in which Heads choose to lead.
2:15 - 3:30 pm
There will be a Keynote Presentation (including a Welcome, Introduction, and Follow-Up Q&A) and Closing Remarks during this time.
The Jim McManus Lecture Introduction
Mark Silver
Head of School, Hillbrook School and
Board Vice President, California Association of Independent Schools
The Jim McManus Lecture | Keynote Presentation: A New Lens on The Work of Governance and Leadership
The pace of change today often leaves school leaders and trustees feeling like they are in a constant state of catching up, sometimes resulting in the school facing unintended consequences or missed opportunities. In the worst-case scenario, this inability to effectively lead and govern through rapid change can totally destabilize a school community and erode trust. When leadership and governance work together, like an orchestra playing an exquisite symphony, these pitfalls can be avoided. We will explore how Heads and Trustees can develop workable strategies for success in their particular context, and create alignment around structures, processes, and programs.