Dr. Brett Jacobsen, SAIS President, provides a monthly perspective on the drivers, signals, and trends impacting the education sector.

From Florida and Georgia to Western Carolina, Helene’s impact has deeply affected many of our school communities. I encourage you to continue reaching out and checking in with your colleagues along the storm’s path. Their leadership during these difficult times has exemplified resilience and strength as they guide their communities forward.

As we approach the end of the first quarter of the 2024-2025 school year, now is the perfect time to pause and reflect with your team. Take a moment to assess your progress, celebrate your achievements, and identify areas for growth or improvement.

To assist your reflection, check out October’s Trend Tracker and Pulse Perspectives.

In this month’s Trend Tracker, we are highlighting the following signals and trends. Within each area, a number of clickable resources are available to research with your team. 

01  Gen Z Prep
02  Side Hustle
03  Middle Management
04  College Signals
05  School Threats
06  Digital Learning Demand
07  AI Today & Tomorrow
08  TikTok Market Share

Trend Tracker, October 2024

Reflecting real-time perspectives representing the voices in our association, we solicited feedback from heads of school and enrollment management professionals in September to complete a pulse survey focused on personnel and enrollment. See slide deck for results.

Pulse Perspectives, October 2024

Take a deeper dive in the trends and perspectives discussed by registering for the upcoming webinars SAIS has designed to build capacity for you and your team. 

October 8 – Navigating Screen Time: Effective Strategies for Schools and Families
November 7 – The Cost of Turnover
November 14 – Data-Driven Success
November 20 – Strategic Leadership for Independent Schools

Your engagement through in-person and virtual events has been incredible. Thank you for partnering with us on your learning journey.

We wish you the best as your community’s next quarter story unfolds.

Dr. Brett Jacobsen
SAIS President