All Resources

JANUARY 2025 SIGNALS

Hello there! Happy 2025. While this is not the beginning of the year for us educators, it is a moment where we begin to plan for the following year — re-enrollment & tuition, admissions, staff contracts, course registration, schedules, and […]

FROM IDEA TO IMPACT

Resources for Building Community During the December Heads Virtual Roundtable, several SAIS school heads shared valuable research and resources they have utilized within their communities. The topics discussed ranged from enhancing the student experience and exceeding parent expectations to respectfully […]

PARENT ENGAGEMENT THAT WORKS

3 Principles to Make the Most of Your Parent Events Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your school’s parents and families completely understood your mission and vision? If they supported teachers, the administration, and the advancement fund? If they not only […]

BOARD BULLETIN: CARE FOR THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

One of a board of trustees’ major responsibilities is to support the head of school, and for good reason. Without the head’s ability to manage the day-to-day functioning of the school, the board would not be able to fulfill its […]

STARTING WITH A DEFICIT AND SAVING A SCHOOL

Making Smart, Mission-Based Decisions to Support School Community As can be the case with leaders who take the helm at independent schools, Robert McGehee confesses he’s “not a finance guy.” As head of school for St. Nicholas School in Chattanooga, […]

DECEMBER 2024 SIGNALS

Hello there! As we head towards the finish of the fall term, there is no greater time to take a moment to create some margin for your team to reflect on the first half of the year. If you need […]

TAKING A FUTURIST APPROACH TO STRATEGIC PLANNING

Using Foresight to Plan for Your School’s Future “Thinking about the far-off future is more than an exercise in intellectual curiosity. It’s a practical skill that new research reveals has a direct neurological link to greater creativity, empathy, and optimism. […]

Rethinking How and Why We Gather

Like nearly everyone reading these words, I have spent much of my professional life in meetings. Over the course of my career, as I have shifted from teaching and leading primarily students to teaching and leading primarily adults, I have […]

FastStats: Tuition & Affordability in Independent Schools

In this FastStats, I explore the affordability of independent schools, an increasingly pressing issue over the past two decades. With tuition rising, families find it more challenging to access private education without significant financial aid. This analysis uses historical data […]

HOW ARE STUDENTS REALLY DOING?

Supporting Well-Being With Intention Top of mind for parents and educators is the current state of student well-being. We’re left wondering how to best support the unique needs of this generation.  How did we arrive at what some describe as […]