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2026 Academic Support & Student Well-Being Conference – Speaker Info

Speaker Details Registration & Hotel Event Details Exhibitors The Fine Print We can’t wait to see you in Chattanooga!

2026 Designing Inclusion – Speaker Info

Speaker Details Registration & Hotel Event Details Exhibitors The Fine Print We can’t wait to see you in Chattanooga!

BOARD BULLETIN: Recalibrating Strategic Direction: Keeping Vision and Action Aligned

By Dr. Brett Jacobsen, SAIS President In today’s dynamic educational landscape, independent schools cannot afford to let strategy gather dust on a shelf. A board’s ability to set, monitor, and adapt strategic direction determines whether the school’s mission evolves with […]

BOARD BULLETIN: Leading Through Relationships: The Power of Community Engagement

By Dr. Brett Jacobsen, SAIS President In every independent school I visit, one truth consistently stands out: schools thrive not just because of great programs or facilities, but because of the strength of their community. Trustees, as stewards and ambassadors, […]

BOARD BULLETIN: Strengthening the Board-Head Partnership

By Dr. Brett Jacobsen, SAIS President One of the most important factors in a school’s long-term success is the strength of the partnership between the board of trustees and the head of school. When this relationship is grounded in trust, […]

BOARD BULLETIN: Introducing the Governance Health Index

By Dr. Brett Jacobsen, SAIS President Across the independent school landscape, governance challenges are growing more complex. From rising stakeholder expectations to increased financial and strategic pressures, boards and heads are being called to lead with sharper alignment, deeper trust, […]

December 2025 Signals

Hello there! As you know all too well, December can be a vibrant but exhausting season in school life. Auditoriums are full with performances, winter sports are in full swing, student projects are being celebrated, and parent volunteers are constantly […]

Mission-Based Fiscal & Campus Planning

In October 2025, SAIS pulse surveyed member school business officers, with 69% reporting that the financial health of their school is strong/very strong, down slightly from 72.7% in 2024. Despite a healthy financial position, deferred maintenance projects are considered a […]

Reimagining Parent Engagement: Aligning Mission, Culture, and Parent Aspirations

A family’s level of engagement with their child’s school is a critical piece of the independent school student recruitment and retention puzzle. More than one third (33%) of SAIS enrollment management professionals claim attrition rates of 10% or more in […]

November 2025 Signals

Hello there!  As we enter a season of gratitude, I want to thank you for the ways you have shown up this fall. Whether through webinars, virtual roundtables, leadership cohorts, or the energy you brought to the SAIS Annual Conference, […]