The Exchange is a vibrant hub showcasing what’s possible in our schools. Throughout the conference, SAIS schools will share real-world examples of how they’ve tackled timely challenges, offering diverse perspectives and evidence-based solutions. This interactive space invites attendees to engage with experts in a relaxed setting, fostering meaningful conversations and fresh insights that can inspire and inform their own school communities. Seating is limited.
8:00-8:45 AM
Speakers: Brooke Peterson, Advent Episcopal School, and Claire Vaughn, Advent Episcopal School
Discover how Advent Episcopal School strengthens its unique value proposition through Discover Bham, a place-based capstone project that has evolved into a school-wide learning program extending beyond the classroom. By integrating Birmingham’s cultural, historical, and scientific resources into the curriculum, the program deepens interdisciplinary and project-based learning while staying true to the school’s mission.
This session explores how Discover Bham and its Foundations Programs help define and amplify the school’s vision, demonstrating how small, strategic steps have positioned Advent as “the beacon of excellence… in downtown Birmingham.” Attendees will gain practical strategies for identifying and leveraging their school’s unique strengths to create meaningful learning experiences. Through guided discussions and interactive exercises, participants will develop a blueprint for integrating their own local assets, starting small, iterating often, and aligning initiatives with their school’s mission. Walk away with actionable steps to shape and strengthen your school’s distinct educational impact.
10:30-11:30 AM
Speaker: Sarah Barton Thomas, Trinity Episcopal School
Community building is often misappropriated to mean “happy hour” or social gatherings. What if community building engaged faculty and staff in engaging time while grounding and affirming the mission? In this session, we will center on the work of Priya Parker, Peter Block, and Parker Palmer to engage in strategies for building community time based on your school’s mission. Participants will leave the session with philosophical and practical tools to share with small and large teams.
1:45-2:45 PM
Details coming soon.
3:15-4:00 PM
Speakers: The Rev. Adam Greene, Episcopal School of Jacksonville, and Sam Geisler, Episcopal School of Jacksonville
As independent schools plan for institutional sustainability, strategic and missional mergers are creative options to consider. Learn how to conduct due diligence to determine whether to merge schools from an experienced team of educators who have recently led an effort to merge three Episcopal schools in Jacksonville, FL. Discover how to conduct the process and the key metrics to make an informed, strategic, and mission-driven decision. Take away key lessons learned in how to manage the process successfully from due diligence through the early stages of becoming one organization.
4:30-5:15 PM
Speaker: Ryan Cook, Greensboro Day School
Explore how The College Life Enrichment and Readiness (CLEAR) Lab program at GDS allows students to develop a range of age-appropriate skills and practically demonstrate their new learning. The CLEAR Lab program sees sophomores rotate quarterly through classes in Digital Literacy, College Exploration, Test Prep, and Public Purpose work as they physically build a Tiny House. Similarly, Juniors rotate through Public Speaking, Making My College Plan, Financial Literacy, and another Public Purpose effort as they develop a free kindergarten summer camp for local families. Seniors move through the following classes as a cohort: Completing My College Application and Senior Internship Planning, before having a choice of cool options in quarter 3, and then heading out on their internships in quarter 4.
Attendees will explore the rationale for such programs, consider the program content that might best fit their school community needs, and discuss creative methods for scheduling and assessing such classes.
Speakers: Michael Magno, Providence Day School, Tom Balke, Little Architects, and Shana Hetherington, Little Architects
Discover how Providence Day School has embraced a co-designing approach to transform its campus and learning environments. This session will explore three major projects—the IDEAS Exchange, the Auerbach Hall Lower School Project, and a new TK-12 Academic Center (in design)—and how each project evolves from one another. These projects have built critical mass and motivation through a collaborative visioning process, ensuring spaces align with evolving educational needs. Attendees will gain insight into the importance of process-driven design, the challenges of rethinking traditional spaces, and strategies to transform their own campuses into dynamic learning environments.
Speakers: Natalie Pitchford, The Galloway School, and Amir Farokhi, The Galloway School
Beginning with an overview of The Galloway School’s past year and a half of upheaval, our presentation will demonstrate how schools can leverage disruption as a means toward the development and clarification of their organizational identity. We will discuss the recipe for organizational identity and how it differs from mission, how identity and purpose work can manifest from day-to-day learning moments to important milestones such as reaccreditation and strategic planning, and how saying “no” to the sacred cows of culture can help a school get clearer on who they are. We will also share our own identity and purpose journey as it pertains to visual identity, market strategy, and institutional brand. Participants will workshop preliminary purpose statements and walk away with steps toward examining, drafting, and pursuing their own organizational identity as an essential component of strategic initiatives.
