By Dr. Brett Jacobsen, SAIS President As we continue our journey through the Governance Health Index, this month’s focus is Shared Accountability—the competency that sits at the heart of effective governance and healthy partnership between the board and head of […]
By Dr. Brett Jacobsen, SAIS President This month’s Governance Health Index focus, Talent Cultivation, focuses on one of the most consequential responsibilities of a high-functioning board. It centers on ensuring the people who lead and govern the school are equipped […]
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 […]
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, […]
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, […]
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, […]
One challenge in building an effective, collaborative board is the relatively long time between meetings (even if they seem to pop up every time you turn around). This often limits the opportunity to deeply discuss the key issues facing the […]
The board members at your school are hopefully aware of their three major responsibilities: While these three responsibilities may seem relatively straightforward, in reality, many boards struggle, especially with what’s involved in setting the strategic direction of the school. A […]
George Harrison penned the sage line in his song, Any Road, “If you don’t know where you are goin’, any road will take you there.” What is true for individuals is equally true for boards. An effective board of trustees […]
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 […]
